Stumphouse Tunnel Railroad Grade Trail

The old Blue Ridge Railroad grade climbs steadily through Issaqueena Falls gorge toward the infamous Stumphouse Tunnel, where Irish immigrant workers blasted into solid granite from 1856 until the Civil War ended the project. The tunnel portal, carved 1,600 feet into Stumphouse Mountain, remains exactly as abandoned in 1859 — a testament to antebellum railroad ambitions that never connected Charleston to the Midwest. The approach follows original hand-laid stone retaining walls and crosses Cane Creek on the remnants of a cut-stone bridge arch.

Easy trail suitable for high-clearance vehicles, though the final approach to the tunnel requires parking and a short hike. Winter ice can form inside the tunnel, which maintains a constant 50-degree temperature year-round. The railroad grade is accessible year-round with no permits required. Primitive camping is available at nearby Oconee State Park. It’s a fascinating glimpse into South Carolina’s failed railroad dreams, where you can walk into a mountain and touch pre-Civil War tool marks on tunnel walls.