Blue Ridge Tunnel | Overview video

After lying dormant for more than three-quarters of a century, one of the most impressive achievements in Virginia transportation history is once again serving the public. When the Blue Ridge Tunnel opened through Afton Mountain in the 1850s, it was the longest railroad

tunnel

in the world. It is now the centerpiece of one of the most unique trails in the country. In the 1840s, the state tasked the brilliant French engineer Claudius Crozet with the task of conquering what had long been a formidable barrier to transportation in Virginia: the Blue Ridge Mountains. Crozet developed an ambitious plan to build a rail line that required four

tunnel

s, one of which would traverse more than 4,200 feet through Afton Mountain.

Crozet brazenly dared to excavate both sides of the mountain simultaneously, trusting that the two holes would eventually meet in the middle. Hundreds of men were needed to dig the tunnel. Many of them were local slaves who never reaped the benefits of the money their enslavers received for their services. Most of the workforce was made up of Irish immigrants desperate to find work after fleeing famine in their homeland. Seven years passed, but the two sides finally met in December 1856. Trains first ran over the mountain in 1858. The Blue Ridge Tunnel continued to serve rail traffic until World War II, when increased loads justified the construction of a larger tunnel nearby.

In the 1950s a plan was developed to store natural gas within the tunnel. Two huge concrete bulkheads, both several feet thick, were built inside, but nothing more came of the plan. Nelson County had long attempted to convert the site into a trail, but there was no money available to do so. Funding was ultimately obtained through the collaboration of the Claudius Crozet Blue Ridge Tunnel Foundation and local, federal and state resources, including the Virginia Department of Transportation. But before the tunnel could be opened, there was a lot of work to be done. On the east side, the trail would use the old rail bed, but weeds had to be cleared and drainage issues addressed.

On the west side a longer, steeper path had to be cleared through the forest and a car park built. And there was the matter of removing those huge bulkheads. *BOOM! * Multiple explosions were needed to cut through the thick concrete and rebar. Bricks also had to be shored up in some parts of the tunnel. Sometimes this required laying new bricks specially made to match the dimensions of those used in the 1850s. Finally, in November 2020, the Blue Ridge Tunnel Trail opened to the public. Interpretive signs have been posted along the two and a quarter mile trail. From the east, you can park next to the old Afton train station and reach the tunnel portal after a walk of just over half a mile on relatively flat ground.

To the west, the trail descends about a mile from the parking lot to the impressive stone arch portal. No matter how you get to the Blue Ridge Tunnel, remember to bring your coat as the temperature inside stays around 50 degrees year-round. And don't forget your flashlight. Without one, you'll be in near-total darkness within minutes of entering the tunnel portals. And you definitely need to see this engineering marvel to fully appreciate it!