‘Driving The Ghost Road’

It was late, it was dark and the headlights barely penetrated the stygian blackness created by the canopy of foliage hanging low overhead, on either side of us the dense forest of the Thicket pressed close, dark and mysterious. We felt but couldn’t see eyes watching as we bumped slowly along the one lane dirt road, peering through the blackness, wondering what lay ahead. A shimmering light hovered and wavered on the road before us……………………..


Oh c’mon. sure we were out driving ‘The Ghost Road’ looking for ghosts, but in the middle of the night, I don’t think so, I like to be tucked up fast asleep then and let the ‘ghosts’ have the Thicket to themselves.

Today has been gloriously sunny and much warmer than recent days, so our trip down Bragg Road, known locally as ‘The Ghost Road http://www.bigthicketdirectory.com/ghostroad.html was sunny and warm with a bright blue sky overhead. Yes it is a one lane dirt road, and yes the Thicket does press close and mysterious and no I wouldn’t like to walk it, not even in daylight and you definitely won’t get me up there after dark!

Leaving Livingston we took 146 south before taking 105 to Saratoga where we joined FM 787 to find the road. Bragg Road, ‘The Ghost Road’ starts on a sharp curve and cuts a straight swathe through the Thicket. The information board at this end of the road not only has bullet holes but also has spray painted on it in big letters NO LIGHT!

Bragg Road, came into being as a rail road track for the Santa Fe railroad and was used for logging, it is cut straight through the Thicket and runs for 8 miles. I don’t know when exactly the tales of mysterious lights started but depending on who you speak to or what you read, the lights are either a railroad man who was decapitated and is swinging his light looking for his head, aliens or more prosaically marsh gas. I have no idea which is true and have no inclination to find out!

Imagine driving through here in the dead of night, or even on a sunny day when the Thicket has all its foliage.

We enjoyed our drive and then came back to sit in the sun before joining friends for drinks. After that well dinner and more relaxing, it’s tough, but someone has to do it.

Have fun, we are!