Grafton Mesa Trail

Grafton Mesa Trail runs south out of Rockville, just outside Zion's boundary, toward the Grafton ghost town, one of the most photographed abandoned settlements in Utah. Park near the junction of Highway 9 and Bridge Street in Rockville, then follow doubletrack out across open country to a mesa-top viewpoint before a steep, eroded old coach road drops you into the valley near the townsite.

Good to know

• It runs about 4.7 miles point-to-point and takes roughly two hours; the descent off the mesa is loose and tricky underfoot.
• The route is open and shadeless, so go early morning or evening and carry more water than you think you need.
• Past the old cemetery, Grafton's adobe schoolhouse and the Russell home still stand, framed against Zion's cliffs.
• The trail is shared by hikers, mountain bikers, and birders, and it's best done March through September.