Entry No. 29 — the Des Moines file — filed under: haunted bridge
Kate Shelley High Bridge
The Kate Shelley High Bridge is a soaring 185-foot-tall, 2,685-foot-long double-track railroad viaduct completed in 1901, looming over the Des Moines River valley west of Boone — named for the teenage girl who crawled across a flood-wrecked trestle in a midnight storm to save a passenger train. Locals swear the area is haunted by phantom trains and the ghost of Kate herself, spotted carrying a lantern in the dark.
The move: Drive out on rural roads at dusk to stand beneath the massive steel span and watch for Union Pacific freight trains thundering 185 feet overhead — then linger after dark with flashlights to soak up the haunted atmosphere, swap the Kate Shelley legend, and listen for phantom train sounds echoing through the river valley.
📍 Before you go It sits about three miles west of Boone: from US-30, head north and follow Juneberry Road until the spans loom overhead, then pull onto the gravel shoulder. That last stretch is dirt-and-gravel and genuinely bumpy, so take it slow and skip it after heavy rain. You're actually looking at two bridges side by side — the original 1901 iron viaduct and Union Pacific's taller replacement, which now carries the live freight. The catch: it's an active, private UP line with cameras and security, so view from the roads below and never step onto the span. Golden hour silhouettes it best. Pair it with an excursion ride on the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad in town.
- 📍 Boone
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Juneberry Rd, Boone, IA 50036 (approx. 3 miles west of Boone off US-30; take J Ave north to 208th St east to Juneberry Rd north)
Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Tripadvisor · Roadside America · Wikipedia
last checked: 2026-06-07