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Louisville, Kentucky · Legend filmed 1988

Pope Lick Trestle

HauntedClosed / restricted

Pope Lick trestle, 2004 · Ihcoyc, CC BY-SA 3.0

Facts below are drawn from the linked sources.

Real history

The legend was the subject of a 1988 short film; a teenager was killed there that same year, and later deaths followed in 1994, 2000, 2016 and 2019 (Wikipedia).

Ghost stories

These are reported legends, not verified events. The creepiness score (1–5) is Spook Atlas's own editorial rating, not a measurement.

The Pope Lick Monster Our creepiness rating 💀💀💀💀💀
The legend says a half-man, half-goat creature hypnotizes trespassers onto the trestle and lures them to their death before a train; several people have been killed on or by falling from it. Source: The Parklands of Floyds Fork.

Then and now

Tall steel railroad trestle over a creek
Now: Pope Lick trestle, 2004. Photo: Ihcoyc, CC BY-SA 3.0. Wikimedia Commons

Public access

Closed to the public The tracks are active; fences and warning signs at the bottom of the trestle warn people off, and officials repeated the warning after a 2019 death (WAVE, 2019). Last checked: Nov 1, 2026.

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⚠️ Please read: This information may be outdated and conditions change. Verify access with the owner or operator before you go. Spook Atlas does not encourage trespassing. Entering private, closed or condemned property can be illegal and dangerous. Report a correction.

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