This week, we complete our four-part series on scenic railways by hopping on the Big South Fork Scenic Railway in Kentucky, which includes a stop at Blue Heron Mining Camp. Of course, no journey to the Bluegrass State would be complete without a trip down the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. And paid subscribers will be able to access our very own Spiced Apple Bourbon cocktail recipe at the end of this email.
A Journey Through Time and Terrain, Part 4
The Big South Fork Scenic Railway journeys through Kentucky’s coal-mining and logging past
By the Backroad Portfolio staff
From the historic depot in the National Historic District of Stearns, Kentucky, the Big South Fork Scenic Railway follows the old Kentucky & Tennessee Railway into the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and Daniel Boone National Forest. The standard three-hour round trip covers roughly 16 miles, dropping about 600 feet through forested gorges, past mountain streams, through a tunnel, and over bridges before arriving at the restored Blue Heron mining camp for a 90-minute layover.
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Blue Heron Mining Camp
8249 Mine 18 Road
Strunk, Kentucky
The Stearns Coal and Lumber Company operated Blue Heron Mining Camp, also known as Mine 18, from 1937 to 1962. When the company abandoned the site, the original buildings were removed or decayed. During the 1980s, the National Park Service re-created the community as an outdoor museum of open structures built on the approximate original sites. Visitors can listen to audio recordings of former residents and view photographs and exhibits of the town’s past.
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Frazier Kentucky History Museum
Starting point: 829 W. Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky
In 1999, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association launched a trail connecting seven founding distilleries: Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, Heaven Hill, Jim Beam American Stillhouse, Maker’s Mark, Wild Turkey, and Woodford Reserve. Twenty-seven years later, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail encompasses 60 destinations and attracts over two million visitors a year.
Visitors can enjoy tastings, tour distilleries and barrelhouses, learn about the bottling process, and even enroll in cocktail classes. Tour by region or take a more customized approach to hit your favorite distilleries.
Fall is an especially vibrant time to explore the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. You’re surrounded by rolling hills ablaze in gold and crimson as you enjoy seasonal cocktails flavored with pumpkin spice, maple, apple, and cinnamon. Read the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Fall Guide here.
