Posts Tagged ‘virgin river’
Friday, February 5th, 2010
Grafton, Utah
 Grafton School House Grafton is a historic ghost town just south of Zion National Park and located along the Virgin River. The modern day town nearest Grafton, is Rockville. Grafton was first settled in 1859 and was located just one mile west of its present town site. In January of 1862 the town was completely washed away by a flood on the Virgin River. Settlers rebuilt the town a mile further up stream at its present site.
 Gravestone of young teenager killed in uprisings There were many log houses, a post office, a church, a school, and a community hall. The town was deserted in 1866 due to Indian attacks and resettled once the threat had subsided.
Said to be the most photographed ghost town in the West, it has been featured as a location in several films, including 1929’s “In Old Arizona” and the classic “Butch Cassidy and the Sandance Kid”, filmed in 1969 and starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman. If you are familiar with the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” you may remember the scene where Newman is riding a bicycle while the music of B.J. Thomas serenades he and Katherine Ross (Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head). This was part of the scenes that were filmed at Grafton.
Directions: To get to Grafton Ghost town you will drive to the town of Rockville and look for a road labelled “Bride Road” at the east end of town (south side of street). Turn on this road and go south across the old iron bridge. Follow the road to the right as it turns west and becomes a dirt road. Travel this direction for a couple of miles until you see the Grafton cemetery on the left. The road to the old Grafton town site curves right (north) toward the Virgin River (just a few hundred yards). Park your car and wander around the old school house and through the old cemetery.
 Grafton Cemetery
Tags: butch cassidy, butch cassidy and the sundance kid, church, flood, Grafton, grafton ghost town, grafton utah, in old arizona, indian, indian attacks, katherine ross, paul newman, post office, robert redford, rockville, rockville utah, springdale, Springdale Utah, sundance kid, virgin river, Zion National Park, zion park Posted in Cities - Towns, Education, Geography, Ghost towns, Hiking, History, Scenic Drives, Springdale Utah, Weather, Zion National Park, virgin river
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009
The town of Springdale, Utah sits at the southwest entrance to Zion National Park. The 2000 census listed the population of Springdale at 457 and somehow this small community plays host to many of the visitors to Zion National Park. At an elevation of 3,900 feet Springdale was named in 2008, by Forbes Traveler, as one of the 20 ‘prettiest towns’ in America.
 View toward Zion National Park - Springdale, Utah One visit to this community and the beauty of this small town is immediately evident. Springdale is surrounded by the emerging red-rock formations of Zion National Park and other formations that lie just outside the park.
Two different forks of the Virgin River (north and east forks) come together in the Springdale area. Both of these rivers have been major contributors to the erosion, and therefore the creation, of Zion National Park.
 Scenic Highway 9 - Springdale Utah - Zion National Park For Zion National Park visitors, Springdale, Utah offers many excellent lodging, dining and shopping opportunities. In addition to this there are several entertainment options such as the Zion Canyon Giant Screen Theatre where IMAX films are shown, and the O.C. Tanner Amphitheater which offers outdoor entertainment through the summer season. Several outfitters in Springdale provide gear and guided outdoor adventures for activities such as; hiking, canyoneering, mountain biking, jeep tours, rappelling, rock climbing and more.
History: This area was visited and inhabited by Native Americans and was explored by early Mormon pioneers in the 1850’s and 1860’s. In 1862 Mormon pioneers settled the Springdale community, and it was the wife of one of these pioneers that suggested the name of Springdale, because of the proximity to some freshwater springs.
Tags: america, dining, forbes traveler, History, lodging, native americans, pioneers, Shopping, springdale, Springdale Utah, united states, virgin river, zion, Zion National Park, zion national park hotels, zion national park lodging Posted in Adventure, Biking, Canyoneering / Climbing, Cities - Towns, Entertainment, Geography, Geology, Hiking, History, Restaurants, Scenic Drives, Shopping, Springdale Utah, Zion National Park
Wednesday, July 29th, 2009
Visit a beach in California or Hawaii and you’re likely to see someone skimboarding on the edge of the receding water.
 Attempting to Skimboard on the Virgin River Suprisingly - St. George has a couple of rivers running through town that are candidates for skimboarding. This is a unique situation where so much silt is carried downstream that the rivers (Virgin and Santa Clara) are both relatively flat and devoid of rocks. The sandy bottoms of these rivers are soft and smooth and the summer depth on the edges of the rivers is between one and two inches, perfect for skimboarding.
It’s a great place to cool-off in the summer and enjoy a little athletic exercise. Local shops sell skimboards or many of the local enthusiasts make their own. St. George even sponsors skimboarding competitions.
The most popular location for skim boarding on the Virgin River is south of I-15 Exit 10 (below Costco) about 1 mile, just as the road curves to the southwest. Look for areas to park your vehicle and expect to see a few people already on the river with their skim boards. Ask local shops about other locations for skimboarding in the St. George area.
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