Dhuring the late 1870s and early 1880s, the height of the town’s silver boom, Silver Reef was the most populous place in southern Utah.

A mining town, Silver Reef was the first sandstone location to hold silver and was named for the lode of it that was discovered there. This fading ghost town is located north of St. It was even one of the filming locations for parts of 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,' among other Hollywood movies. Some say that Grafton is the most photographed ghost town in the West. While you can’t go into the schoolhouse, it’s one of the most pristine abandoned buildings left in all of Utah’s ghost towns and makes for a great photo opportunity. Only the graveyard and a renovated schoolhouse remain. It’s unique because it was established for less than a decade before settlers were forced out due to tensions with Native Americans. 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. First timers should start with Grafton and Silver Creek. Makes you really understand how tough all of the pioneers and natives had to be just to get through the day.Ghost towns like Old Irontown, Stateline and Sego existed in tough desert conditions. Enjoy life as it was 100, no, 200 years ago. Except for the chiggers, a few ticks and chiggers, and of course the CHIGGERS, it is THE most relaxing time you can spend within this time zone. Mother nature calls you back and it's not nice to fool her. I'll bet that you will NOT just visit once. THAT alone is well worth the short drive and hike. Take a pallet or quilt and just sit and soak up the sounds of silence. Just remember the way you walked in or you can easily be LOST! Make sure that you are using insect repellent as ALL of them know exactly where YOU are and as they close in for their feast, you realize that you have developed an itch or twenty. NO city sounds and often no sounds at all.

Talk about time travel!! Is DOES have magnificent hiking trails so you don't have to blaze a trail to find your way back home, but after hiking for an hour or so, just step five or ten steps OFF the trail and discover true wilderness. It is very hard to believe that in less than 30 minutes you can stand in a virgin forest that is untouched from the beginning of time.

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