Should You Visit the Grafton Ghost Town?
When thinking about the ghost towns that are located in Southwest USA, there are usually two types that stand out. Some are really commercial and restored so that they look genuine. Calico is a really good example of that. Others are neglected sites and they show very little elements of what used to be there. Old Irontown is a prime example in this case. Grafton Ghost Town can be described as a mix of the two categories.
Some of the buildings inside the city are in great condition and are located right across the Virgin River, south of Zion National Park. Grafton Ghost Town is located just one mile away from the road that leads to the park. Even so, it is not visited often because it stands on the other side of the river. The only way to get there is through a 4 mile track that is filled with dirt and not well signposted. However, when you reach your destination, you immediately notice that it is worth it.
Access to Grafton Ghost Town
The easiest way to get to the Grafton Ghost Town is to drive to Rockville and then take a road that crosses the river from there. You would be going 2 miles and then you’ll reach a curve that takes you towards the South. Soon you will reach Smithsonian Butte Road, 9 miles long, highly scenic and a fast shortcut to the Zion National Park. There are many free campsites there and when you reach Bridge Lane, you can go right and you are heading towards the ghost town.
The Grafton Cemetery
The Grafton Ghost Town Cemetery is one of the most important interest points that you will want to visit. There are many graves that range from 1860 to 1910. You can look at different inscriptions that show how life was back then. The best example is the case of the Berry Brothers, which were killed in 1866 by Indians.
The Actual Town
Grafton Ghost Town has quite a long history. It was basically established in the year 1859 so that people that grew cotton near the Virgin River had a place to live. Unfortunately, the early pioneers had to deal with numerous Indian attacks and constant flooding. Only in the thirties the town managed to become more successful.
You will surely appreciate the authentic look and feel of the Grafton Ghost Town. It is very quiet there and you can even talk with some people that still live in different houses in the region. The scenery is breathtaking and those people that lived there were definitely lucky. The Zion National Park is really close and if you are thinking about visiting it, there is no reason why you should not stop in the Grafton Ghost Town for a few hours.
This is one of the tourist attractions that are completely free and quite a lot of people visit every single year. The atmosphere is welcoming and yet, really old. You do feel like you are a part of history when you are in Grafton.
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Grafton Ghost Town Near St. George, Utah
