Kentucky Coal Mines

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Visit the Barthell Coal Camp and Blue Heron Mining Community

As the world slowly starts moving towards more renewable energy sources, it is important to acknowledge the important role the coal miners have played in our history. Take a trip to visit these two Kentucky coal mines for a unique glimpse into the not-so-distant past of the life of a coal miner. Take a ride on the Big South Fork Scenic Railway to Barthell Coal Camp where you can get a guided tour of what remains and the option for an additional tour of the mine itself. Nearby you can also visit the Blue Heron Mining Community where their amazing exhibits will walk you through the everyday lives of the miners and their families. Both experiences have dog-friendly options if you are traveling with a furry companion.

Entrance to the Blue Heron Mine with a coal mining cart on display in front of it.

For another unique coal mine experience, consider visiting the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine in West Virginia. Here you will get to ride a cart into the mine for your guided tour!

Big South Fork Scenic Railway

The Big South Fork Scenic Railway provides the opportunity to relax and admire the view while traveling to the Barthell Coal Camp on a 30-minute train ride. You can pick or purchase your tickets at the Welcome Center in Stearn, Kentucky or buy them online.

A green train with several darker green passenger cars attached to it

Ticket prices will vary depending on which train car or seat you choose but the basic ticket will cost $28. Your ticket will include the train ride to and from Barthell, a guided tour of the coal camp, and entry into the McCreary County Museum which is a short walk from the welcome center.

When you buy your ticket (online or in-person) you can also choose to add on a tour of the actual coal mine for an additional $20 and/or a coal miner’s lunch for an extra $12. The train ride and camp tour are dog-friendly. When you book your train ticket, you will have to select from one of the two cars that allow dogs. Dogs are not allowed on the tour of the actual coal mine.

View down the aisle inside one of the train passenger cars. Floor looks like wood and there are two brown seats on both sides of the aisle

If you are on the fence about whether you want to do the tour of the coal mine, you can buy a ticket for it once you arrive at Barthell. The mine tour is set up so you are able to tour both the coal mine and the coal camp that is included in your original ticket price.

View into the the entrance of the Barthell Mine. The tunnel leads to darkness and there are wooden support beams along the walls and ceiling

The coal miner’s lunch comes in a cute commemorative lunch bag. You will get a sandwich, chips, soda or water, and a pre-packaged dessert. If you don’t purchase the lunch, don’t worry, there is a small shop at the Coal Camp where you can buy snacks if you get hungry.

Commemorative blue lunch bag with a white train and words "Big South Fork Scenic Railway Stearns, KY" written around it

Just inside the welcome station is the ticket booth where you will pick up your ticket, bathrooms, and the Whistle Stop Restaurant. There is plenty of seating inside for you to comfortably wait for the announcement to board the train or take a walk and explore some of the shops nearby. Just don’t forget to pick up your coal miner’s lunch if you purchased one! Admire the crafts and souvenirs created by local artists. You can find everything from corn husk dolls, pottery, handmade bar soap & shampoo, to carvings made from coal. We got some early Christmas gift shopping done here!

The window of the ticket booth inside the Welcome Center; Window frame, doors and trim are green. The walls and floor are wood

The seating area inside the Welcome Center; Benches are green. The walls and floor are wood

Once the train takes off from the station, one of the employees will point out several noteworthy views as you pass by them. The sights are on both sides of the train so don’t worry when you choose your seat.

An old decommissioned train and train cars. They are rusty and overgrown with plants

A river curving around a bend in the woods

Barthell Coal Camp

When you arrive at the camp, there are several areas, exhibits, and displays that you can explore while you wait for the guided tours to start. You will have 2 hours at the camp before the train will bring you back to the welcome center.

Just off the train platform, there are several rooms set up to showcase how different offices would look like. This is also where the bathrooms and concession area are located. There are several tables and benches here for you to use to rest or enjoy your lunch.

A room set up like an old barber shop/medical office. There is a chair in the middle with benches along side the wall. There is also a free standing sink on the back left side of the room and a counter with various equipment along the back wall

An old-fashioned room full of wooden tables and chairs. The bottom half of the walls are wood paneling

In the area around the entrance of the mine are several machines and tools that were used in the Barthell Coal Camp. You will find even more equipment on display inside the buildings in this area.

A wooden shed full of old mining equipment and tools

An old rusty coal cart on a small broken part of railroad tracks

The guided tour of the coal camp will take you further down the train tracks to a couple of different buildings. The ground can be uneven so if you need help, there is a golf cart available to help you along. The first building is the general store which is full of all sorts of items that had been collected over the years.

The Barthell General Store. It is yellow and two stories high with a wooden porch around the front.

The inside of the Barthell General Store. There is a mannequin along with numerous shelves and display cases full of items from the past.

You can see a post office section and one of the camp phones. There are clothes from the past along with different magazines, toys, and food.

An old fashioned phone and a typewriter on an old wooden desk

The schoolhouse and/or church is the farthest building down the tracks. You can see how the building was set up to accommodate worship services and school lessons. Once the tour is done, you can head back to the main area and finish investigating on your own until the train is ready to leave the station.

The inside of the church/school building for the Barthell Coal Camp. The left side is full of pews and the right side is full of school desks.

The Big South Fork Railway does have several special events available for holidays like Mother’s Day, Easter, and Christmas. They also host several murder mystery train rides throughout the year.

McCreary County Museum

Once you are done with the train ride head on over to the McCreary County Museum. This museum is just a short walk away from the ticket booth and train station and is included in your Scenic Railway ticket. It is dedicated to the history of McCreary County and there are numerous displays spread throughout the building that covers every aspect of life in the area.

The building is small and full of all kinds of artifacts. If you have your pup with you or are rushed for time, this stop can easily be skipped. Whereas it does have some interesting displays in it, we would not have been upset if we wouldn’t have had time to go.

A display made of wood to look like a counter. There are farming tools against the back wall and on the front of the counter is a row of all different types of bells

A mannequin dressed in an apron and bonnet posed over an old wood-burning stove. There is a table set off to the side.

Big South Fork Scenic National River and Recreation Area

Big South Fork Scenic National River and Recreation Area is home to a ton of beautiful trails and several campgrounds along with an amazing section dedicated to the miners of Blue Heron Coal Camp. The park is amazing but for now, we will focus on the Blue Heron Interpretive Center and surrounding exhibits for this guide. This area is not only home to the Interpretive Center, but also a unique outdoor museum dedicated to telling the story of miners that lived in the area. There is no fee to enter the park and dogs are welcome in the outdoor museum areas.

The Blue Heron Interpretive Center. It is long single story grey building. In the background is an old train yard with several train cars parked there

Blue Heron Mining Community

Blue Heron Interpretive Center is where you can learn about the 25-year coal mining history in the Blue Heron Coal Mining Community. The outdoor museum and bathrooms are open year-round but the Interpretive Center itself is only opened seasonally, typically from April to October, Wednesdays through Sundays. Inside the Center is a bookstore and a ranger available to answer any questions you may have about the exhibits or the park.

One of the corners of the Blue Heron Interpretive Center. There is a sign that says "Welcome to Blue Heron" and you can see more displays in the background

In the outdoor museum, there are several exhibits and displays that talk about the general history of mining in the area and another section that tells more personalized stories about several of the miners that lived here over the years. The museum consists of 16 different ‘stations’ along the trail that each help to tell the story of Blue Heron.

Several displays in the outdoor museum at the Blue Heron Interpretive Center. They are free standing displays under a metal roof

A large photo of a group of miners hanging on a concrete wall

Each station talks about a different part of coal camp life through a visual display and an audio recording by one of the people who lived in the community. Some of them will talk about a different building like the bathhouse or company store and others will talk about the life of women or children in the camp. You will be able to see the mine entrance at one of the stations, but you are not able to enter it.

A green platform with a red roof. There is a free standing display on the platform.

2 full-sized cutouts of two different men that were superintendents at the Blue Heron Mine. There is a display with more detailed information next to them.

While you are walking in the area, keep a close eye out in the ditches along the path and you can even spot some coal leftover from the mining days!

Debris mixed into sand and branches. You can see several pieces of coal.

Why You Should Visit:

One of the best ways to learn about history is to visit places firsthand and learning about the role of coal mines and miners isn’t any different. These two places in Kentucky do a great job showing you what everyday life was like in a mining community and how the surrounding area developed due to the mining business. Taking a ride on the Big South Fork Scenic Railway to the Barthell Coal Camp and then touring the outdoor museum at the Blue Heron Mining Community were fantastic ways to take a glimpse into the hardships miners faced to help fuel the rest of America. The best part, of course, is that both places provide dog-friendly options!

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