Both mines were located on the west side of the West Fork River in Monongah. Each mine portal generally lines up the end of town limits north and south. Large trestles connected them to their tipples, breakers, and other such resources which were on the east side of the West Fork River.
How accessible are the two mines and their portals today?
Both mines are closed off, and the land has been allowed to grow over but the general main portal locations are “reachable”.
#6 portal is *technically* on county owned public access property. However, it is not recommended anyone go out there for any reason beyond absolute need. The entire area has been allowed to overgrow to reinforce the stability of the watershed and the west side bluff that supports the residential town directly above. This little stretch of town is only accessed with vehicles by the local power companies or other municipalities in order to maintain the power lines which have run along that portion of land since the days of the interurban streetcar. Should you decide to hike out there by foot, which is truly your best choice, a few words of caution:
- Remember, you are in the Monongahela Valley. “Monongahela” can be roughly interpreted as “a place where the land is ancient; there are deep valleys surrounded by high bluffs and hillsides which will fall out from underneath of you or will fall down on top of you. And snakes! LOTS of snakes.”
- There are many spots along this path which are not as stable as they may seem or feel under your feet. Plan each step before you take it. Stick to the tire tracks where the utility vehicles have last been as best as you can.
- Tread with extreme caution and constant mindfulness of your full surroundings and always have an external light source with you, no matter the time of day. Have a way to call or signal for help should an emergency arise.
- Wear long pants, long sleeves and cover your hair to prevent ticks and other insects from latching onto your skin. Use bug sprays/repellants for “deep woods” conditions.
- Wear good quality hiking boots preferably steel-toed and snakebite proof if you are not used to or familiar with this space. A good sturdy hiking stick is also recommended.
- Have a snakebite kit with you. I mentioned snakes, right? LOTS of snakes? Yeah, this particular area is a known “snake den” and was even in 1907. All of the mines in town kept snakebite kits at the portals but the area where #6 portal is located has always been a favorite location for nests.
- Do not harm the snakes, their dens, or their nests. That is their home. Not yours. If they don’t want you there, just leave. Try again some other time.
To get an idea of what it means to “hike” out to #6, watch the video below to see my old Monongah classmate do so back in 2025.
For finding #6 the clean way, your best option is to go to the middle of the bridge in the center of town and just look north. The pylon is visible just around the bend in the middle of the West Fork River. It is likely surrounded by random timber debris at its base which is the easiest thing to spot. Find that and then play a simple game of *connect the imaginary dots* to the west side watershed/tree line where #6 portal rests. And, well, that’s it! With the naked eye, at least.
The best way, truly, to get a scope of #6 is via satellite imaging. As mentioned above, the west side of the river where the portal is located is not the greatest place to go if you aren’t down for a dirty hike. The east side of the river where the #6 tipple, powerhouse, offices and other workings were located is now private commercial business property all the way down to the riverside. The Rail Trail foot & bike path running north right between this commercial space and the baseball fields is your best vantage point from the east side.
Old #8 portal is along a portion of the old interurban line which is now an unpaved road on the west side of the river called “Lower Traction Ave.” or “W 63 Mine Rd.”. It is mostly residential and there is not much space for vehicles to park or turn around anywhere along the way. However, the people who live along this road are very generous and do not mind foot or bicycle traffic to and from the mine portal. Just, please, be considerate of their properties, their privacy, and their roads should you visit.
On each side of the West Fork River, running south, are old dirt roads which are both *technically* named “63 Mine Rd.” #8 mine was renamed #63 mine some decades after the disaster and the infrastructure which remains on land is all from post-disaster era or was constructed during “the ’63’ days”.
The key to finding either mine on a map or with your own eye is looking for the pylons from their old trestles which sit right in the center of the West Fork River. Line up with those and you line up with the mine they serviced. #8 is the only one that permits this double vantage today.
The pylons are the only onsite remnants of the disaster which remain today. Anything else associated with mining or its infrastructure came afterwards at different points over the following 60 or so years.
For more:
- West Virginia Public Broadcasting
- Google Earth
- Visiting #6 portal – WrestleRoni Plus
© 2026 Katie Orwig. All Rights Reserved.
