The Suscon Screamer from Geo Caching
Underneath the former Susquehanna Railroad Bridge (also known as Boo-Boo Bridge or The Black Bridge) that once crossed Suscon Road lurks the legendary Suscon Screamer.
There's many a tale speculating just whose apparition haunts the area. One story has it spooked by the ghost of a woman jilted at the altar who with a loud scream hung herself from the bridge. Another says she was a teen killed on her prom night who's still trying to hitch a ride home. Yet another says it's a mother and child who died in a car crash while rushing to the local hospital. One more claims that it's cursed by the ghost of a girl that escaped from an insane asylum and leaped to her death off the bridge, landing in the traffic below.
Whichever version you prefer, a spectral lady has been spotted floating about in the nearby woods surrounding Suscon Road, scaring the pants off of generations of local spook seekers.
Then again, some say it's not a human's spirit that haunts Suscon at all. Some believe the eerie sound is the roar of a lion that escaped from a traveling circus (or maybe its' leonine spook after all these years.) Others say it's a half human, half pig swamp monster arising from the bogs.
A Times Leader newspaper story said that a hunter was in a tree stand off of Suscon Road when he heard something coming up over the hill. Then he heard another hunter in the next tree start screaming. That hunter jumped from the his stand and ran. Then our hero spotted the creature through his binoculars.
He described him to the paper as “Being about 6' long with a long snout. It weighed about 200 pounds and was gray in color. It had webbed feet with long claws and had a huge head”. The hunter refused to take the Game Commissioner back to the site because he was too frightened. The man also said “The ground was clawed up as if 100 turkeys had gone through”. He told the officer that he was sure it wasn’t a bear or a coyote; it was a “Monster”.
Here's a Screamer tale shared by one of our readers:
"I used to live by the now gone underpass bridge, and though not a believer in "spooks or ghosts," had experienced the scream one spring night along with my family. We were so terrified we had called the Pittston Twp. police because we thought someone was being murdered in the woods behind our home.
Only later in the night had the screamer idea been thought of after the police found nothing but a few neighbors who had also heard something. I only heard it once and that I will never forget. The spooky part of this story though is 2 weeks later, at 2:30 in the morning, my parents were jolted from bed with that same scream and it lasted a short 30 seconds or so..we never heard it again"
In May of 1976 a family had a different encounter of the spooky kind with an odd creature. They were visiting a nearby lake and saw a family of four, 6' tall, hairy critters looking a lot like Bigfeet wandering around. Maybe it's a Suscon Sasquatch.
Whatever it is, it's supposed to have the most piercing, ear splitting shriek in all of spookdom. Just honk your horn three times when you get under the old bridge site if you need proof. According to local lore, a spirit will appear a'screaming.
And one of readers, Phil, said while he and a friend, John, were exploring the area, they sighted orbs, heard the bang of metal, and the sound of a phantom train rolling down the long-dead tracks (although others have written to say that the train sounds are carried from tracks about a mile removed from the bridge.)
One final urban legend. There's supposed to be 18 streetlights on Suscon Road. Eleven are always out - and every night, it's a different eleven.
Don't limit yourself to the old Boo-Boo bridge site. There are a couple of tales specific to it, but the Screamer and at least one apparition have been reported roaming the general Suscon Road area. So keep your eyes open.
The Suscon Screamer's screech is featured in Charles Adams III and David Siebold's Pocono Ghosts Legends And Lore II.
(We've confirmed that the RR bridge doesn't exist anymore. Phil wrote and gave us these directions: To find the spot where the RR bridge used to be, head up Suscon Rd and drive about a half mile past Duddy Deli. On the right hand side will be a turn-around road, a small hill that you can drive up and quickly loops in a circle back onto Suscon Rd., just before the road to Gable Crest. It seems that the grated bridge in the gamelands may be one site for the Screamer; the old bridge site is where the woman's ghost is located, with an occasional guest appearance from the Screamer, who apparently gets around.)
66 comments:
The railroad bridge does not exist anymore..The other bridge you talk about is located further up the mountain in the gamelands and that is still there..I used to live by the now gone unerpas bridge,and though not a believer in "spooks or ghosts" had experienced the scream one spring night along with my family.We were so terrified we had called the pittston twp police because we thought someone was being murdered in the woods behind our home.Only later in the night had the screamer idea been thought of after the police found nothing but a few neighbors who had also heard something.I only heard it once and that i will never forget,the spooky part of this story though is 2 weeks later,at 230 in the morning my parents were jolted from bed with that same scream and it lasted a short 30 seconds or so..we never heard it again.i think this happened about 1992
Thanks for straightening out the bridge location; that had us a bit confused. And we really appreciate you sharing your story. We liked it so much that we incorporated it into the post.
i would really like to check this out i just dont know which bridge to go to... can you please get back to me on this?
Mary Jane - Strange USA has a Google Map of the site at: http://www.strangeusa.com/ViewLocation.aspx?locationid=8653
Cut and paste it, and happy hunting!
thank you, but we pass that all the time and we never heard anything, are you sure that point on the map is the correct location of the black bridge, and where is the grate bridge that replaced it?
Hey guys - I live in Pittsburgh, not Pittston, lol! Anyway, the old Susquehanna RR bridge doesn't exist anymore, so that knocks out the most obvious landmark.
There's supposed a newer single lane bridge somewhere near it, but I understand that there are quite a few small decks that cross the creek.
All the advice I can add is that first, I'd assume it's near the RR tracks, and also that it's supposed to be near the Grimes Industrial Park and FedEx. Hope that helps.
And if any of you Screamer seekers find the spot, let me know. Thanks.
You have to drive down Suscon Road. you pass one bridge, keep driving, and there is another bridge that has metal running through the ground of it. you stop your car on the metal, look behind you & there's nothing. honk your horn three times, and you either see a bright white light behind you, hear a scream, or see a girl walking in a prom dress.
Thanks, anon, I added that tidbit to the bottom of the post.
I was determined to find where this RR bride once stood. So I began on Sathers drive right before the old fed-ex building where a set of old tracks lies. I got on my bike and headed down these painfully negleted tracks in the direction on Suscon Rd. Trees, weeds, and thick woods have almost completly hidden these tracks but it was the only way of taking me directly to this ghost bridge. I ended up on a hill where the tracks cut off, over looking Suscon Rd. To find this "exact" spot where this bridge used to be, head up Suscon Rd and drive about a half mile past Duddy Deli. On the right hand side will be whats considered a truck turn-around road, in more detail is a small hill that you can drive up and quikly loops in a circle back onto Suscon Rd. Also the road for Gable Crest will be on your left but that will indicate that you went a tad past the spot. If you want to stop I recommend pulling up into that turn-around road, which is paved by the way, and there is enough room to park. If you get out you'll find yourself on a little hill that over looks Suscon Rd. Across the street on the hill parallel to your spot is where I ended up at the track cut-off point. Its easy to imagine an over head bridge once being there because theres a hill on both sides of you, very close to the road, as you drive through. Anyways, I realize theres many different possilbe haunts on Suscon road but the other bridge people are refering to is no where near this spot. The open grate steel bridge is about 5 miles further on top of the mountain in the games lands, near the shooting range. I dont see any connection between the old "boo boo" bridge and the "new" bridge miles and mile up the road, unless theres a different story tied into it? I guess thats open to speculation. However, I will be leaving more posts in the near future after doing some more investigating of my own. The last couple weeks I'll wait till its nice and dark out and head up the mountain. Already some strange phenomenon happening up the but I'll be sure to keep you updated!
Phil - thanks for the info. I've had a lot of people e-mail different locations; finally someone found the old tracks! Hey, keep us posted about your visits.
A friend of mines' mother has confirmed at least one of these stories to be true. Some night in the mid 1970s a girl was standing on the side of Suscon Road near her home waiting for her boyfriend to pick her up for prom. Evidently he was running very late and upon arrival discovered her dead on the pavement. Most likely she was killed by a motorist in a hit-and-run. This occured in front of a very small cemetery next to the turn for Chapel Rd. It doesnt look much like a Cemetery anymore but theres an old, tall, statue of Mary still standing which is very easy to see on Suscon Rd. As for my experiences thus far, some what bizzare. My friend and I like to park at the shooting range far up on the mountain and go exploring. We both heard on two seperate occasions what sounded like metal banging on something, perhaps the ground or rocks, over and over. Sometimes faint voices, strange growls, loud rustling in the trees, and the of a train in the distance were heard to name a few. Whats strange about hearing a train, very clearly too I mite add, is that there isnt a working set of tracks for at least 7 to 10 miles in any direction. Between our location and the active tracks is a city, busy highway, the turnpike, and 7 miles of thick woods to dround out the sound of an "actual" train. Was it a ghost train going over the once tracks of the old boo-boo bridge? Who knows.. The clear open sky also revealed some fascinating mysteries. A small, silent object with one fixed light moved miles across the mountain at a height dangerously low for any plane or helicopter to fly. At first it looked like a star until I realized it was moving. After about 3 minute of watching it head in my direction, it didnt make the slightest sound; never seen anything move in this manner. I'll mention too that I do witness many planes up there in the night, which are loud, have blinking lights and many other obvious features. On a different night I saw out the corner of my eye either a shooting piece of rock buring up in the atmosphere or something fast and bright slamming into the ground off in the distance. Never the less I think its exciting if your into this sort of thing and drive up Suscon Rd. a few times a week in search of the extra-ordinary.
Pretty cool, Phil - first I've heard of orbs being associated with Suscon Road. Ditto for the ghost train, though that makes sense; it's a pretty common phenomena around dead tracks in a psychic hot spot.
I am a very good friend of Phil. (the person who posted about exploring the train tracks) Several nights he has invited me out to take a look and investigate the strange phenomena that occur on suscon road late at night. Mind you all that I am an extremely skeptical person. Being a science major I won't exclude the possibility of anything, however I try to find proof of anything we have found. Several times there are strange noises that may to the mind appear to be an apparition but we quickly are able to prove empirically what in fact they are, whether its a bird or tree moving in the wind. I said this disclaimer mainly because over several nights there are several factors we simply cannot explain.
The first being the mentioned "ghost train sounds". The shooting range is MILES and MILES away from anything. Yet you can CLEARLY and DISTINCTLY hear a train going over tracks and the sound of its whistle. The second law of thermodynamics states that energy tends to dissapate, which basically means that sound will die out as it travels. Sound is also absorbed and reflected off of objects it hits. So with the highway, the rise in elevation, and the myriad of trees this sound would have to hit should ensure you can't hear anything even faintly.
The second strange occurance is by where the old bridge used to be in which Phil explained. Once you walk up this slope and find the old abandoned tracks, there is a horrible feeling that comes over. Phile described it as a pressure on his chest whereas for me it was more like an omninous thickness to the air. There was just simply a very profound feeling that we did not belong. I find this to be so profound I would bet that no one could go out far in this path alone at night.
Thanks for the observations, John. That feeling you describe is fairly common at scenes of tragedy, and it's rarely the same for the folk that experience it. I suppose some are more sensitive to the residual energy left behind than others, and it manifests itself different ways.
As for the sounds, I'll leave that up to you. Is it an example of physics, psychology, or the paranormal? That's why urban legends are so enduring; people can explain the same experience from a lot of different perspectives, and who's to say who's right? Sometimes a spook is a simpler answer than science.
And maybe the right one.
Some how I believe this may tie in with the whole "suscon screamer" thing. On Tuesday night Oct. 20th 09 my boyfriend Mike and his friend Will and his girlfriend Jackie went up to the Visa Overlook, which is off of suscon road, and anyone who has been up there lately knows that there is a gate that prevents people from driving up to the vista so now you have to park at the gate and walk up to it. It's was about 1130pm when we started walking up to the Vista. It's only about a 5-7 minute walk. We sat up on top on the vista overlook to see a meteror shower that we heard about. We stayed up there until about 1:15-1:30 am. On our walk down we were making as much noise as possible between talking and laughing to ward off any animals. When we were about half way down the trail Jackie said that she was hearing foots steps coming up behinds us. We tryed calming her down and told her it was nothing. Shes began to get really freaked out so my boyfriend told her that if anything comes near us he would smash it in the face with a rock. No more than 5 seconds after he said that off to the left hand side of us we heard a exetremly loud ear piercing scream that turned everybody ten shades of white. We all started trucking ass out of there. We made it down to the car and Will said that we heard loud foot steps in long strides coming from behind us as we were running down to the car. When we got home we discuss what went on between the four of us and we all came to the conclusion that is possible that someone could have been hiding off in the woods and just scared us as we were walking down to the car but that would mean that they didnt have a flash light they must have been about 7 feet tall and no man we know has a voice that high pitched to produce that type of screem. And i highly doubt that a female would walk up there in pitch black without a flash light and sit back in the woods for about 2 hrs just to scare a couple of people. And not burst out laughing after doing so. That night while we were driving out of there we did see to cars parked but they weren't anywhere close to the vista. And if it was someone just scareing us they would have walked about 1 mile or 2 and that just wouldn't make much since for someone to do that. We all find it really creapy what happend up there that night. We all know the stories behind the Suscon Sreamer but what we would like to find out is if anyone else has had any weird things like that happen to them up in that area.
The post above mine... im will. my story of that night is pretty much the same. jackie (my girlfriend) kept saying she was hearing something behind us. stopped turned around about 3 times while mike and sam where in front of us. i told jackie dont worry its nothing. at the time of the scream mike sam and jackie were in front of me and i told em before going if anything happened jackie take my keys and if need be ill stay behind and ill do what needs to be done so you guys can get away, unfort i actually had to hold up my part of the bargain. we heard that scream like no other... i look back up the trail and didnt see anything.. everyone start to run back down to the car. sam was so frightend she pushed herself to run from almost frozen in terror. you could hear mike yelling and as well as jackie. at this time my mind is blank but to run. i hear sam screaming will wait wait.. all i can see is her flash light bouncing around but could not see her at all.. i stopped and waited for her to pass me and stayed about 5 feet behind her in case something tried to grab her. as im telling its fine just go im behind you. dont worry. youll be ok. just run. behind me, though something even more worse then that scream. now im hearing something following running down behind us. we all pile in the car and as im fumbling around with the keys to start the car there yelling at me come on come on let s go start the car. i flick on the lights and booked out of there. the 2 cars we saw... one a van nobody inside... a bit further.. a black 4 door car... again no one inside but dome lights on inside. even when we got into town jackie was still shaking and sniffling. sam still shaken up bad holding back tears. and mike completely silent. that scream is something that i will never forget. nothing else like it i have ever heard. its now been 2 days after the fact of all of this and jackie sam and mike have this feeling of being watched. i for some reason was not affected the same way they have been. no problems sleeping or feeling of being watched. though all of us that night had a nightmare and all the same discription of what it looked like tall black piercing eyes. though mine the face looked like a mix of wolf and a bear.
I have to say that of all the posts, the Suscon Screamer has easily drawn the most witnesses. Almost makes me want to go trick or treating there...
Hey guys its Phil again, I left those other posts. Ive spent a ton of time all over that moutain day and night over the past 6 months and had nearly the same expericne. One night early July about 1030 pm I was walking down the trail on the left hand side about a mile past the shooting range. It was pitch black and I was alone, which crazy enought Im by myself 90 percent of the time. I was carrying a high power stream light and my .45 pistol when suddenly I heard a very loud human like like female scream approx. 50 to 75 feet away from me. I stopped dead in my tracks point the gun and light in that direction for about 5 seconds and then bolted back to my vehicle parked on suscon road. I was carrying a gun and still ran, its was that terrifying! I have many more stories of my experiences that occured within the past few months, I can probably write a book. Pesonally Im a bigfoot enthuesist which is the main reason Im up there numerous times a week. Ill add more stories soon, and be safe on that moutain, I never go up unarmed!
Another story worth mentioning occured about five weeks ago on a summer evening. My friend Frank and myself were exploring the woods in the surrounding area of the vista. I discovered and photographed very large, Sasquatch like foot prints. We then tryed primate like calls. That of howlings and crys of numerous creatures or animals were heard. The later and darker it became, the more activity seemed to pick up in every direction. I carried a scoped 30-06 rifle with my .45 side-arm, and Frank took my 12 gauge shotgun. Alittle excessive? Perhaps, but all the stories combined with my experiences, can you blame me? About a month prior at the shooting around mid night there was something enormous creeping through the woods. I kept hearing a hooting sound, sort of like a cross between an ape or an owl. I decided to imitate it, every time it made that sound, I would make it back. Only problem was each imitation I made, the ruselling in the tress got louder and closer to the tree line where I was standing. Biggest problem was the complete darkness and lack of visual capabiltiy. Once it became alarmingly close to me I retreated to my vehicle close by. Once I started my truck I can hear only the sound of something large snapping branches as it barreled in the opposite direction. Im most perplexed by the sounds it made as Ive never heard anything like it nor can I come to any logical conclusions.
This post is for Phil. My boyfriend Mike would like to know what it was that made that sound that night. He would also like to know if there is any way we could possibly exchange information and maybe go on a hunt for what ever it was. We're not new to Suscon Rd. nor the area. We are fairly local only about a 30 minute drive to suscon. We also have an arsonal worth bragging about. So he was thinking if we can all maybe ban together and strategically plan a way to loure and get solid evidence weather it be pictures or a recording anything other than just another story. It sucks when you can only talk but you don't have shit to show.
I would be very interested. I'm from Pittson, for me its only a 5 minute drive to Suson Rd., which is why I go up as much as I do. I have a few possible explainations and would love to share it with you guys. I'm really die hard about exploring the outdoors, ghost/UFO hunting, cryptozoology, etc. It would be great to find others that share these intrests and like to go on mini-expeditions. My AIM instant messnger name is "Kuddog" and I'll try to stay logged on as much as I can.
After reading all this, all I have to say is WOW.... My wife and I had an experience back in 2006. This was way back before I even heard of anything to do with the Suscon Rd. or the Screamer. We were driving down the road and there was a car right behind us. There was no turn off on this particular section of the road. We looked behind us again the car was gone.... I do not know if this was related to anything. We found it really odd though at the time.
If you look at it from a paranormal aspect, possibly they were orbs held to that particlar stretch of road and we just went past their boundries. As far as the train sound, check the area for limestone and quartz deposits. It maybe a residual haunting. It is kinda creepy that I saw these things before I knew about these things nor what road it was. We were just out for a nice evening ride.
I was with friends at the Francis C Walter Dam about ten years ago, before the road was built. The only light was a full moon. We all heard a howling or screaming call at one end of the wooded area, and and could be interpretted as answers from the opposite side of the area. I wonder if this could be related to the sasquatch idea thats running around. Like I said this was way before I heard of any screamers or anything. My late sisters husband used to always tell me there was bigfoot in the woods around the area. However I never really believed him. Always thought he was full of BS....
Joel - thanks for adding your experiences to the list; I gotta visit Suscon Road one day!
Joel thats insane, my friend John and I were in pretty much the same exact situation about a year ago. Actually I think it happened twice to me where head lights were following us then vanished. Alomst every experience people have posted here I have also seen and heard at some point.
a bunch of friends and i just ventured to suscon road and had seen the ufo and many many orbs near the grate bridge . that was a rush!
my mother Ann Garron was born and raised right near the old bridge,my aunt and uncle cousins and neices and nephews still live there.. i spent a lot of time there and all thru the woods in that area as a kid and growing up, although i never heard the loud scream i did hear strange noises at night and it was always extremely dark there at night and the stars seemed close enough to touch them. my late cousin Mike G. who was by far the best outdoorsman/hunter/trapper i have ever seen in my life. knew those woods and creatures better thank anyone and knew every trail and shortcut thru those woods. i recall 1 time in particular we were walking back from eddies pond wich was on chapel road. it was after dark and mike insisted we take a trail (shortcut) thru the woods back out to suscon rd. before we went into the woods he stopped me and told me very seriously to keep on the trail and not worry about anyhting i heard in the woods and as long as we stayed on the trail "they would not bother us because they know we belong here and our family has lived here for generations" !! that walk thru the woods was terrifying and i did hear strange noises - metal banging- feet running or stomping etc but could see nothing in the pitch black woods but the moon lit the trail just enough to see it.. Mike was a big joker and anyone who knew him will agree !! but when it came to the screamer or what ever was in those woods he never would talk about it but seemed to have a deep respect and understanding of it...i have many more wierd tales of suscon and my youth and teens years there. we even used to " party" at the chapel lot when it was still there and "the bus " in the woods by eddies pond. and i do beleive whatever it was out there knows who "belongs" and who is an outsider. thats why visitors ( daters parking - kids drinking from out of town etc) were accosted more than the locals who "understood "
Some miles up from Suscon Rd. is the little village of Thornhurst.
On 09/23/10 at around 11:30pm I was
driving back to Thornhurst from Gouldsboro.
I came down River Rd. and took a shortcut onto Pinegrove Rd. enroute
to my home in the TCCE development.
There is a x-mas tree farm & store there called The Briar Patch.
As I was driving along my high beams caught sight of an old woman crossing the road in her nightgown.
Odd but not unheard of I guess.
What happened next is startling.
As she crossed the road she slowly
faded from view until she literally disappeared.
I mean she became transparent and
then vanished!
I stopped right in front of the
Briar Patch Farm and looked around
but saw no one.
The nearest home was a hundred yards away and there is no way
she could have got there that quick.
I am still mystified by this event
and have no explanation for it.
from my understanding..... the true legend of the suscon screemer was of a woman that was decapitated on the road by a couple of drunk teenagers. and if you race up and down the road at night with only your marker lights on, she will chase you and run you off the road.....?
The Suscon Screamer is the best chat board on the blog. I don't know if there's another place with so many tales associated with it.
That entire area is creepy. My friends and I got lost out that way one night while driving. We couldn't get good cell reception (phones didn't have GPS back then, we were trying to make a call) - I had to stop the car as soon as I got signal so I could finish the call.
We were all standing outside the car alongside the road and there was a really ominous feeling the entire time. Didn't see anything, couldn't hear anything, but it was a real feeling.
There's alot of history in this area of PA - the whole place was once the heart of Indian territory - the state of Wyoming is named for the Wyoming Valley, where Suscon is located. An Indian queen massacred settlers in this area in the 1700s. There was the Knox mine disaster, where they dug a coal mine under the Susquehanna River and couldn't stop it - they had to roll train cars full of cement into the river to stop it.
Hurricane Agnes submerged the entire valley.
And that's just to name a few.
Anon - thanks; there's no doubt the area has some bad karma at the least.
Been awhile since my last post. Just wanted to add that the number of time that I have clearly heard the scream I up to 3 now. This most recent time in late 2010 I finally had a friend with me while driving down dark Suscon rd. Suddenly some sort of small animal ran out into the road in fron of the car so I slammed on the breaks the a complete stop. I rolled down the windows looking at this dumb cat with a death wish laughing with my friend. Unexpectingly over our voices a short screech blurred out to my left in the woods, neary identical to my previous experiences. Quickly and insanely threw the car into park in the middle of the road and started into the woods. I have spent hundreds of hours in Suscon waiting for something like this to happen again and sisnt want to pass up this rare opportunity to find some answers. What I heard was something large trampling away from me and I couldn't keep up. I sware to everything I have claimed and would never waiste peoples time with inaccurate stories. Seems like dozens of people are seeing and hearing unexplained things as well.
Phil - thanks for the update; keep us posted on your investigation.
i have many theories about the Suscon Screamer which I want to share...
I actually live on Suscon Rd. right at the bottom of mile hill. I can tell you that suscon woods are beautiful during the day, but terrifying at night. I have had a million creepy experiences walking on my road and in the woods around it, ESPECIALLY by the whistling bridge (the "new bridge" as others were calling it.) I grew up hearing stories about the suscon Screamer and i can definitely tell you that something is out there. However, I'd like to take this opportunity to de-bunk the train sounds people claim to hear. These are from the train tracks that cross main street in dupont. the wind carries the sound. I know because i hear them from my bedroom all the time and, like i said, i live in suscon.The wind travels all around suscon like that. one night, in bed, i heard a really creepy piano. I have no idea where it was coming from but it scared the crap outta me!
I read in a book that there is a "Gravity Hill" somewhere on Suscon Rd... Does sanyone know where that is?
I was driving up on suscon road i usually get there from jumper road. Well as i started down the hill i got down towards the bottom where the road bends and my passenger was looking around after we had talked about the legends and my passenger took notice of a sighn on the side of the road i cant remember what the sighn said but it was a plane jane street sign. The part that startled her was on the sighn right under the words it had said help. The lettering could have been paint but it looked like it was hastily scribbled on it. Has anyone else seen that up there?
Has anyone else noticed that fog rolls in when you are driving and talking about the screamer? Then when you stop talking about it the fog dissipates. Just a creepy observation a friend and I made.
Okay, not to burst anyone's bubble and I'm not trying to disprove anything, but in regards to the "ghost train" sounds I do have some personal experiences not directly related to Suscon Rd. I live in Avondale Hill, a neighborhood of relatively nearby Plymouth. The closest railroad is a mile away (in a straight line) and across the Susquehanna river. On most nights, I am able to hear the roar of a passing train as clearly as it would if it were passing right before me. I am also able to hear the train whistle as it approaches a crossing, and the nearest crossing is 2 miles away in a straight line, as clear as if I were right next to it. I believe it might have something to do with the sound echoing up the side of the mountain. Or we just might have a ghost train ourselves from the Avondale Mine Disaster ;)
Also keep in mind that there are tracks in the nearby Industrial Park. My mother used to work at Letica located inside the park, and as a child I remembered seeing a train roll by behind the factory. I never even knew there was a track there until I saw a train moving. So, there could be a train passing closer than you might think. We will just never know for sure.
I myself grew up in the Pittston area and left that P.A. in 1996 for the military. Back in 1994, myself and a few friends, drove out to the metal grate single lane bridge. This as far as I know is the only spot to experience the Suscon Screamer!
The story as I know it has always been, that while you drive over this small bridge and beep your horn, you will see a ghost of a female on the side of the road, screaming towards your car.
We have attempted this trick many of times, but much like the bloody mary in the mirror trick, it has never worked. Though one summer night, my self and two buddies and three girls drove out to this spot in two seperate vehicles and pulled over off the side of the road just about 50 ft past the small single lane bridge.
We proceeded to get out of our cars and pop open some beers and tell the scary story to the unassuming girls with us. About half way through the story, one of the girls said, can you hear that? We became silent to listen for what she was proclaiming, and we suddenly heard a high pitch human like scream come from inside the dark woods, which sounded to be pretty close by. We just all stood there and looked at eachother with complete surprise! And waited a few seconds after the first scream we all heard and suddenly heard another one which seemed to be even closer, probably about 10-15 ft away from us in the woods.
My friend yelled "lets get out of here!" And my other buddy tried to climb under his car, while one of the girls followed suit. I yelled at him, "what are you doing? Get in your car!" And he jumped up and we all piled into our cars and took off!
It was horrifying and I will never forget that night. The even stranger thing was, we drove back to my friends house, who lived in Suscon but quite far from this site and when we got there, we pulled into his driveway and got out and decided to drink our beers there and talk about what happened. And soon after my friend said, "do you guys see that?" And we looked toward where he was pointing and we saw these large piercing yellow eyes in the woods near his house, just staring at us!
And at this point the girls that were with us, had enough and got into there car and drove off. We then went inside my friends house to tell his parents. And they told us that they had a simular experience when they were teenager and suppously there were a group of local hunters that went into the woods to find out what was scaring everyone. And came back with the report of it being a mountain lion. This was in the 60's when this happened and they said it was in the local news paper.
I know my story is a long one but this was my only experience with the Suscon Screamer. And in my opinion, I have always believed it was a sasquatch that we heard that night. And I have always wanted to go back to that area and try to find proof. I am 35yrs old now, and still have hope of going back there!
I was under the bride yesterday and I did not see anything but when I was leave I went under the bridge that is right before it and I saw a huge shadow and it was walking toward me.The shadow had a long head(about two feet long)and it walked on two feet.And the only sound I heard while I was there was cars from the interstate that is above the first bridge the one that I saw the shadow under.
hi i am someone who knows that whole mountain all the way to thornhurst.here is what i believe are a few "facts" that ive gathered over my decades being on and around suscon rd.first off,the ghost thing.there was once a powdermill in the area,and as far as i know,and research would prove it,there was an explosion there,claiming lives.a high school acqaintence had a story about a ghost wandering near there,looking for his wedding ring.not sure how true,but makes sense.second "fact"that i saw,although for only a millisecond,a mountain lion.im not going to give you any bs story,but 2-3am driving around lackawanna state forest,a deer veered onto the road,which ive seen a million times,but this deer was running from something sure as i was breathing,and a flash leaped from shoulder to shoulder after this deer.recalling the event,it was A.catlike in motion B.tawnee color C.had a tail,which counts out a bobcot.no misidentification here,just only a story as proof.the third thing is,ive witnessed fatal car accidents as well as been part of dangerous accidents.many lives ended on that strech.so to say it isnt haunted is crazy.no personal ghost exp. there,and most disappointing of all as a cryptozoological enthusiest,no sasquacth encounters.i do know this,its the most vast stretch of wilderness in NEPA,and besides bradford co one of biggest in state.if bigfoot exists in pa,its here.i can say i did hear the vocalizations of this animal,although it happened near lewisburg,pa. if anyone is interested in a actual research into poss cryptozoological locations,text 5704662359 ask for jeffrey
There are plenty of stories about Suscon Road. Thirty some years ago, my friend who bar tended at the Town Tavern in Duryea claimed he saw a woman in a white gown besides the road at two A.M. Was he seeing things after having one too many? Who knows?
There are a few animals in the woods that make screeching sounds, so I suspect some of you are letting your imaginations get a little carried away. Screech Owl is one.
I have ridden my bike to the Vista hundreds of times and I can assure you there is nothing to be afraid of.
Even the miles and miles of roads by the Manny Gordon State Park. Hundreds of rides and runs. Nothing. And not once did I feel fearful.
But, I'll indulge a bit more morbid curiosity for you. One Easter Day on Suscon where the hunting club is, a man was fishing with his three (or four daughters) at a lake near the club. Somehow the boat tipped and several of the children drowned. The Father survived. From what I gather this was in the 1950's or sixties. You can probably search newspaper archives to find that. That was at an Easter Event at the Club. Talk about a tragedy.
A man was bit by a rattlesnake while cutting wood with a chainsaw there a few years ago.
Another story is that there was a pig farm and slaughterhouse near the Bridge that was removed. That was on the left side of the road back in the woods. Can the screeching be the ghosts of pigs? I guess if you believe in such things it may well be.
One thing I do know is that if you goof around in the woods around Suscon, be careful as there are a LOT of rattlesnakes there.
Between Suscon Road and Bald Mountain Road there were Indian Camps near a lake with ledges around them. Again, rattlesnakes, rattlesnakes, rattlesnakes. I'd be more afraid of the snakes than the other stories.
In fact, Bear Creek has several ancient Native American Indian camps researchers have located over the years. I suspect there are burial grounds locally also.
I've driven Suscon Road forty five years and the only thing I've ever seen were deer. I suppose my one brush with the surreal came when I was returning home around midnight and a bear jumped out towards my car as I was driving. He seemed to run alongside my car and brush against it. No thump. No damage. Nothing. Go figure.
The train whistles I have heard. I also heard a man repairs train whistles somewhere in Bear Creek Township.
Anyway, keep up the good work. I enjoyed reading your stories.
Suscon Road Scene of Many Deadly Accidents
From The Citizens Voice
PITTSTON TWP. - The teenagers were approaching a sharp right, downhill curve in a remote section of Suscon Road.
In daylight, it's a challenge. In the dark, it can be deadly.
On the night of Jan. 3, it was.
A 15-year-old girl from Edwardsville was killed and two other teens were injured in a violent, rollover wreck on the curvy, hill-laden Pittston Twp. road that is notorious for crashes.
"It's a treacherous road; it's very unforgiving," said Don Hudzinski Sr., an emergency medical technician and president of the township ambulance association.
In the crash, the teens had just finished a miles-long straightaway through remote state forest.
"Unfortunately, eventually, you come along the twists and turns," Mr. Hudzinski said. "They're a surprise."
Emergency crews transported Kayla McGrady of Edwardsville to the hospital within 40 minutes of the first 911 call, Mr. Hudzinski said. She was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. The other two victims, the male driver, 16, and another female passenger, 15, were transported to area hospitals and released within two days.
On this section of road, there are no homes or street lights, just two lanes of road and guardrails, or woods. There are smaller straightaways, then more turns.
"There are a lot of places where you can pick up speed, then you have this surprise corner coming up on you," said Mr. Hudzinski, who grew up in the area and knows the road well. "An inexperienced driver on that roadway needs to be careful."
There have been at least two other fatal crashes within a mile of the Jan. 3 crash. A roadside memorial with flowers sits about 100 yards away, and a white cross is nailed to a tree up the road.
Suscon Road is maintained by the state Department of Transportation.
PennDOT spokeswoman Karen Dussinger said drivers need to be cautious no matter what road they travel.
"We always say that 'no road is dangerous,'  " Ms. Dussinger said. "If motorists keep their cars in good working order, obey the speed limit that is posted for that road, are conscious of driving (weather) conditions, which can affect the roadway surface, they can travel safely on any road."
She added drivers need to avoid using cell phones and refrain from driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Police have not said what they believe led to the Jan. 3 crash.
"Everyone has a responsibility for their own safety. PennDOT works to keep the roadways safe and passable through maintenance efforts, but we can't be there at every moment to address every situation that occurs on the road," Ms. Dussinger said. "Driving shouldn't be what someone does while doing other things. When your life and the lives of others are at stake, it should be the only thing you do.
So as they said on the long cancelled TV show Hill Street Blues, "Let's Be Careful Out There."
The grated bridge that went through the game lands is now gone and replaced by an asphalt bridge which is an insult to that bridge's history.
originally from thornhurst...born/raised...all the town kids would hang out and party in the woods close to the road and prepared with a white sheet ti freak out people that passed by...truly hilarious especially on a dark foggy night. For as many times as wr hung out in the woods around there, we never heard anything. We even camped at the Vista and discovered our tire was flat and a friend walked all the way home to get another vehicle and flat repair equipment...guess what...he came back alive and said it was the most peaceful 3hours of his life...if anything, we were the Suscon Screamer...btw we used to put candles in a tree to creep ppl out on windless nights...suscon screamer is us...
Holy crap, my father, uncle, and I heard something like this, but it wasn't near Suscon Road. It was up in Brooklyn Township, by Nicholson, Pa, where that huge concrete bridge is. We were walking out to our deer stands in the pre-dawn light, when something BIG "screamed" at us from up on the hogback hill. It stopped us all dead in our tracks. I felt the hair raise on the back of my neck. My uncle said "Jesus--what the HELL is THAT?!" nthen he asked my Dad; "Did you ever hear anything like that?" My dad just quietly said "no..." This thing-whatever it was--screamed again at us. It sounded like a high-pitched growl, but it wasn't a small cat--you could hear that it had large lung-capacity, a deep "bass" about its voice. It kept up the screaming, and all of a sudden, started moving down off the hill, back over the high field on the hogback's other side, and disappeared down into the swamp on the other side, "screaming" all the way. We stood around, dumbfounded, not knowing what we just had heard. My dad reiterated "In 40 years in the woods, I've never heard anything like that. I have no idea what that was"! We hunted the rest of the day, but I kept my finger near the "safety" on my gun all day. I was scared to be in the woods. We never found out what it was, even though we later looked for tracks---but the cold, hard ground didn't show any. We've never learned what it was, nor have ever heard anything like it since.
I am an investigator for Pennsylvania Bigfoot Investigations and have really enjoyed all the stories. We are very interested in this area and have done 2 investigations on state lands off of bald mountain road. We will be continuing to research this area in the future.
Jason
The first comment was about a terrifing scream sounding like someone was being murdered. I also heard a horrifing scream that sounded like someone being ripped apart. I found out the next day that there are BobCats up in Suscon wheere I life.
Now I know this is probably just a coincodence but I love to tell the story. I was 16 yrs old. I took a freind of mine to The vista for a ride trying to scare her and tell her all the crazy stories. WE were driving back home and were right in front of Chaple Road where the Chaple once stood. I was telling her the story of the Suscon screamer. Just as we were getting near the Chaple, my lights went off, on and off. The radio went off and everything else. I slammed on my breaks, bc it was pitch black out. My friend was of course screaming even though she thought I had done it on purpose. When the lights came back on, there was a vulture standing right in front of the church with a wing span of at least 8 feet.
I know it was just a coincodence but it was crazy and freakin scary
The old Boo-Boo (Black bridge) is exactly where Phil said it is, at the now turn-around. It can easily be spotted by yellow steet signs with Arrows pointing. And the old Grated-Bridge was miles up the road, but unfortunatly they replaced it with asphalt. When we used to cross it you would lift your feet off the floor of the car and make a wish as the tires hummed across it. I know this road very well been going up there since I'm 5 maybe younger and I'm now 30. My dad used to beep the horn before going under the bridge, as it was a curve in the road for cars coming down. He used to say he was beeping at the Heeby-Jeeby on the bridge (he had nicknames for everything). I actually have a pic of the old black bridge and a pic of what it looks like now. I wish I could upload it here for ya'll.
Unfortunatly, I have had 4-5 friends die on this road, one being my best friend. After mile hill abit, through the twist and turns in the road, his brick roadside memorial marker can be seen on the right side of the road, there is a solar powered light in the middle of it. I think this is the memorial spoke of in the newspaper article above.
Definatly my favorite spot to visit, as I am from Pittston. Pittston Road and the Vista being my usual hangout. I go there quite often with my boyfriend, I got a pic of the back window of the truck a few weeks ago bc I felt someone watching me. I posted it on my favorite Paranormal groups page on FB and got several comments, some say they saw a lady in a white dress, I saw eyes (reptilian like, almost like a T-Rex) others saw a bearded man (which I presume is my best friend that
was killed just down the road a few miles). I also walked up to the vista alone 2 days after taking that pic, I watched the sunset, then thought I better get outta here, Its getting dark and I'm alone. As I started walking down the path to the truck I heard something loud in the bushes to my left, it crushed branches with intense force (must have been big) it then let out a growl I've never heard before. Could it have been Big-Foot. I'll never know bc I ran like hell bc I didn't have a flashlight. I'll keep you updated with my trips up there. Hopefully I will be able to add photos on here someday! Be safe everyone!
Going back to the "Ghost Train", interestingly the Black Bridge carried what was then the Wilkes-Barre & Eastern Railroad, originating from what is now Nesbitt Park in Kingston, winding it's way through Plains here...up thru the famous "S" Curve (now largely wiped out by the industrial complex/Lowes Distro Center...across the bridge and heading to High Bridge in Springbrook and points East until it came to E. Stroudsburg.
Anyway, the abandoned ROW (Right of Way) passes relatively close to the shooting range, as the bird flies so to speak, so, not to let a good Ghost train story go to waste, thought I would throw that in there for everyone. Besides bikes, I share a passion for abandoned RR's..and of course Ghost Hunting..so this is a neat story that has been ongoing for many years.
Love reading the comments. I live near the old bridge / truck turn-around. Even though I have had a few paranormal encounters in my life, none are related to the bridge area. If you visit the area, please be sure to drive safely and carefully. The road can be unexpectedly tricky, especially at night. The night before my Wife and I left for our Honeymoon, we were one of the first on the scene of a scary wreck where teenage "Suscon Screamer" hunters flipped their SUV on "Devil's Curve" / Suscon Beach. Even though one of them was thrown from their vehicle, none were killed or seriously maimed - thankfully - and a miracle. You should also note that the trains passing in Dupont, a small town about a mile and 1/2 North of the old bridge location, can be heard quite well in the area as the sound travels up the road valley. Also, there are coyotes and Fishers active in the area; if you have never heard their calls before, they can be quite startling. Even though I have not had any paranormal encounters myself in that area, a family member did have an encounter with a Sasquatch type creature on the old railroad bed / trail Phil mentioned earlier. He and a friend were on quads at the bottom of the rock hill that joins the old bed with the back side of Gable Crest - it was an encounter that still kinda haunts them to this day. If you visit, keep your eyes and ears open - and please drive carefully!!!
Somehow I stumbled upon this from fb... I guess reading about some big foot stories. I wasn't really interested in the big foot stories but more interested in the suscan rd. Stories cause all I could think about is my daughter when I think of suscan rd. Yes Kayla is my daughter. I'm so happy someone actually posted the more obvious meaning of suscan rd and that is the safety part of it. Suscan Rd. Is a very dangerous road and I think more people need to be careful up there. So whoever reads this I understand you are interested in all the ghost stories up there but please be careful.
Grew up in Avoca. My best friend lived at the top of Chapel Rd so I used to hang out in that area all the time. Went camping at Devil's Falls a lot. Saw and heard some weird stuff. He had a pipeline running up the side of the mountain by his house. His uncle, who lived right there, swore he saw a bigfoot striding across the pipeline halfway up the mountain one day. He wasn't the bullshitting type of guy, but who knows. The legend in his family was the half man, half pig version of the Screamer. My friend swears he would occasionally hear the most unearthly, ear splitting howls in the woods outside his house. His whole family was kinda used to it, just accepted there was something weird out there. Everybody packed heat.
Just FYI the Vista is a long way from where the Black Bridge use to be. We still own a cabin up on Weis Lake, not far from the Vista. On a clear day you can actually see the NYC skyline from the Vista. Check it out. Bring a gun. Something is creeping around up there.
Is the vista on Pittston Rd, or off of Suscon Rd? Thanks
Wow... What a thread... This is my first time reading this and I am freaked out and blown away at the same time... Amazing how there are some similarities between some of these stories so this gotta be some real shit... As soon as I get my license back I plan on taking a trip up there I gotta experience this... I have heard about the Suscon Screamer since I was a teenager, I'm born, raised and live in Scranton... This is so wild killer thread made for great reading... Anyone that wants to send me anything concerning this topic, feel free to email me at calpinmichael1@gmail.com... Peace
Hello Everyone,
I love this thread so much I have decided to do something extremely special for all of you.
I am a retired PA State Trooper and have really taken an interest in paranormal investigations more than normal lately. I have decided I will be either live streaming or putting a video on youtube of a 3 A.M challenge at Suscon Rd complete with EVP’s, Infrared Cameras, motion sensing, equipment, etc. I truly hope I can bring enjoyment and entertainment to all those who may have never been to our creepy corner of the Keystone State.
When I was a Trooper I was called to Suscon Rd twice at night by people who claimed to have seen a white apparition appear on the road, and heard a “Person being Murdered” scream. I’ve also taken statements from hunters in the area who claim they saw a “creature” within the woods. A direct quote I will always remember “Not an animal, not a man, I don’t know what the h*ll it was, but I’ve never been so scared while holding a gun”. The final thing I remember and granted I retired back in 2008 but it stayed fresh, there was two young couples who We’re visiting a friend on Atwell Drive which is right off of Suscon Road frantically called Pittston Police stating they had seen a phantom car. The officer who spoke to them said they were pale, sweaty, genuinely terrified, like they had seen a ghost.
Needless to say, there is something out there and it is a mystery. I do hope my investigation will turn up something wonderful and awe inspiring.
To anyone going to Suscon Rd at night. **Do not get out of your vehicle unless you have reflective clothing or bright lights. Suscon Rd at night is pitch black and I think there is enough bad history on that road
Also if anyone is looking for another haunted Luzerne County location I recommend Good Shepard Cemetery in Plains Township. Freaky Freaky Freaky. and if you venture to Lackawanna County check out Shady Lane Cemetery in Chinchilla
Anyways please continue to read this forum.
I am trying to get a small team together to help me conduct this investigation. When we are set I will let everyone know and I will post links to the video documentation.
Everyone stay safe, happy hunting, and on Suscon Road keep your eyes peeled, ears open, and always watch you back!!!
I was dating this good man who was doing hurtful things to me, due to his double lifestyle. I caught him cheating and he apologised never to let it happen again, few months later his attitude and responds to things started changing negatively, I suspected his constant phone chats and lone smiles. I contacted this cyber hacker who helped me hack his phone and gained me remote access to his phone actvities. I found so much porn and dating sites he registered, with number of other ladies he cheats with. This time he tried pleading but I knew it was the end. Cyber Genius is reachable on +1 (612) 502 - 3647, he's a legit and reliable hacker
I was heading up suscan rd with a friend the one night it was raining heavily with some fog we were all the way up the hill,no street lights, houses nothing just woods.When I was driving i noticed a person in a yellow rain coat with the hood up as I passed him he slightly turned to expose the face but I couldn't see a face as soon as I passed the person or thing my car started to sputter and almost stall I turned around quickly and headed back the same direction I seen the man and he was gone my car was fine after that, weird I honestly think it was a ghost.
To the retired trooper... I would like to join this group gathering you are trying to put together stay in touch through reply thanks!!!
also... I always love a good thrill... This is one to experience as i am 3pmins from suscon rd. I am planning a road trip soon... Also as i hear to carry a weapon... I have none at the moment but just a large hunting machete and a few other cool knives. Hopefully nothing happens just the thrill experiences i keep reading about is what i want to happen... Nothing more... I will be back with my experience soon
Til then,
keep story telling!!!!!
Love the tales of this screamer and the large big foot like thing lurking and chasing on the side of you...
I know the area very well. The post above hit the nail on the head. The old bridge used to be at that truck turn around. About 1/2 mile from Duddy's on your right. The other grate bridge 5 miles up near the shooting range is paved road now
are there any more recent updates or experiences from this location?
I live right past the truck turn around. At approximately 2:20am on June 24 I was laying awake in my bed. I have been sick and have not been sleeping well. As I was drifting off I heard a horn beep. It beeped five times. I was thinking “who is beeping at this time?” Then thought it was a car alarm but it stopped after 5 beeps. Right after that I heard an awful scream. It sounded like someone was being murdered. I never believed in the screamer, but what I heard was awful. It was not normal at this time or any time. I told my husband, he thinks I am crazy, but I know what I heard.
Hello everyone,
Me and a friend went to suscon road where the old bridge thats by the truck turn around. We were there at night and just walked right up to the top where the old bridge would have been. We were standing there in the dark just trying to get a feel and listen and all of a sudden I seen what appeared to be something white like a white light or something appear from right to left and then disappear right at the bottom of the little Gulley when you're facing the direction of the no outlet road. Once we got back to the car my friend had said he seen the same exact thing I had seen.
Also we had drove down the road past the shooting range to a pull off the the right side of the road and started doing wood knocks and whooping calls to see if we can get a response. After a while of doing wood knocks we heard what sounded like something had knocked back
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