Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site — Attraction in Alberta

The Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site in Drumheller, Alberta, is a captivating journey into Canada’s coal mining history, offering an immersive and educational experience. As Canada’s most complete historic coal mine, operational from 1936 to 1979, it preserves the last standing wooden tipple in the country, a striking symbol of the Drumheller Valley’s industrial past. My visit was filled with rich storytelling and fascinating insights, making it a standout attraction for history enthusiasts and families alike.The site offers several guided tours, including the Mine Portal Hike, Processing Plant Tour, and a Train Ride on a 90-year-old locomotive named Linda. I opted for the Mine Portal Hike, a 75-minute trek through underground tunnels and upper site spaces, which provided a visceral sense of the miners’ challenging working conditions. The guide, knowledgeable and engaging, shared vivid stories, including a chilling account of a 1941 gas explosion that claimed four lives. The hard hats and LED lamps provided added authenticity, though the tour’s rugged stairs and enclosed spaces require sturdy shoes and moderate fitness. Reviews on TripAdvisor praise the guides’ expertise, with one visitor noting their guide, Charlie, was “very knowledgeable and happy to answer questions”.The self-guided site admission, priced at $14 for adults, allows exploration of historic buildings like the washhouse and lamp house, complemented by informative panels. The Red House Gift Shop offers unique souvenirs, supporting the site’s preservation. However, my experience was slightly dampened by an encounter with a staff member who approached us in a passive-aggressive manner about wearing admission stickers visibly, a policy not clearly communicated at the ticket desk. This echoed a minor issue I experienced at another mine tour, suggesting a need for better upfront communication.Despite this, the Atlas Coal Mine is a gem, blending history, stunning Badlands scenery, and engaging tours. Its designation as a National Historic Site in 2002 underscores its significance. I recommend booking tours in advance, arriving early to avoid crowds, and clarifying entry policies at check-in. With prices ranging from $7.75 for the Train Ride to $16.75 for the Mine Portal Hike (plus general admission), it’s a worthwhile investment for a 2–3 hour visit. This “mine-blowing” experience earns a strong 4.5 out of 5 stars for its historical depth and memorable...

Unreal spot to take the family! We did the train ride as a family to start (4 of us). The train is old mine carts and it takes you from one side of the mine to the other. The guy operating the train was enthusiastic and passionate about all the details he was describing to us. He also made the entire experience interactive for the little kids and even the adults. The train is LOUD and it does bang around quite a bit but there's signs in the main office stating this so there's fair warning but little ones might not like it. Overall super cool experience.

My oldest and I also did the hike to the mine entrance. Arguably one of the coolest things you can do in drumheller in my opinion. Warning, you need to have enclosed shoes, be hydrated and in relatively decent shape to get up there cause it's a pretty good little hike. Our tour guide was Ashley, that young man was telling us about that place like he'd worked the mines himself. it genuinely felt like I was listening old family stories that had been passed down generations. Ashley also told me that most of his family had worked in the mine in some capacity even in present day so it is really a family affair! it was refreshing to see a young man caretaking the history of this place because the cities main attraction is the museum and dinosaurs and there so much more to explore here. Ashley you are a gentleman and a scholar and I wish you all the best in your future and thank you for giving my daughter and I a really cool memory to look back on!

If you have the time go to the mine, support a local piece of history that's being kept alive by a small group of dedicated people! You...

We went 10 years ago and loved it. We went yesterday with our kids and were hugely disappointed. Atlas Coal Mine management isn’t really doing anything very well. From the bathrooms, which are tucked way back and have no hot water (and no drinking water anywhere to speak of). It can be HOT in Drumheller and there are about 2 little patches of shade where people congregate. The train ride is horrendously loud and you literally sit on the floor of a coal cart with 10 other people as they drive back and forth. This is a major cash grab with the cost of all the additional tours. The mine tour is sadly underwhelming (the tour takes a long time to get through and seems terribly slow paced). And the processing plant tour is not worth the amount you pay for it. It’s all interesting but NOT to the degree you pay for. And there are just young workers there. No older people—feels like management is just running it like a camp. Letting the young people run all the things and tours until it will eventually need to be closed down due to the lack of maintenance. It is woefully in need of some hardcore work if they truly want to preserve the history there. Even simply making sure the buildings...