Grafton

Tucked just south of Zion National Park in Washington County, Utah, Grafton is widely regarded as the most photographed ghost town in the American West. Its roots are in agriculture, and the weathered remnants of that farming community now sit frozen in time against a striking desert backdrop. The town has drawn filmmakers for nearly a century — it appeared in In Old Arizona (1929), the first talkie ever shot outdoors, and later became an iconic backdrop in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Today, Grafton falls within the legal boundaries of the neighboring inhabited town of Rockville, making it unusually accessible for a ghost town. Visitors arriving by standard passenger car will find historic structures still standing, lending a tangible sense of the community that once farmed this land. The combination of cinematic history, well-preserved ruins, and proximity to one of Utah's most famous national parks makes Grafton a rewarding stop for history enthusiasts and photographers alike.