Staple Bend Tunnel was the first railroad tunnel in America, part of the Allegheny Portage Railroad, it was built to haul cargo over the mountains, connecting Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The cargo and passengers was loaded on canal boats and lifted over the mountains by a series of railways and canals.
From the parking lot, the trail in is about 2 miles. It is a lovely walk along a crushed gravel path roofed over with trees. Along the way, you see close-up part of these magnificent Pennsylvania forests.
This is the eastern entrance...
the tunnel itself, which is 900 feet long...
and the western entrance.
Our daughter Crystal was visiting from Colorado. While trying to climb over the top of the western entrance, she happened upon a copper head snake skin between a pair of rocks. That pretty much stopped her explorations. Don't let that facial expression fool you for one minute. She's no girly-girl.
Walking through the tunnel, it almost feels like everything you've ever read about a near-death experience.
Daughter, dog, Mom on the trail.
