Stateline 5. formId: "a9576402-3ef9-46a1-958d-d0c75d4b7bf6" While the spirits of the miners themselves aren't seen, strange lights, cold spots and loud noises have been reported here. Below are 17 of my favorite abandoned places throughout the state. Thompson, who owned and operated a sawmill in nearby Book Cliffs. Off U.S. 18 North of St. George, UT United States Get Directions GPS: 37.47548099999999, -113.6436258 County: Washington County, Utah Nearest Towns: Central, UT (4.2 mi.) Other times, there's just a hole in the ground and a few scattered boards. The small town consisted of stucco homes, a dancehall, restaurant and one bar located one mile out of town. Newcastle, UT (14.2 mi.) Showing 1 - 18 of 2512 Homes. The lodge also has some uninvited guests in the form of ghosts. One of Utah's more violent and haunted attractions is the Kiwanis Park in Pleasant Grove. Better known as Utah's first national park, Zion National Park is one of the top tourist attractions in St. George. They are often reminders of long forgotten dreams, hopes, struggles and gradual decline. Gunlock State Park: 15 miles northeast of St. George. Seven Wives Inn | Haunted Places | St George, UT Beryl Junction, UT (16.2 mi.) The members of this strange cult agreed to follow the edicts God sent down through Ogden, including surrendering their personal possessions and adhering to prohibitions against consuming meat, alcohol, tobacco and other luxuries. In 1866 the Black Hawk War triggered fears that Grafton would be a target. The ghost town of Grafton, located south of Zion National Park, was originally settled by Mormon pioneers, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who answered the calling of their prophet and church president Brigham Young to establish towns throughout Utah. Many residents fled to Rockville and never returned. Located just south of Zion National Park along the Virgin River, the area was well-suited to agriculture, although the new residents were quickly forced to sacrifice some of their cotton production to focus on growing food to feed the community. This would all change in the 1980s when the White Mesa Mill was built in 1980 to processor uranium ore. Of all the places to locate the uranium processing plant, Energy Fuels Inc chose White Mesa. This eventually brought in rock bands and other artists from the 40s to the 60s. Later in the 80s, it was used as a haunted house but then condemned due to structural issues in the early 2000s. Nearest city Hawthorne, NV Nearby ghost towns Ione, NVBroken Hills, NV 02 Kennicott In fact, we created a ghost town road trip that takes you to numerous ghost towns in the southern part of the state. There are meant to be several ghost stories associated with the building. More than eight centuries ago, the Ancestral Puebloan inhabitants of southwest Utah constructed these ingenious dwellings in the cliffs that overlook the San Juan River. Grafton has received considerable attention as a ghost town, serving as a filming locations for several popular movies, among them Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Buying a cheap old house gives you plenty of financial freedom, and we can help you find one in Utah. Just all urbex all the time. 39.94403, -112.12263Photo Credit: stgeorgeutah.com. . }); We here at Killer Urbex have noted a distinct lack of guides to dead malls and zombie malls. Many of the buildings that housed Gold Hills business community remain standing, drawing modest numbers of history buffs and other visitors each year. Copyright 2023 Utah Office of Tourism. The tram shut down in 1953 when metal prices plummeted and the mine could no longer turn a profit. The original residents handprints are framed by brightly-hued patterns as well as carvings that date back to the late 19th century, when the ancient ruins were first discovered by members of the group conducting the Hayden Survey, an ambitious effort to map the entirety of the American West. 217 North 100 West St George, UT United States Get Directions GPS: 37.1119616, -113.58577579999996 County: Washington County, Utah Nearest Towns: Saint George, UT (0.5 mi.) Beneath the tangled weeds and brush, rusting railroad tracks still slice across the property, which has been dubbed Satans Land by locals. By 1943, the mine was the fourth-largest producer of coal in the state, peaking at a production of more than 2,000 tons per day during World War II. Though the arid climate and cold temperatures of their new homeland were a shock to their systems, the roughly four dozen settlers in Iosepa were able to plant crops and raise livestock to provide for the community. 38.97315, -109.71359Photo Credit: Andrew McAllister lookingatthewest.com. According to locals, a boy aged six years drowned in the swimming pool in the last leg of the seventeenth century. To view the ghostly remains of Thistle, take I-15 from Salt Lake City toward Spanish Fork, exiting onto U.S. Route 89 and continuing for roughly 13 miles until you reach a large pullout, which offers an excellent vantage point for viewing the private property where the town once stood. Spooky Locations in Rural Utah - Utah Film Commission (435) 628-3737. Today, little remains of the once-bustling mining town, but you can spot foundation remnants, the old Wells Fargo building and the graveyard (where many miners lay, purportedly the outcome of settling their disputes the Western way). Today the structure has survived arson, vandals, and scrappers. However, unlike most abandoned places in Utah, Frisco has some amazingly well-preserved kilns. Seven Wives Inn - Real Saint George Haunt. portalId: "5317100", As the press continued to publish stories, more followers left the town. The area is now considered off-limits and is fairly dangerous if you dont watch where you are walking. The mine closed for good in 1969, and residents abandoned the town along with it. Its unique because it was established for less than a decade before settlers were forced out due to tensions with Native Americans. 40.16638, -113.82972Photo Credit: utahstories.com. For laws that specifically relate to Utah, please click here. Take the back roads, follow train tracks, and find some places for yourself. Although many of the buildings were destroyed, there is still plenty to see for urban explorers adventurous enough to make the journey. We rate ghost towns in Texas based on their status. Unfortunately, the mill caught fire on April 1, 1893. Today, only the remains of the residential neighborhoods and the defunct railroad trestle stand as evidence that the town of Spring Canyon ever existed. Below are 21 favorite abandoned locations across the state. During its heyday, Thistle boasted more than 600 residents with a school, saloon, post office, barbershop, and general store. Ruins still visible to visitors include the large metal water tanks used for processing the ore as well as a concrete-encased safe where the Silver King Boarding House once stood. He pocketed some, and kept this a secret from everyone else. 39.93661, -112.11602Photo Credit: @dichaelmunn -imgur.com. Some say that Grafton is the most photographed ghost town in the West. Below are 10 different ghost towns you can explore across Massachusetts along with their status and exact GPS coordinates. At the time of their construction, they were the, Read More 19 Abandoned Places In Illinois [MAP]Continue, Hunting for abandoned places in Wisconsin? One seemingly outside the realms of possibility? 40.1948, -111.6199Photo Credit: findinterestingplaces.com. Allegedly, the Ogden Exchange Building is one of the most haunted abandoned places in Utah. See our Dead Malls Guide for more. Glitter Mountain - Hike St George The Tintic Mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, and against the vast backdrop of the desolate desert, the concrete walls rising from the ground somewhat resemble the ruins of a medieval castle. Grafton ghost town outside of Zion National Park. Benson Grist Mill 10 famous Utah ghost towns and where to find them - KSLNewsRadio The town slowly grew from a tent town, to one that could house miners and had amenities like a saloon and blacksmith. It is located near other abandoned gold mines in the Henry Mountains near Waterpocket Canyon in Garfield County. Of all the abandoned places in Utah, Home of Truth might have one of the strangest stories. However, former students of the Intermountain school still gather at the site each summer for a reunion. Also be sure to check out the cemetery located just south of this site located near Ruby Hollow. Heritage, families and legends converge along the historic Pony Express route in Utah's West Desert. Silver Reef is unique in that it has a mix of silver ore found in sandstone, which is not typical for silver ore deposits. Though the companys 24-foot plastic refraction lenses were far less expensive than traditional solar panels, they were also too flimsy to withstand the powerful desert winds that perpetually swept through the Delta facility outside Hinckley, and most of the lenses were quickly put out of commission by nature. The town was founded in 1892 after a large gold deposit was discovered in a nearby mountainside. It also included a general store used by the miners for their everyday needs. The town was a central meeting place for the Ute tribe and served as a place where residents could receive medical care, further their education, and congregate as a community.Photo Credit: Johnny Joo architecturalafterlife.com. Descendants of the original settlers also make an annual pilgrimage to the abandoned village to visit the cemetery and the four buildings still standingthe old schoolhouse among them. Southwest Utah's ghost towns | Roadtrippers Old Arrowhead Swimming Resort, Benjamin, Utah County The Old Arrowhead Swimming Resort, located in Benjamin of Utah County, is considered as one of the most haunted places. If youre looking to explore abandoned places in Utah, this is for you. The town site is a private ranch today, but you may still access the old cemetery, where there is an especially fine memorial and historical marker describing the settlement of the area. Just east of the Nevada state line, an abandoned mining town known as Gold Hill lies coated in the dusty red sand of the Utah desert. Below are 19 of my favorite abandoned places from Chicago to East St. Louis. The sites easiest access pointa footbridge over the riverwas destroyed by a flood in 2007. Just south of Zion National Park the remains of Grafton silhouette against the clear blue Utah sky. and buried near the summit. Old Pioneer Cemetery, Mona Ken Lund/flickr 20 pioneers are buried here; the first grave is dated 1852. 14 Scary Haunted Cemeteries in Utah - OnlyInYourState Is this place really haunted? It is located 200 feet off of the west side of SR-18 half way between Diamond Valley and Dammeron Valley. Thank you to Reddit user /u/everydaychucks for recommending the addition of this incredible ghost town to our list of the best abandoned places in Utah. 35 Best & Fun Things To Do In St. George (Utah) Get more stories delivered right to your email. GEORGE The hillside "D" that has looked down upon St. George for over 100 years recently was recognized with a listing on the National Parks Service's National Register of Historic Places. Thistle survived well into modern times until it was dealt its death blow in 1983 when a landslide triggered a massive flood that effectively washed away the entire town. Iosepa Ghost Town 40.54197, -112.73317 Photo Credit: @Brent Clark - flickr.com Starting off our list of abandoned places in Utah is the old Iosepa ghost town. 20. The village in northwestern Utah near the Park Valley area was an outlier, both in location and for the fact it wasn't a Mormon settlement. Today, this continued refinement has contaminated the air, poisoned the groundwater, and left residents stranded with very few options to rebuild their community. The town isnt dead yet, but has definitely fallen from grace. The north-facing dwelling enjoyed plenty of shadea welcome luxury in the desert heat. Standing in the Basin and Range topography of Utah's West Desert at ghost town Frisco, you'll feel the solitude of the space. The Little Black Mountain Petroglyph site offers visitors a chance to view ancient petroglyphs up close and personal. After conflicts with native tribes threatened the Mormon settlements security, in 1866 Young merged them into communities of at least 150 residents, and Grafton was again largely abandoned, although farmers still came back to town to maintain their crops. 37.278769, -113.654114. If you go, be sure to arrive with a full tank of gas as well as bottled water and any other supplies you might need, as the towns remains are located in an extremely isolated area with no services nearby. Several attempts have been made to redevelop the site, including an effort by Brigham Young University to build a new industrial park, but so far none of these plans has come to fruition, leaving the land divided among ownership by private entities and the City of Provo. Dragon 21. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'urbexunderground_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_8',607,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-urbexunderground_com-large-leaderboard-2-0');In 1902 fire would decimate many buildings in the town, causing a second wave of miners to look for work elsewhere. 10 Scariest Haunted Attractions in Utah - Backpackerverse.com It served as the terminus for the Utah Southern Railroad line out of the neighboring town of Milford and was also the location for the regions primary post office. The, Read More 21 Abandoned Places In Georgia [MAP]Continue, If youre searching for ghost towns in Georgia, weve got you covered! The business closed in 1971 and was then again used in 1974 as a trade school. Thanks to its diverse abundance of resources, Gold Hill survived the silver crash, but ultimately was abandoned after World War II. Every ghost town has a story to tell. Before Thompson Springs, the land was home to Native Americans back in the Archaic Period. When enrollment dropped in the early 1970s, the school expanded its reach to other tribes and was renamed the Intermountain Inter-Tribal School in 1974. Here are a few guides to surrounding states that will be helpful in your explorations outside of the wonderful abandoned places in Utah: Need a strong camera to photograph abandoned places in Utah? The reason for their departure is unknown to this day. . The Eureka Mine operated between 1875 and 1955 extracting copper, lead, silver, and of course, gold. Aerial terrain maps of the region show a hand-drawn re-creation of the former Terrace town site. All Rights Reserved. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. The homes and buildings left behind by those who fled the area slow decay and bake in the Utah sun. Visitors can enjoy the site from outside the pit. The mine was successful almost immediately, shipping 1,000 tons of coal per day within two years of opening, and the town flourished along with it. As diesel engines began to replace steam-powered trains, the towns fortunes declined along with its population. Silver Reef was established after John Kemple, a prospector from Nevada, discovered a vein of silver in a sandstone formation in 1866. Utah is a state that holds a staggering number of abandoned places that are filled with lore, legends, and fascinating architecture. For more about obtaining permission to explore abandoned places in Utah, check out our guide Explore Abandoned Buildings: How To Get Permission. Ophir, Utah is a semi-ghost town, once a bustling mining town and nestled in a quiet canyon, it now has about 20 residents and a downtown dedicated to preserving its own history. In 1933 she and about 20 followers formed a small town and collective farm in what would be known as Home of Truth. Most recently, the city targeted the site for a new tech-focused development called Mountain Vista Business Park, but for now, the waterlogged, graffiti-tagged ruins are still visible on the property. However, the technique became obsolete within just a few years, and the mill was shuttered in 1925. The city condemned it in 2005, making it legally off-limits to visitors, although the designation hasnt stopped the most determined explorers from attempting to get a closer look at this great example of the incredible abandoned places in Utah. 4. The nail in the coffin for Thistle came in 1983, when the largest landslide in U.S. history clogged two area creeks, sending floodwaters through the town that destroyed nearly every structure in their path. Here . However, you will head to some incredible abandoned places and ghost towns in Utah like Sulpherdale, Widtsoe, and Modena, making the trip worthwhile. On Memorial Day weekend each year, the graveyard draws hundreds of descendants of these early settlers, who gather in the desert to celebrate their heritage and remember the souls interred in the dusty ground at this stunning example of abandoned places in Utah. Abandoned Places In Utah 1. Follow a Germany-based film enthusiast on an extended road trip to discover the rich history of Utah cinematography. The rest were incinerated in a lightning-sparked wildfire that tore through Spanish Fork Canyon in 2018 and consumed more than 30,000 acres. Whether you live in Utah or out of state making a trip to these top abandoned places, they should be a part of any urban explorers must-see bucket list. Also neartby is the ghost town of Newhouse. What are some of your favorite abandoned places in Utah? Most of the old dormitories were razed to make way for a townhouse development, and several businesses and churches have set up shop on the property as well. The remains include the concrete foundations of enormous circular water tanks, drain boxes, leach tanks, iron boxes and crushers. Thistle is unique in that it is a town that fell into ruin in recent memory and was still functional although barely into the 80s. Unfortunately, other Mormans werent as supportive of the islanders which left just under 50 people left to sustain the town. Youre in the right place. In the center of town was a clubhouse. Prospectors discovered this silver around 1866, and the town sprung to life in the next few years. Although this area was inhabited as early as 1870 the town never amounted to much until 1900 when Samuel Newhouse purchased the Cactus Mine. Most of the buildings remained standing for several years, including the Spring Canyon Hotel and the mining companys administrative offices, but all of the structures in the towns business district were demolished in 1975. The cheaper material Delta Solar had in mind was essentially plastic, which proved no match for the brutal conditions of the Utah desert. In 1937 Marie announced that she would be bringing the dead woman back to life. Table Of Contents 1. Mountain Meadows Massacre Site Is Most Haunted Place In Utah If youre having trouble finding abandoned places, be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide to Finding Abandoned Places, or explore abandoned places near you. This, combined with other more successful mines in the area caused the population of Silver City to drop even further. The ambitious settlers managed to establish a town center, a school and a modest downtown area. The barbed-wire fencing surrounding the property is also marked with signs warning trespassers of high levels of arsenic and other toxic materials in the dust, rock and water, although visitors can get a decentif distantview of the ruins from the railroad bed just outside the fence line. The Silver Fork Lodge started its life as a tent city for miners. If you have a specific location from the list below that you would like to immediately get more information about, click the links in the list to snap straight to that abandoned places in Utah location. Remember the lives who once lived here and visit with respect. Unlike most abandoned places in Utah, Silver Reef is more commercialized than true ghost towns, but that doesnt take away from its awesome history. 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Today, not a whole lot is left outside of some outlines of streets, crumbling foundations, and the graves of some settlers who will forever call Iosepa home.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'urbexunderground_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_2',175,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-urbexunderground_com-medrectangle-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'urbexunderground_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_3',175,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-urbexunderground_com-medrectangle-4-0_1');.medrectangle-4-multi-175{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}, 37.46583, -109.46762Photo Credit: Johnny Joo architecturalafterlife.com. Following the incident, the mill sat abandoned for quite some time. Just about 20 miles outside of Cedar City lies Old Irontown, one of the Utah ghost towns with the most structures left behind to explore. This clubhouse contained a well-stocked library and pool tables. Thank you to Reddit user /u/LegendOfJeff for recommending the addition of this incredible ghost town to our list of the best abandoned places in Utah. Welcome to the east side of Utah's Zion National Park. Urban exploration can be very gear-heavy, especially when exploring abandoned places in Utah. Terrace all but vanished after the shorter line was completed across Great Salt Lake. There is at least one open shaft that drops down 750 meter, so explore with caution. Based on their height and evidence of beam holes in the walls, some of the rooms were likely divided into two floors. The final nail in the coffin was a massive landslide that nearly wiped out Thistle in 1983. The landslide swept away almost all of the wooden structures and forced any remaining residents to live elsewhere. Today there are quite a few abandoned structures you can explore and photography in Gold Hill and the surrounding area. Today, not much remains of Satans Land since floodwaters inundated the property years ago. The city used most of the land to build a golf course, selling the remainder to fund its construction. To get there today, drive west from Bluff for roughly four miles and head south on U.S. 191. From the native peoples who first settled the state to the religious sects who fled there to escape persecution, Utahns have made their mark on this rugged place, in many cases leaving behind fascinating structures and artifacts for todays visitors to discover. While this ghost town has many commercial elements to it, its still a cool explore, especially if youre already in the area for something else. At its peak, Terrace reached nearly 1,000 residents, many of whom were likely Chinese, excluded from the census. Just a few structures remained standing, including the old red schoolhouse, former railroad machine shop and a few partially-submerged dwellings. Remains of a coke oven in Irontown. Save yourself with a headlamp, one of the most versatile pieces of urbex gear. However, as may be expected, some of them aren't as accessible as others. Buried Treasure In Utah And Where To Search - Metal Detecting Ghost Frisco - Located near Milford, the town was named after the San Francisco Mountains when it was established in 1875. Next Group. Today explorers can venture through the nearby ruins, or take a look at what an authentic mine shaft would have looked like back in the early 1900s. The historic Silver King Shaft House building at the base of the hill remained in place as a beloved local symbol of Park City until it was destroyed in a 1981 fire. Grand Central Mine is definitely one of the more popular abandoned places in Utah, but that isnt to say it isnt worth the trip. In Cottonwood Heights, you will find the Cottonwood Paper Mill. Dhuring the late 1870s and early 1880s, the height of the towns silver boom, Silver Reef was the most populous place in southern Utah. Camping is available at the Westside campground or the Sandpit campground. It is important when considering abandoned places in Utah to know the basics of Utah trespassing laws.