The trail follows the former Port Angeles Western Railroad grade along the shores of Lake Crescent.

Built during World War I for the Spruce Production Division to transport spruce from the western Olympic Peninsula for the aircraft industry, the railroad was completed in 1919, a year too late for its intended purpose; it was then abandoned in 1951.

The tunnel itself was pitch-black and contained materials from when the railroad was being built, such as old railroad ties.In April 2017, Bruch and Bruch Construction of Port Angeles received a $1.2 million contract to restore the 450-foot long tunnel, and widen the trail segment to roughly 12 feet.

[4] Tradition has it that both tunnels were blasted closed and rendered dangerous to enter when railroad operations ceased.

[1][5] As a result, the full public trail is now open to hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, and wheelchair.