Directions to Holiday Island train tunnel?

Urban exploration in Arkansas
Snagglebroth
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Directions to Holiday Island train tunnel?

Post by Snagglebroth »

Does anybody have easy directions for getting to the Holiday Island train tunnel? I recently tried to find it, but I came up on a private property. The private property had train cabooses, and it looked like somebody was building a castle in the valley. The next dirt road I took came up on old railway bridges. The elevated area on the road had old track switchers, and rail-line.
Sincerely,
Snagglebroth
P.S. I dont have GPS.
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Spinner
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RE: Directions to Holiday Island train tunnel?

Post by Spinner »

I've been to that tunnel with a buddy of mine from here at work.
He used to live right down the dirt road from it. He said to email him and he can hook you up with directions.

djryan1049@yahoo.com

I have a bunch of photos from there some where. If I find them, I'll host them somewhere and post them up.

Hope this helps,
Chuck
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RE: Directions to Holiday Island train tunnel?

Post by Split »

The private property had train cabooses, and it looked like somebody was building a castle in the valley. The next dirt road I took came up on old railway bridges. The elevated area on the road had old track switchers, and rail-line.
I have no idea where you were at. I'd like to see what you are talking about. There is also a pretty cool train bridge a mile or so down the tracks from the tunnel. It's gotta be around 50 ft. tall. If you have time this weekend or next week let me know.
Snagglebroth
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Re: Directions to Holiday Island train tunnel?

Post by Snagglebroth »

I have no idea where i was either, I know it was on the highway to Eureka Springs. I took directions from a guy in Holiday Island, and he said to take a left on a dirt road before you cross a bridge. I took that. That is where i ended up. I thought at first in the valley it was Quigley's Castle, but it was being built. This place was huge, it must've been 5-6 stories high. Then, i took a second road after the first, before the bridge, and that is where I found the train bridges, there was like 2 of them crossing the creek. I have free time this next couple of weeks, but I'm like 15, so, I don't know if I can go. Haha.
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Re: Directions to Holiday Island train tunnel?

Post by Willard »

Snagglebroth wrote:I have no idea where i was either, I know it was on the highway to Eureka Springs. I took directions from a guy in Holiday Island, and he said to take a left on a dirt road before you cross a bridge. I took that. That is where i ended up. I thought at first in the valley it was Quigley's Castle, but it was being built. This place was huge, it must've been 5-6 stories high. Then, i took a second road after the first, before the bridge, and that is where I found the train bridges, there was like 2 of them crossing the creek. I have free time this next couple of weeks, but I'm like 15, so, I don't know if I can go. Haha.
What you found was where the Eureka Springs Spur joined with the main line. What you do is just go east from there. There's a road that follows the creek parallel to the north of the old railroad grade and you just follow it until you stop following the creek or run out of road then park your car and get on the old railroad grade and follow the tracks.... the tunnel is about 2 or 3 miles form Arkansas 23. (I think that's about right. WR could you help with this?)
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RE: Directions to Holiday Island train tunnel?

Post by travcojim »

i will email directions when I got home tonight, I have been there many times. easiest is go past Holiday island and the first dirt road to the right, its almost on a curve, take that and go about 2 to 3 miles, i believe it is the third dirt road to the right, turn on it and it looks like you will go into someones drive a little ways down this road, but go towards the left and follow this down till you think the road is dissapearing, the first right you come to take it and it will lead you down the hill and to another small road, if you either park here or turn left you go drive another 100 feet or so, then park and walk the old roadbed to the tunnel, if you walk back the other way it will lead to an old trestle. I have the road numbers at home, I did the same thing you did the first few times, turned and ended up in some peoples yards, but if you keep taking the next road.... you will finally find the right path. once you find it you realize how easy it is to find.
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RE: Directions to Holiday Island train tunnel?

Post by Split »

Snagglebroth wrote:I have no idea where i was either, I know it was on the highway to Eureka Springs. I took directions from a guy in Holiday Island, and he said to take a left on a dirt road before you cross a bridge. I took that. That is where i ended up. I thought at first in the valley it was Quigley's Castle, but it was being built. This place was huge, it must've been 5-6 stories high. Then, i took a second road after the first, before the bridge, and that is where I found the train bridges, there was like 2 of them crossing the creek. I have free time this next couple of weeks, but I'm like 15, so, I don't know if I can go. Haha.
I know where you were at now. This is the easiest way I could think of to show where the tunnel is.
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Last edited by Split on Fri Apr 14, 2006 9:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
travcojim
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RE: Directions to Holiday Island train tunnel?

Post by travcojim »

okay, i put the thinking cap on,
turn off 23 onto county road 220, then off this dirt road turn onto 250 and follow that down to the tunnel using the directions i gave in the last post. here is a link to a map that may help
http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?lat=3 ... n=-93.6886
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Re: Directions to Holiday Island train tunnel?

Post by White Rabbit »

Honestly... I'd give directions, but I don't really know how I got there. I know I'd be able to do it again, but... yeah.

Travcojim's directions are how I went, though. I wouldn't have been able to explain even that much of it if he hadn't, though.
itscaramel
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Re: Directions to Holiday Island train tunnel?

Post by itscaramel »

any advice for fellow adventurers?
i assume long pants and boots are a neccessity.
is it filled with water this time of year?
snakes?
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RE: Directions to Holiday Island train tunnel?

Post by wandering »

Heres the location of it on a Topo map you can see it is just north of Onyx Cave.
This an old USGS map, it is about 30 years old and the tracks are old enough to not even show up on these maps and they list the old North Arkansas & Missouri Railroad line as abandoned.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OC ... directlink
Image

I'm catching up on the forum now, it was so long between posts at times that I get busy and frequent other sites that aren;t ghost towns. :P

Hope it helps someone.
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Re: Directions to Holiday Island train tunnel?

Post by wandering »

You know what...
That Tunnel is the old M&NA Charcoal Gap Tunnel.
It was built in 1900 and that is the old M&NA RR Line there. I guess I wasn't really paying attention last night. :oops:

Google up Charcoal Gap Tunnel.
http://www.savingesnarailroad.com/old_tunnel.htm
http://bridgehunter.com/ar/carroll/bh42209/
http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/his ... 8&arkreg=1
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RE: Directions to Holiday Island train tunnel?

Post by Willard »

I've known that for years about what rail line that tunnel is on. Just never really came up though so I never thought to mention it. :P
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RE: Directions to Holiday Island train tunnel?

Post by bobzilla »

A friend and I have been out there a couple of times, once by hiking in and another by way of CR 250. If you drive in, bring your 4x4. My 2WD Trailblazer did ok, but the road is pretty steep and it took a little effort to get back up without the help of 4WD.

Bring mud boots, as both times I have been there the floor of the tunnel has been very wet. If you want to make it all the way through the tunnel you will need waders, as water is filling in part of the tunnel just on the other side of the collapsed area inside the tunnel. If you are a geocacher, look up the tunnel and get the coords for that cache.

If you hike, bring your camel back, esp. this time of year. We both went through a lot of water hiking in. Driving is a lot easier, but you don't get to check out the trestle bridge, which is worth hiking in for. There is also an easy way to avoid the steep climb down one side and back up the other. From the tunnel side it is on the left, from the HWY 23 side it is on the right.

If you are really adventurous you can climb up on top of the tunnel. Use caution, the slide back down the hill was fun, but dangerous. Both sides are steep climbs. One has sharp rocks for you to land on, the other has trees and sharp rocks for you to land on.

This is well worth the trip. Don't forget your flashlight and good luck.

bobzilla
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Re: Directions to Holiday Island train tunnel?

Post by arkie 123 »

Be Careful. If you look there are some huge posts/beams on each side of the tunnel. They are braces for the roof. You can see where rocks are falling. I've been told there is a cave above the tunnel. Might be worth a look. Good luck.
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