The Stumphouse Tunnel is part of the Blue Ridge Railroad, a project started in 1852 to connect Charleston and Knoxville. It was never finished due to lack of funds, but three of the tunnels still remain standing in various states of incompletion. I visited two of the others on the Blue Ridge Railroad Historical Trail, but did not visit the largest of these, Stumphouse. During the Christmas break, my wife and I went with her uncle to see the sights in the mountains, and Stumphouse Tunnel was one of the places we visited. I wouldn't classify this as a hike, but we at least viewed the tunnel itself, and Issaqueena Falls just nearby.
Interesting fact about Stumphouse Tunnel: it was used from the 1950s to the 1970s by Clemson University to grow blue cheese, something Clemson is known for. The operation has since been moved to more modern settings that can mimic the environment of the tunnel. The tunnel was pretty damp and we decided not to go very far in, because being wet and cold didn't seem like the best idea for our road trip. But, I got a couple of good pictures of the tunnel and I got to see Issaqueena Falls in the winter from above. It looked quite different, with the trees bare of leaves, but still very impressive.
Anyway, quick trip, but some nice pictures.
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