Big South Fork Scenic Rail Ride

Are you looking for something fun to do while staying at the Corbin/Laurel Lake KOA?  Are you a train enthusiast, like history or maybe you are just searching for some scenery?  We have got an activity that will be right up your alley.  Take a ride on the Big South Fork Scenic Railway.  This historic train route travels 16 miles along the river with its final destination being the Blue Heron Coal Mining Camp.  I loved being able to sit back and crane my neck to take in all the trees, scenic river views and not worry about driving.  The train depot is only about 40 minutes from camp and most of the drive itself is through the Daniel Boone National Forest and is quite scenic.    

I’ll get to all the fun stuff but lets cover the nuts and bolts that every trip planner wants and or needs to know.  The train offers 1 car with dining tables and the other cars have comfy padded seats.  The seats do not reverse and the train is out and back.  If you have someone in your party that needs to face forward while travelling, I’d book tickets in the dining car so you can swap table sides for the ride back.  There are no assigned seats.  The left side of the car offers a better look at the river and gorge while the right offers more sheer rock walls and views of Stearns.  In my opinion the left side of the car is the better choice for scenery.  The train is dog friendly.  They must be leashed at all times and well behaved of course.  Plan for their waste needs as well as water for them.  There are no pet drinking fountains or waste removal stations.  The whole trip is 3 hours with 90 minutes of your time being off the train in the coal camp.  You are allowed to bring a lunch sized cooler or you can choose to purchase lunch at the time of booking through the railway.  You can’t get food upon arrival.  You must pre order.  They have a gift shop featuring local artisans but they do not sell snacks so plan accordingly.  Loads of picnic tables at the destination provide an easy picnic spot.  There are also quite a few shelters with picnic benches situated along the river that provide lovely water views.  The downside is there are no tables along the water.  We did not care.  The trickling of the water and watching the wildlife made up for having to hold our picnic in our lap.  If you have someone in your life with sensory issues I would bring ear protection.  A good bit of the trip on the way there is downhill.  The conductor was on the brakes making them squeak and several times the whistle blew for safety to announce us at intersections and such.  All of the exploration places at Blue Heron are paved.  There are significant uphill grades and stairs to many of the locations of discovery.  It would be possible to get a good bit of history just staying at the train depot and not venturing out if someone in your party has mobility issues or you don’t want to push a stroller uphill.  Decent walking shoes and comfy clothes are advised in order to fully explore the area.  Before leaving the depot there is a museum that begins the tale of what it was like to live in a town nearly fully supported by the mining industry.  Your train ticket also gets you into the museum so leave enough time to go poke around in there.  The museum is volunteer run.  The docents were sweet but the building is showing its age and needs some maintenance.  It was still worth the visit.  My children especially liked seeing the old store counter with goods and pricing displayed.  Aside from the normal train runs they offer special events throughout the seasons such as “Polar Express” around Christmas time, special fall color runs to experience the beautiful foliage and so much more.  You can check their calendar for dates and pricing.  There is plenty of room to allow younger children to run and play as the museum is all outdoor with the exception of the small museum store and the bathrooms.  The exhibits are not very interactive.  Some of the areas have a button to push to allow a narration to play over speakers.  Beyond that, there is not much to touch or do per se.  It is mostly a reading and looking at pictures kind of museum.  There is a large grassy field so if you know your kiddos will be bored, bring a frisbee or something like that to play with. We did not realize until we were about to leave that the majority of the structures are built in the location of what was there during the active mining camp and the frames are built to the foot print of the building that previously occupied the space.  Hence why the structures have what appears to be extra framing.  It was neat once we understood what all the strange architecture actually was for.  It is possible to drive to Blue Heron if you don’t like trains or if your budget doesn’t allow the train fare.  Touring Blue Heron itself is free as it is maintained by the National Park system.

Ok, onto the fun parts of the trip.  I loved delving into the history of mining and what drove the local economy.  It was crazy to me that the Blue Heron mine did not close until 1962.  The history is not all that old but it felt like eons ago while looking at the way of life depicted in the history at the camp.  The river and the trees were beautiful.  We were there just as hints of color were beginning to kiss the trees.  I think the fall color runs would be a magical time to visit.  Fall and spring are my favorite times of year anyway.  With tons of trees populating the railway that will change color, I’m sure it would be a glorious ride once the autumnal hues burst forth.  I like to listen to the click clack of the rails as the train lumbers over them.  I almost fell asleep with the gentle sway of the car.  We brought our dog so his occasional moist nose on my leg checking in ensured I stayed awake.  Picnicking next to the water was my favorite part of the trip.  It was idyllic watching the sundance off the water and tracking the progress of two turtles lazily paddling about made for lunch time entertainment.  I’m eager to return again and do this trip during different seasons and special events and would rate it a must do if you are in the area.