There are a few stories that share a similar premise to explain the name of this tunnel. The first and most widely accepted version is a local legend so the truthfulness is questionable. The woeful tale goes as follows: a local farm near the tunnel caught fire, and the young daughter running from the blaze collapsed in the tunnel while ablaze herself and perished screaming due to her burns.

This version of the story seemed too bland for some of the newer audiences frequenting the area, so the youths of the area changed the story a bit. Their version of the story is similar in the sense that a young girl runs from the farm nearby, although this time due to an abusive father. The father catches up to the young girl in the tunnel and pours gasoline on her and lights her ablaze. This version is widely accepted to be an exaggeration, and something for the local kids to scare visitors with. Both stories come to the same conclusion that a young girl perished in the tunnel, and her spirit continues to haunt the area to this day. If you stand in the middle of the tunnel at midnight and light a match it is said it will go out and you can hear the girl's screams. Whether you are looking for a spooky adventure with a possible ghost sighting, or an incredible day hike, this is a place to keep on your list, being that the tunnel is part of both the Bruce Trail and the Laura Secord Legacy Trail, and is suitable for many types of hikers.

The Screaming Tunnel is quite short (38 meters long) and just barely under 5 meters tall. The history that surrounds this place is the big attraction. The trail is also along the Bruce Trail and the Laura Secord Legacy Trail.

One of the Tunnel's biggest claims to fame is that it was included in David Cronenberg's 1983 film adaption of Stephen King's novel, 'The Dead Zone'. The tunnel was used as the place where Christopher Walken's character seeks temporary refuge.