Ghost Towns Near St. George, Utah

Famous filming location for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Founded in 1859 and abandoned by 1944, Grafton sits just 5 miles from Zion National Park. The preserved schoolhouse, cabins, and pioneer cemetery offer a haunting glimpse into frontier life along the Virgin River.

The only place in the world where silver was found in sandstone. Silver Reef boomed from 1875 to 1891, producing over $10 million in silver ore. Today the Wells Fargo building houses a museum with mining artifacts, and the surrounding townsite preserves foundations and headframes.

A Cotton Mission settlement founded in 1859 by Mormon pioneers attempting to grow cotton in the desert. Stone foundations and walls remain visible along the old townsite near Leeds. Harrisburg later served miners traveling to Silver Reef before being abandoned.

A still-inhabited mountain settlement at 6,600 feet elevation in the Pine Valley Mountains. The historic 1868 chapel, designed by shipbuilder Ebenezer Bryce, remains in active use and is one of the oldest continuously used churches in the West. Originally a logging town and cool summer retreat.

Historic pioneer fort built in 1866 during conflicts with local Native American tribes. The sandstone walls still stand on a mesa overlooking the Virgin River valley. A BLM-managed site with interpretive signs, and dinosaur tracks can be found nearby. Free to visit year-round.

A remote pioneer settlement deep in Zion backcountry, abandoned after repeated devastating floods from the Virgin River. Accessible only by trail, Shunesburg rewards adventurous hikers with stone ruins and the solitude of a forgotten canyon community.

A historic iron smelting settlement 20 miles west of Cedar City, established in 1868 to produce iron for Mormon pioneer communities. The remains of the charcoal kilns, blast furnace foundations, and slag heaps are still visible at this BLM-managed site. Old Irontown operated until 1876 when cheaper iron from the railroads made local smelting uneconomical. Free to visit with interpretive signs explaining the industrial history.

Once one of the wildest mining camps in the West, Frisco boomed from 1876 to 1885 near the Horn Silver Mine — one of the richest silver deposits ever found in Utah. At its peak, Frisco had 23 saloons, multiple smelters, and a reputation for lawlessness. The mine collapsed in a massive cave-in in 1885. Today, visitors can explore the charcoal kilns (beehive ovens), cemetery, mine ruins, and scattered foundations. Located west of Milford along Highway 21.

Where are ghost towns near St. George?

Several ghost towns are within easy driving distance of St. George, Utah. Silver Reef is just 15 miles northeast near Leeds off I-15. Harrisburg is 14 miles northeast, also near Leeds. Grafton ghost town is about 35 miles east, just south of Zion National Park near Rockville. Fort Pearce ruins are 12 miles southeast of St. George on BLM land. Pine Valley historic town is 32 miles north in the Pine Valley Mountains. Shunesburg is a remote backcountry site accessible by trail in the Zion wilderness.

Is Grafton ghost town free to visit?

Yes, Grafton ghost town is completely free to visit. The site is managed by the Grafton Heritage Partnership Project and is open to the public year-round during daylight hours. There is no admission fee or parking charge. Visitors can walk among the preserved buildings including the schoolhouse, cabins, and pioneer cemetery. The town is located on a paved road about 3.5 miles from Rockville, Utah, just south of Zion National Park.

What movies were filmed at Grafton?

Grafton ghost town is most famous as a filming location for the 1969 classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The iconic bicycle scene with "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" was filmed at Grafton. The town has also appeared in other Western films and television productions over the decades, making it one of the most photographed ghost towns in the American West.

Can you go inside Silver Reef Museum?

Yes, the Silver Reef Museum is housed in the restored Wells Fargo Express building and is open to visitors. The museum features mining artifacts, historical photographs, and exhibits about the unique geology that produced silver in sandstone. Hours vary seasonally, so it is best to check current hours before visiting. The museum is located in Silver Reef near Leeds, about 15 miles northeast of St. George off I-15 Exit 22 or 23.

How do I get to the ghost towns near Zion?

To reach Grafton from Zion, take Highway 9 west to Rockville, turn south on Bridge Lane across the Virgin River, and follow the gravel road 3.5 miles to Grafton. Silver Reef and Harrisburg are accessible from I-15 near Leeds (Exit 22 or 23), about 30 minutes west of Zion. Fort Pearce is reached via a dirt road south of St. George suitable for most vehicles in dry weather. Shunesburg requires a backcountry hike. Pine Valley is accessed via Highway 18 north of St. George then east on Pine Valley Road.

Are Southern Utah ghost towns kid-friendly?

Most Southern Utah ghost towns are excellent for families with children. Grafton and Silver Reef are the most kid-friendly, with easy walking paths, interpretive signs, and the Silver Reef Museum. Fort Pearce offers the bonus of nearby dinosaur tracks that fascinate kids. Pine Valley is a pleasant mountain town with picnic areas. Harrisburg is a quick roadside stop. Only Shunesburg is not recommended for young children due to the long backcountry hike required. Always supervise children around old structures and bring water, sun protection, and sturdy shoes.

Where is Old Irontown and what can you see there?

Old Irontown (also spelled Old Iron Town) is located about 20 miles west of Cedar City off Highway 56. Established in 1868 as an iron smelting operation for Mormon pioneer communities, the site preserves the remains of charcoal kilns, blast furnace foundations, and slag heaps from the 19th-century iron works. The BLM-managed site is free to visit and features interpretive signs. It operated until 1876 when railroad-shipped iron became cheaper than locally smelted iron.

What is the Frisco ghost town in Utah?

Frisco is a ghost town located along Highway 21 west of Milford in Beaver County, about 130 miles from St. George. It was one of the wildest mining camps in the American West during its boom from 1876 to 1885, centered around the Horn Silver Mine — one of the richest silver deposits ever discovered in Utah. At its peak, Frisco had 23 saloons and a reputation for lawlessness. The mine collapsed in a massive cave-in in 1885, effectively ending the town. Today visitors can explore the beehive charcoal kilns, mine ruins, cemetery, and scattered building foundations.

Southern Utah's ghost towns offer a fascinating window into the pioneer and mining history that shaped the region. Within a short drive of St. George, visitors can explore abandoned settlements, preserved mining towns, and frontier ruins that date back to the 1850s and 1860s. Grafton ghost town, located just south of Zion National Park near Rockville, is among the most photographed ghost towns in the American West. Founded in 1859 by Mormon pioneers along the Virgin River, Grafton was abandoned by 1944 after repeated floods and economic hardship. The preserved schoolhouse, pioneer cabins, and cemetery gained worldwide fame as a filming location for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in 1969.

Silver Reef, located near Leeds just 15 miles from St. George, holds the distinction of being the only known place in the world where silver was found in sandstone, a geological anomaly that drew thousands of miners between 1875 and 1891. At its peak, Silver Reef was the largest town in Southern Utah, with saloons, a Wells Fargo office, and a Chinatown district. Today the restored Wells Fargo building operates as a museum showcasing the town's remarkable mining heritage. Other notable sites include Harrisburg, a Cotton Mission settlement near Leeds with visible stone foundations; Pine Valley, a mountain town at 6,600 feet that still uses its historic 1868 chapel; Fort Pearce, an 1866 pioneer fort with nearby dinosaur tracks; and Shunesburg, a remote canyon settlement accessible only by trail in the Zion backcountry. Most ghost towns are free to visit and make ideal day trips for history enthusiasts, photographers, and families.

Further afield, two additional ghost towns draw history enthusiasts from across Utah. Old Irontown (Old Iron Town), located about 20 miles west of Cedar City, preserves the remains of an 1868 iron smelting operation including charcoal kilns, blast furnace foundations, and slag heaps — a fascinating look at early Utah industrial history. Frisco ghost town, along Highway 21 west of Milford, was once one of the wildest mining camps in the American West, with 23 saloons and the fabulously rich Horn Silver Mine. The mine's catastrophic collapse in 1885 ended the town virtually overnight. Today visitors can explore the iconic beehive charcoal kilns, cemetery, and mine ruins at this remote but rewarding site.