See it all! By Edgar Spitzke
No trip to Lake Cumberland would be complete without visiting the Big South Fork National Park. And it can be said that no trip to the park would be complete without visiting the Blue Heron Mine and taking a train ride to it. The Big South Fork Scenic Railway operates out of Stearns, Ky., and starting this month operates trains six days a week, with two rides scheduled for Saturdays. Just go south on U.S. 27 and follow the signs to get there. The railway operates out of the same building that is used as the northern visitor center for the national park. During the week trains leave the station at 11 a.m. On Saturdays and on one Sunday, June 26, the train makes two runs. The Saturday run starts at 11 a.m. and the second run is at 2:30 p.m. If you want to spend more time at the mine, and perhaps walk some of the trails around the river, you can leave on the morning train and come back on the afternoon train. The basic ticket costs remain the same as last year, with adult tickets starting at $18, Seniors $16.50 and children, $9. There are
Big South Fork Scenic Railway
group rates and a number of special rates, depending on whether or not you want them to supply a lunch for you when you arrive at the mine. You will want to visit their web site to see their whole listing of rates. A new ticket package is now offered that combines
the train ride with dinner and a show at Renfro Valley for groups of 10 or more. The train ride is in open cars for a full view of the scenic forest, hills, cliffs and streams. The route drops 600 feet from Stearns to the South Fork of the Cumberland River. The route travels along Roaring Paunch Creek with its many
boulders and rapids. It also passes by the Barthel Mining Camp, a privately owned historic mining camp you can also visit while in the area. Once at the mine you can visit the many “ghost� structures of the houses and buildings that were at the mining camp, listen to stories about each as told by recordings of persons who lived there. You can see the main entrance to the mine and cross the large coal tipple over the river and to the other side where several mine openings used to be. Musical entertainment is provided before the train trip and at the train station at the mine. There are many pictures and a diorama of the mining town to see at the station. One of the more unusual ways to take the trip to Blue Heron Mine via the railroad is to take it one way down to the river and then take a 5 mile canoe trip to Yamacraw Bridge where a shuttle will take you back to Stearns. For more information and advance ticket sales you can contact their website at www. bsfsry.com. For packages to include the Renfro Valley visit, see their web site, www.renfrovalley.com.
12 Discover Lake Cumberland