If you're heading to Zion and want something that feels straight out of a Western movie, Grafton Ghost Town is 100% worth the quick detour. We stopped here not expecting much, and it ended up being one of the most unique spots of the trip. This place dates back to the 1860s and was settled by pioneers trying to farm along the Virgin River. Between floods, isolation, and tough conditions, the town was eventually abandoned--but what's left behind is seriously cool. Unlike a lot of ghost towns, Grafton actually has several well-preserved buildings, including an old schoolhouse, homes, and even a cemetery. Walking through it feels quiet... almost too quiet. It's the kind of place where you can actually picture what life was like back then. And the setting? Unreal. You've got massive red rock cliffs from Zion in the background, which makes it feel way more cinematic than your average historical stop. It's no surprise this place has been used in movies. There's no entry fee, no crowds (usually), and no over-the-top tourist setup--just raw history and insane scenery. If you're already visiting Zion, skipping Grafton would honestly be a mistake. It's quick, eerie, beautiful, and totally unforgettable. Follow us for more hidden gems on our socials @reessroots read more

See all

I remember going to Grafton with my family when I was a child, so when I had the opportunity to go back and visit as an adult, I was excited to see how it changed. It's much cleaner and well-maintained than I remembered. I think the LDS church owns the property now and is doing some renovations on the buildings. You can walk through most of the buildings as well as the grounds around them. It's a neat stop and worth taking the time to be in the space and energy of some of Utah's history. read more

See all

WOW! An amazingly refurbished town of buildings, homes and a church. The quality of the carpentry and handy work is stellar. One can actually walk into these unlocked restored treasure homes. The smell. The history. The windows. Butch Cassidy's hat. Amazing scenery. The other adventure was getting there. Flat gravel road. There was a loose cow on the road side chewing on the brush. And then, there is a solemn little cemetery with a range of burials and tombstones along the way. Beautiful day to admire history, carpentry work and the hard life of those before us. read more

See all

What a beautiful location. It's so crazy to know these pieces of history are hiding in plane site right next to beautiful flowing water. The buildings left on the property after the flood that took out the rest of the town are I Great shape and you are allowed inside most of them. There were a few that were labeled as private property and not accessible which sucked, but totally understandable. The history alone makes it worth the stop. read more

See all

Stopped here for a visit on our drive from Las Vegas to Zion Natl Park. The site is a few miles off the main road and is comprised of 5-6 well maintained historical structures which you can enter and explore. The grounds are fenced in, surrounded by majestic grasslands & roaming cows, and there are a handful of peach trees producing nice fruit that you can treat the friendly bovine to. This well preserved "ghost town" is certainly a nice place to stop for a quick visit. read more

Just a little bit off the beaten path and so worth it to see the old buildings and really interesting scenery. It's like stepping back in time. We visited the 5 buildings plus the cemetery, for less than an hour in total. Would absolutely come back. read more

Well preserved ghost town of Grafton [Rockville UT] Drove to Rockville almost close to 10:00p to check out this cemetery and ghost town... we passed a one-lane bridge and once we hit Grafton Road it is a dirt road for about 3 miles. We arrived and there was already another car there with 4 young adults. They were also curious, perhaps crazy, like us. LoL! The cemetery had a gate but we all went in... using our phone flashlights we walked around to view some of the grave markers. It wasn't as creepy since we were not alone. We then headed to the ghost town, just a short distance from the cemetery. What?? There were more cars here, more people including a family with two young kids. There were two remaining buildings, the church and the schoolhouse. We were able to go inside the historic schoolhouse but not the church. The structure was in amazingly good condition. Preservation efforts restored these two buildings. Sadly, the ghost town had its problems with rowdy delinquents. We returned the following day and there were more people now! The wooden grave marker headstones were interesting and so sad that many of them were children who died of disease like Diphtheria and Scarlet Fever. Some of the headstones were well maintained. The grave that was fenced in belonged to Robert M Berry (born February 3, 1841, died April 2, 1866, only 25 years old ... how did he die? It's written on the headstone. (see photo). Back in the day it looked like they had some problems with the Indians. What's really neat about Grafton was that it has been used as a filming location for several old movies including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The ghost town is located just outside of Zion National Park. I mean, we could see the high mountains of Zion in the background. The town was established as a cotton mission. Cool place to visit! Review #2383 read more

Just a weird little stop about 20 mins from Zion. There are about 5 buildings here, most of which you can walk into. The nicest of the buildings is where they filmed the scene from Butch Cassidy. It is not necessarily a great destination, but a fun end of day detour if you have the time to visit. read more

Fun spot to see some history and learn more about the early settlers and how tough life was back in the day. Worth the drive off the main highway to see the homes and cemetary. Did some more research into the settlers after we visited and was facinated by the story. read more

I really enjoyed reading the history about the town. My kids enjoyed running around and checking out the houses. Beautiful area. read more

See all

My hubby and I were entered to run the Butch Cassidy run that ends in Grafton, Utah in November so we drove up a day early to relax without the crowds at Zion and then complete the race the next morning. The race begins a few miles outside of Springdale where the sign has you head left towards Grafton. I was excited to see this town as my very good friend has extensive family history with this town and some of her relatives are buried in the cemetery. The town is most well known as some of the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was filmed here. In addition other films have been made here as well (westerns I am sure). On the run, I took a quick side trip and checked out the cemetery looking for my friends relatives. Kinda cool and a little eerie. Once you reach the town, you will find an old school/church and an old house which you can actually tour. History states that some Mormon families settled this little town in 1859. It really is a cute lil town and it was interesting to read about its history. It is located just outside of Springdale so if you have a chance be sure to check it out. read more

See all

Great stop with lots of history. Take the time to read the information about the settlers, their homes, and their deaths. You can walk inside most of the homes and even open the barn and see the old wagon. So glad we checked it out! read more

See all

What: small ghost town (stay to the right at the fork) and cemetery (go to the left). There are a few small houses and school/church that is maintained by an organization. Be sure to leave a few bucks in the donation box, otherwise you will be haunted forever! The cemetery has over 100 graves, but you can only actually see 1/3 of that. Cost: FREE! Location: You go through a residential area (go slow!) and cross a little bridge, then the road is a dusty dirt, unpaved road and you should not go on it with a regular car, sedan or minivan. Best for trucks and Jeeps, etc. It's a good little side trip to kill an hour and we always love a ghost town! read more

This review is unfortunately years overdue. I was driven here in an 8 person RV - I do not recommend doing this, you should drive on that rocky dirt road with a more appropriate vehicle, but I have no regrets! This is the only ghost town I've ever visited. When I found out it was near Zion I made a point to seek it out and it did not disappoint. The road in is empty, quiet, wide and beautiful. All the browns and oranges of the desert rock lead you deeper into a landscape much less traveled than the roads I'm used to. There was some art on the way in, property owners had decorated their fences with whimsical homemade displays. There is a plaque explaining how the ghost town became a ghost town. Founded in 1862, in 1866 thirteen people died "taken by epidemics, tragic accidents, and by the friction caused when new folks rub up against old". Well damn, alright then. It looks like there is an organization that helps keep up the buildings and graveyard. The buildings are certainly old and without furniture, but they're in good condition. The ceilings were very low and the doorways sometimes crooked. The tombstones had bright flowers next to them. Some belonged to residents of Grafton who had lived much longer than I had expected - George Washington Gibson who was born all the way in South Carolina made it to 71 years. But Joshua Newman Gibson died the day after his 10th birthday. There's a donation box in the graveyard, unlocked. Are you really going to steal the ghost town graveyard money? If there is any more sure fire way to get yourself haunted I don't know it. read more

See all

Each year in September, I go to St. George for theatre at Tuacahn and to do some hiking and exploring. Last year, visiting the ghost town of Grafton was high on my list because some of the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was filmed here--most notably the famous bicycle scene with Katherine Ross and Paul Newman. Google Raindrops Keep Falling and the video will be one of the top choices. The first stop you make is at the cemetery. It's really an interesting place to visit. Read the information on the interpretive marker and see the dates of many of the residents who are buried here and the cause of their deaths. The one that hit me was the two young girls who died when riding a swing together and the swing broke. The girls are buried together. There is a fork in the road at the cemetery. Keep to the right the way you came in and you'll see the townsite in a short time. You are free to walk around. Some of the buildings have been rebuilt. The church has had some reconstruction work. On the north side, there is a set of steps that goes up to a window so you can get a look inside. Across the street is an original house with its low ceilings and this one is open to explore. This is very near Zion National Park in Springdale, Utah, and if you like history like I do, this is certainly a place to visit. It is very interesting! read more

See all

What an awesome surprise! I had no idea this place existed & by luck I searched on Yelp for all near by places to stumble upon Norm K's review! Thank you Norm because we decided to stop & so glad we did. This place wasn't as easy to find so here are specific directions. When you're on the way to Zion you'll pass a little town named Rockville. Look closely for a little street called Bridge Rd on your right hand side & you'll spot a tiny sign that reads ~ Grafton. Take that to the rusty one way bridge & then about a mile or so to your final destination. If you go left you'll be at the cemetery & if you go right you'll spot the little town. This all happened early in the day because I would never have stepped foot there at night. You couldn't pay me to get scared on purpose! Funny timing also brought us here on Halloween so I was even a bigger chicken. I took lots of pics so they'll give you a good idea of the things you'll see & it was so cool to step back into time! There's quite a bit to explore & you can even go into some of the houses which was very cool. The land itself is stunning! So many trees, flowers & the views are spectacular at every angle. If you're ever taking a trip to Zion you shouldn't miss this piece of history. Take the time to read about the people who lived and died there. read more

See all

Started in 1859 by five families is now a ghost town. The cemetery and the few remaining buildings of the town have been preserved and make for a cool visit on the way from the town of Virgin to Zion NP. This is one of many LDS settlements in Utah. It is easy to miss the one foot long sign at River Road that has an arrow pointing off State Highway 9. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid did some filming here. read more

Grafton Ghost Town & Graveyard - Map - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

I love birding at Grafton, especially in early May. There's an amazing concentration of birds here because of the old orchards, pastures, and near proximity to the Virgin River. As you're pulling into town, look up into the branches of a huge mulberry tree for glimpses of orioles, tanagers, and phainopepla! Watch the fenceposts for western bluebirds and black phoebes. Look on top the church steeple for a Say's Phoebe. Check the pasture for wild turkeys. There are wrens, woodpeckers, and vermilion flycatchers in the old orchard. Watch overhead for kestrels. Great blue herons wade in the river. Yellow chats scream in the bushes. Mockingbirds sing from the raspberry patch. Yellow warblers chirp in the treetops. Migrating birds pass overhead. Oh, did I mention that I love, love, love Grafton! read more

See all

Cool little ghost town near Zion National Park. The ghost town is located off the main road but is easy to find, just follow the signs. It had an old cemetery and buildings which the kids loved exploring. If you are quiet you can definitely hear voices in the wind! We enjoyed this little ghost town and would recommend this to anyone looking for a small off-road adventure. Note there are no restrooms available. read more

See all

Incredibly well-preserved town from the mid-1800s. It's clear some restoration has been done to the buildings and cemetery, but the experience is well worth the rocky drive and heat. So fun and exciting! Also really cool to see Zion in the background! (If you visit in the summer, prepare for extreme dry heat. We brought our dog, and he couldn't stand being outside for too long) read more

If you're in Zion and have about an hour to spare, I think it is worth a visit to Grafton ghost town and graveyard. The town itself is very, very small (about 3 buildings) but cool to walk through and read the signs. The graveyard is very interesting -- reading the grave markers highlights how touch life was for people back then... Killed By Indians, Fell of Swing, Died of Diptheria -- things that are non-existent or easily handled with modern medicine. I was there in daytime, but I imagine both the town and the graveyard would be spooky at night. read more

It's definitely off the path but an interesting historical stop. Great for photographs!! The cemetery looks as if the people were freshly buried the way the earth settled. There was a school house and 3 other houses still standing. It's a quick stop either on your way in or out of Zion. read more

Grafton Ghost Town & Graveyard - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

Visiting the Grafton Cemetery & reading/thinking about these adults & children that died 100+, some 150+ years ago as you look at the faded markers, while out in the beautiful rugged & remote area of Grafton can really help put your own life in perspective. While there's not much left of the town of Grafton itself, what is there, somewhat restored, is interesting, and I suppose if they re-built many of the structures now gone, it'd lose the authentic ghost town feel. I recommend anyone planning on visiting Grafton do make arrangements to watch Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid shortly before or after visiting Grafton. For being somewhat of a remote ghost town, Grafton does actually get pretty busy on weekends in the Spring & Summer, with sometimes dozens of people camping out in the area -- not sure if they're doing so on public land available for that, or if it's been special groups with permission to camp out on private property. Either way, Grafton can be very much alive on weekends... read more

During a 5-day visit to Springdale, I went to Grafton twice! It was so interesting to see this abandon place and also to (slowly) pull up images on my phone from movies filmed here, including Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid. Watching that movie prior to going would be a good activity for on the plane or long drive to Utah (well, for everyone besides the driver). All the history of this place was covered in depth by Adam G., so skip to his review to read all about it. But know that this is a MUST-DO stop when you're going through Zion. Stop at the nearby Smithsonian Butte (literally on the way into Grafton) if you want a cool place to set up camp. Bring lots of water and a handkerchief or Buff to cover your nose and mouth- the dust devils out here are truly wicked. read more

Although quite the drive on dirt road once you arrive your will be pleasantly surprised. The ghost town has be restored . A small donation box is at entrance of gate. This place you can walk into old house and also around the property. You might think oh that's all but if your into historical place and photography this place you can't go wrong. Next time I will bring wide angle camera lens. Gorgeous at sunset . read more

The cliffs of Zion National Park are a wonderful background for the beautifully restored buildings of the town of Grafton, Utah. A photographers paradise. The town of Grafton has been restored by the Grafton Heritage Partnership that owns the town-site. The cemetery is on BLM land. There are some graves of interest: Robert, Isabelle, and Joseph Berry, who were killed in a gun battle, near present day Short Creek, Utah, with Navajo warriors that had been driven from their home land by Kit Carson in 1864. Loretta Russell and Elizabeth Woodbury, killed in a accident while swinging on a beam in a burned out cotton mill when the beam fell on the two girls. Poinkum, Puss, and Willey. A Paiute Indian and his two sons. Poinkum married an runaway bride of Jacob Hamblin. Cedar Pete. A Paiute Indian Chief from Cedar city whose funeral lasted three days. For more information you can check out the Grafton Heritage Partnership of the Washington County Historical Society websites. read more

See all

Is there anything more interesting than walking through history and seeing things that are generations old? Grafton is an abandoned old west town near Rockville which is just before Springdale & Zion National Park. It was settled in the early 1800's then abandoned per Brigham 50 years later, then resettled a short time after that then abandoned by its last resident in the mid 1940's. Its famous for being the backdrop of a few different western movies including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (awesome movie!). Getting to the town is sort of an unmarked adventure. You take a turn off of the main Route 9 in Rockville on River Rd, cross a cool old single track iron bridge over the Virgin River and then drive about 3 miles down the road which turns to dirt and ends at the remnants of the city. You can access it with a car if its 100% dry and you drive slowly. Otherwise I'd recommend you take an SUV or Truck and if its wet at all you better have AWD/4WD. Right when you enter the city is the graveyard which contains maybe 20 marked graves and potentially 60 or more unmarked graves. Many of these had the original headstones that were 150+ years old. It was really interesting to see the long and sometimes short lives people had so many years ago. Some of the graves had headstones replaced by family for newer ones with the period dates. There's an informational poster talking about the graveyard and the afflictions that affected the town during its heyday. A little farther down the dirt road are the ghost buildings left from the town. There's a church, 2 or 3 houses and a log cabin. Each of the buildings are in various shades of disrepair but most are very well kept comparatively to most ghost towns. The church building has been mostly restored inside and out. Its locked but the Grafton Historical Society folks that maintain the area have built steps up to a window where you can look in and read some informational material regarding the building. There's also a house from the last resident of Grafton that left in the 1940's for St George. It has been mostly restored to original period on the outside and is in the process of being restored on the inside. Across from it is a log cabin type structure that is open with no doors and has been kept up but not really restored. All of this is accompanied by a informational piece when you're walking in from you car that tells you about the town and the buildings left. The town itself is a real ghost town but the buildings and the surrounding area are maintained by a historical society and the restorations partially funded by the state and National Park system. Its a nice way to make a Ghost Town presentable and informational without it being truly abandoned and unmarked with no information. You can make a small donation in a box near the buildings to the society. I highly recommend taking a half hour from leaving or going to Zion NP to stop at Grafton. Its neat to see a ghost town in all its abandoned glory and its absolutely old western movie material with the 1800's era buildings with mesas and red rocks as their backdrop. read more

Off the beaten path but worth it. It's only a few buildings, but you can imagine yourself going back in time when you visit. Be sure to stop at the cemetery too! read more

As far as ghost towns go, this one is pretty similar to the rest. There are only a few buildings left that you can look inside, and one that you can go into. What really stands out is the cemetery. There is an interpretive sign that actually tells some of the stories of the people who lived in this place and really lets you connect with the history of the town. We spent quite a bit of time just walking around and looking at the headstones, reading them and trying to comprehend what life must have been like. It made a great field trip for the kiddos, but was fascinating for me too. If you do any hiking behind the cemetery (there are many trails) take water and wear good shoes. read more

Pretty cool, worth the detour on the way out of town or if you want to kill an hour. There's a little easy trail next to the cemetery that goes up to a great view of the valley. read more

Pretty cool retrospective of life in the bad old days.

A couple of years ago I was picking my husband up from a mountain bike ride near Gooseberry Mesa. He told me to meet him at the turn out on the end of the road, but he never mentioned a graveyard or a ghost town. Somehow he fails to notice these things. I spent a good fifteen minutes alone in the graveyard. Not a sign of life for miles, just me and the ghosts. I'm now writing my second novel and the opening scene takes place in that graveyard about 1864. I suppose I was haunted and will continue to be by this place. I hope it is preserved forever. We need physical reminders of the past to spark our imagination and connect with the dead. read more

We took a quick drive to the Ghost Town. It was cool to see. We walked around some. The drive out was very pretty at sunset.

Very cool place and worth seeing. One change from the earlier reviews is that there is now a fence that prevents you from getting close to the buildings. You can still see them but from a distance and can still go into the graveyard. read more