I had driven by the old Mill and Blacksmith a million times and even once pulled into the parking lot to have lunch once. But it was a long time before I realized what lied just beyond what could be seen from the road. The Mill stands at the edge of a brilliant curtain waterfall named Upper Decew Falls. Under the falls lies several tunnels carved out ages ago, though most of it is now inaccessible. The waterfall also marks the start of a deep gorge which adventurers must rappel down in order to access the mines and Lower Decew Falls.

One hazy Saturday afternoon my friend and I drove there equipped with some cheap rubber boots we had just grabbed at Canadian Tire and attempted to rappel down the gorge wall so we could explore the mines. Though there isn’t much left you can access it is quite fun to explore, though I recommend wearing taller boots than I had and having extremely bright headlamps. Not only that you may want a separate pair of hiking boots for better footing when climbing down the gorge.

Start Slide Show with PicLens Lite

There are many variations of The Screaming Tunnel’s story. The most prominent of these is the one of a father who burned his daughter alive in the tunnel after learning he had lost custody of his children. Other variations include the child escaping a house fire nearby and trying to extinguish herself in the tunnels water, or that the child was raped and burned. Despite which story you chose to believe, if any, it is said that to this day her screams still can be heard in this tunnel. Due to the child’s fiery death a lit match or candle is said to invoke her screams, only to have the flame blown out shortly after.

I ventured to this tunnel one afternoon with a friend, not really sure what to expect. After a few wrong turns we eventually found it and ventured into the tunnel. It was wet and dark but we felt no supernatural presence in the tunnel, nor did we hear any screams. This may be due to the fact that neither of us remembered to bring a match to light, but I honestly do not believe there is much truth to this story. If you are interested in old stone structures that have stood the test of time or seek to find a supernatural presence, The Screaming Tunnel is worth the trip if you live in the area, but if you live far away I wouldn’t make a long drive as it won’t keep your interest more than 5 or 10 minutes.

Something interesting about this tunnel is that it was used in the 1983 Stephen King movie “The Dead Zone” which stared Christopher Walken.

Co-ordinates

Start Slide Show with PicLens Lite