The Town of Ophir

Ophir is a restored ghost town that allows people to come and see what an old mining town in Utah once looked like. This outdoor museum sits in a canyon lined with limestone and harkens to the earliest era of the state's mining industry. There are a few dozen residents still living in the canyon, but when people talk about Ophir they usually mean the old-style Main Street with its well-preserved store fronts and nearby buildings.

The population of this mining town peaked in 1920 at 522 residents, but the numbers quickly dropped when residents prospected a silver vein that was weaker than anticipated. As you head up the canyon, you will see original, unrestored structures, and if you pass Ophir you will come across large pieces of mining equipment (if your car can handle the creek crossing). The buildings are normally locked up, but if you go on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. between May and September you can see all the great items of the mining era that are preserved within the structures.