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HIKED APPALACHIAN TRAIL Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Hiking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: August 8, 2026

Four miles of the AT are in the state of West Virginia. We rode a van from the National Historic Park Visitor Center to downtown Harpers Ferry, a small historic town of 300 people. We hopped on the AT Trail just outside town, hiked the lower section of town past historic St. Peters Roman Catholic Church and up a steep hill and steps past the ruins of an old church. A half mile later we came to Jefferson Rock, several large masses of shale rock named after President Thomas Jefferson who stood there in October 1783. The rock gives a beautiful view of the Shenandoah River. The trail then took us up and down a ridgeline overlooking the river. We had lots of shade from overhead trees, but the heat and humidity were stifling as we gained altitude. Later, we doubled back and visited the AT Conservancy Center just off the path. On an overlook on top of the hill, we had beautiful views of downtown and the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers. We stopped and had a delicious lunch at The Rabbit Hole. Afterwards we hopped back on the AT at the lower part of Harpers Ferry, visited the John Brown Museum, hiked across a pedestrian bridge across the Potomac River where the trail ended due to construction. Overall, we hiked about 3 miles on the AT Trail.

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HAUNTED FORT MACKINAC, Mackinac Island, Michigan

Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: September 8, 2026

This former British and American military fort from the late 18th century to the late 19th century is situated on a 150-foot bluff overlooking the small town and the Straits of Mackinac. The fort is comprised of over a dozen structures and is home to many urban legends.

Through the years, visitors have reported disembodied footsteps, ghostly soldiers in 18th-century uniforms, cannon fire, apparitions of marching soldiers and voices of children. The Officer’s Stone Quarters especially, is said to be haunted by playful ghost children. The fort’s old hospital, dating to 1828, has produced a variety of paranormal claims. During the daytime visit, we had a quick view of the fort and the people impersonating historical figures there. We did not have time for any type of ghost hunting other than taking photos and listening for signs of anything abnormal. The fort tour is worth the price and really educated you on the soldier’s life there a long time ago.

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HIKED TAHQUAMENON UPPER FALLS RIVER TRAIL Tahquamenon Falls State Park, Paradice, Michigan

Hiking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: September 5, 2026

The Upper Falls spans 200 feet wide and drops nearly 50 feet. This makes it the largest waterfall in Michigan and the second-largest waterfall by volume east of the Mississippi River—bested only by the massive Niagara Falls. A long boardwalk descended to the river giving us great views of the colorful falls.

Its most famous trait is that the water is naturally stained with deep amber or “root beer” color due to tannins leaching from the surrounding cedar and hemlock swamps, making it one of the most distinctive sights in the Midwest.

The River Trail to the lower falls is just over four miles and is considered moderate due to the hilly terrain, exposed tree roots, muddy patches and multiple staircases. On the plus side, it parallels the Tahquamenon River which gave us many beautiful scenic views.

A volunteer ranger had some local animal pelts on display near the parking lot. Overall, we had a pleasant 4.4-mile hike.

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HAUNTED DOBBIN HOUSE, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Investigation Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: August 10, 2026

Located in downtown Gettysburg, this house/tavern is the town’s oldest standing structure built in 1776. We ate a delicious lunch (I had a Reuban and French onion soup) in the basement tavern as the house celebrated its 250th year celebration sharing that distinction with the United States Semiquincentennial. This lower-level dining facility has stone walls, fireplaces, a long bar and makes you feel as if you went back in time. Upstairs, management offers an upscale, candlelit colonial dining experience spread across six historic rooms. In the past, the house served as a hiding place for escaped slaves (an exhibit shows a hiding place in a crawlspace area) and also was a field hospital during and after the Battle of Gettysburg.

Paranormal claims include the sighting of a ghost of Rev. Dobbin, smell of cigar smoke, a sad woman in a blue/black gown, wounded Civil War soldiers, escaped slaves, children’s laughing voices, phantom footsteps, glasses moving and other claims.

After eating we toured the various rooms taking photos and performing two EVPs (one by the slave hideout & one in an upstairs dining room). We gathered no evidence on this day, but the old house/tavern did have its creepy moments.

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GETTYSBURG NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: August 10, 2026

This famous battle between July 1 to July 3, 1863, ended as a major victory for the Union troops. On the final day, 12,000 Confederate soldiers known as “Pickett’s Charge” attacked the union army, suffering 5,000 deaths in one hour, and retreated from Gettysburg. Overall, more men died during the Battle of Gettysburg than any other battle on American soil before or after. Overall, 11,000 men died and 40,000 were wounded, captured or missing. Perhaps, this way there are many paranormal claims connected with areas of the battlefield and local houses.

On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln came to Gettysburg to dedicate the new Soldiers National Cemetery and here he gave the famous “Gettysburg Address “speech.

We visited the excellent battlefield visitor center and viewed the incredible 377′ x 42′ cyclorama detailing the conflict. Afterwards, we drove the battlefield trail. Ironically, while we were in the visitor center, a severe storm struck the battlefield.

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EISENHOWER NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: August 10, 2026

The Eisenhower Farm was adjacent to the Gettysburg Civil War Battlefield and had a view of South Mountain. The farm served the present and first lady as a weekend retreat and also as a diplomatic meeting place for world leaders.

The farm included a putting green, rose gardens, skeet range, and remains of Eisenhower’s cattle operation. The Eisenhower’s first lived here in 1918 and returned here during retirement after the presidency.

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HIKED TAHQUAMENON LOWER FALLS RIVER TRAIL Tahquamenon Falls State Park, Paradice, Michigan

Hiking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: September 5, 2026

The River Trail from the Upper Falls to the Lower Falls (a little over 4 miles) is also part of the North Country National Scenic Trail and parallels the Tahquamenon River. A spur trail called the Island Trail crosses a bridge and loops .5 miles around an island giving us a close look at the Lower Falls. The Lower Falls is older than the Upper Falls. Geologists say that the sandstone on the river bottom goes back 500 million years before dinosaurs existed. Overall, we hiked about 1.8 miles in this area.

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BIKED SENEY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Germfask, Michigan

Biking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: September 6, 2026

We bicycled the seven mile “self-guided auto tour” through the marshes, wetlands and forests of this 95,000-acre refuge. We encountered about ten cars on this one-way, one-lane road, but mostly it was a quiet pedal as we saw chipmunks, squirrels, turtles, dragonflies, ducks, sandhill cranes, monarch butterflies and dozens of trumpeter swans. We exited the refuge at a different location, so we had to bike a couple miles north along the state road to the park entrance to retrieve our truck.

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HARPERS FERRY NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: August 9, 2026

The town of 300 people sits on The Point, a V-shaped parcel of land between the confluence of the Potomac River and the Shenandoah River. The town has old historic houses and churches, restaurants, Airbnb’s, and John Browns Museum and Fort. We learned so much about the Civil War history and Brown’s abolitionist uprising. We enjoyed hiking on the Appalachian Trail which runs through town and ascends into the foothills (only four miles of the AT is in West Virginia). Across the bridge into Maryland, you can hop on the C & O Canal Towpath bike trail. Shuttles from the National Historic Park Visitor Center will drop you off downtown at The Point as car parking is very limited.

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ST. PETERS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: August 9, 2026

In 1828, many Catholics were coming to the area due to the construction of the C & O Canal plus the increase in mining work. Built in 1833, it is the only church in town to survive the destruction during the Civil War. It sits majestically overlooking the downtown Point area of Harpers Ferry and the tall spire gives views of the confluence of the Potomac River and the Shenandoah River. The architecture is Victorian-gothic style with lancet-colored windows. The Appalachian Trail runs along the side of the church. The church is made of sandstone from Maryland and granite from Virginia. The altar is made of Carrara marble taken from the same Italian quarry used by Michelangelo. “The Last Supper” cast was added to the altar around 1921.