The Dare Valley Country Park occupies the majority of the area of the small tributary of the River Cynon from Cwmdare to Aberdare. It was heavily mined from the mid 19th century for almost 100 years. Powell's Pit opened in 1851 followed by Merthyr Dare Colliery, 1851. Bwllfa Colliery opened in 1853, Nantmelin Colliery, 1860, Lleynhelig Colliery 1906. There were dozens of small levels or drift mines sunk into the mountain side with the largest being the Windber Colliery which opened in 1903. Windber was the first colliery in South Wales to use electric coal cutters.

The area was covered in millions of tones of coal waste and reclamation began in 1971 in the wake of the terrible Aberfan disaster to remove dangerous coal tips. The park officially opened in 1973. The Bwllfa Colliery was still in use at this time being connected to the Mardy Colliery in the Rhondda Valley when it was used to transport men to the coal face and for pumping water. It finally closed and was demolished in 1989.