The mysterious underground tunnels that loop throughout the campus hill area in Fredericton are well-known, despite the fact that they are closed to the public.

But that hasn't stopped some curious residents from finding a way in to the tunnels, which wind beneath St. Thomas University and the University of New Brunswick, and can be accessed through a series of vents.

"I've heard about people somehow gaining access and going on all sorts of adventures through the tunnels," says student Patrick Brennan.

But now some people are calling for the abandoned tunnels to be opened to curious onlookers.

Some students at the university are even suggesting that guided tours through the tunnels should be offered.

"I think that'd be really awesome, like the historical tours they have to haunted places," says student Sydney Vibert. "It'd be fun, you could go see all the tunnels and where they lead."

"I think that would be a really neat idea for historical purposes and for a learning aspect," agrees student Clinton Gillespie. "They could do something for Halloween because it's pretty creepy down there."

The tunnels are controlled by the University of New Brunswick and are used for utility purposes. They allow for easy maintenance on cables and lines running between campus buildings.

Anybody who enters the tunnels is technically trespassing, but that hasn't stopped an underground community of another kind from emerging. Online message boards are filled with personal tales from the tunnels and photos provide evidence of what the tunnels looks like and where they lead to.

"I've been in some of them underneath the computer sciences building because I have a friend who goes there," admits Vibert. "Down in the basement you can see them, and they're creepy looking."

Officials at the university say that break-ins have been a problem in the past, but the school has recently beefed up security to prevent the problem.

The school also says asbestos was present in the tunnels in the past, and while it's now under control, unauthorized entrance to the tunnels is still dangerous.

Students are suggesting that tours through the tunnels could be guided and authorized by the university, but the school says it's not considering that option right now.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Nick Moore