Blue Heron (Mine 18) was a company coal town run by Stearns from 1937 to 1962; after it emptied, the NPS rebuilt it in 1989 as open steel 'ghost structures' with oral-history recordings, preserved tipple, and coal conveyor inside Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. It is reachable by car or the Big South Fork Scenic Railway and is entirely legal and interpreted. Hazards are ordinary trail-and-overlook fare in a remote gorge with limited cell coverage.
Vestige documents abandoned & historic places for education and preservation. Always obtain permission before visiting and follow local law.