When we were planning our road trip through Utah and Arizona, Paria Townsite and its ruin showed up throughout our research. It didn’t seem like much so we put it toward the “maybe” pile. I have to say, I’m glad we decided to stop there along the way. If you’re anywhere along US-89 or near Grand Staircase-Escalante, Paria Townsite is a must stop. Besides its history, the landscape here is magnificent with colorful mountains.
Note: Please make sure to respect this beautiful place and the surround areas. Always practice LEAVE NO TRACE. This means no loud music, no graffiti and pack out what you pack in! Please help us protect this place for generations to come!
Stats
Where
Turn off:
37°11’07.3″N 111°59’44.4″W
Parking
There are parking along the way
Restroom
There is a pit toilet near a small campground, about 5 miles from US-89.
Fee
Free
Weather
Distance
It is about 6 miles each way drive to the picnic site.
Level
Easy
Time:
1 – 3 hours
Pet-friendly
Dog are allowed but they should to be on leashed.
Ideal Weather
Spring and Fall are the best time to go. These seasons have the perfect weather. July and August have the highest risk of flash flooding while Winter’s snow melt might make the road wet and impassable.
Ideal Time
Early morning and evenings will give you the best light. The colorful mountains seem to look more vibrant with soft light.
WARNING: The dirt road works fine for passenger vehicles when dry. However, when the road is wet, the wet clay can be impassable, even for 4-WDs. Please do not attempt this drive. Also, keep an eye out for flash floods. The road near the picnic site might be washed out.
All vehicles and bicycles must stay on existing roads. Driving off-road is prohibited. This includes ATV’s, OHV’s, motorcycles, bicycles, etc.
Video
History of Paria Townsite
Paria Townsite was home to an old town settlement that used to be called Pahreah around the 1870s. With the help of John D. Lee with the irrigation, the town of Pahreah grew to 47 families. However, regular flooding eventually drove all the residents away. By 1892, there were only 8 families left. In 1911, a small gold mining operation moved in here, just to be wiped out by flooding within a year. By 1929, Paria is completely empty.
Because of its beautiful background, a movie set was also built here in the 1960s. This movie set was finally destroyed by an arsonist in 2006.
The Adventure
Getting There
Paria Townsite is accessible via a dirt road off US-89. The drive along this dirt road is half of the adventure. It is a VERY beautiful drive. Please note, this dirt road is made of clay, which can be impassible to all vehicles, including 4WDs when wet. Please do not attempt this drive when the road is wet.
FROM KANAB, UT: Drive east (toward Page, AZ) on US-89 for about 34 miles. You should see a sign for Paria Townsite before the turn off on the left. This is about a 1/5 of a mile past mile marker 31. Once you turn left, drive past the big parking space and continue through the cattle gate on to a dirt road. This is where your adventure starts.
FROM PAGE, AZ: Drive west (toward Kanab, UT) on US-89 for about 39 miles. There should be a sign for the turn off on the right, past mile marker 30. Once you turn left, drive past the big parking space and continue through the cattle gate on to a dirt road. This is where your adventure starts.
The Scenic Drive
After turning onto the dirt road to go toward the picnic site, we were in for a treat. From faraway, we can already see the colorful mountains in the background. As we drove closer, the scenery looks almost surreal. Vibrant, colorful mountains rose out from the earth. These mountains are made out of colorful stripes. There are tons of parking along the road so we stop at every few hundred feet to take photos. It’s kind of hard not to.
We follow the dirt road to a small dirt lot. I supposed this was where the old movie set used to be. There is a pit toilet here if you need to use the restroom. From here, if the road condition is good, you can actually keep going straight towards the old cemetery and then the picnic site. The road split at a few spots here. Make sure to keep straight and go toward the river. If you go left here, you might end up on some super sketchy off-road trail.
The picnic site is at the end of the road, next to the river. There are a few parking spots here. When we got to this spot, we were the only people here. It was such a peaceful scene to sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery surrounding us.
The Ruins of Paria Townsite
The ruins of Paria Townsite are hard to find. It took us a while to actually locate the site, after 2 visits to be exact. To get there, you’ll need to get to the picnic site. From here, you will need to cross the river to the other side. Be careful when crossing the river. If the flow is too high, it might be dangerous to cross. When we were there, the water level was about shin deep so it wasn’t too bad. We recommend wearing water shoes if you have them. The bottom of the river is muddy and slippery in some spots. In other spots, it can get very rocky.
We knew that we have to eventually go up on the ledge above the river bed. So when we found what looks like an easy route up, we took it. I recommend finding a way to go up as soon as you can. When we were there, it seemed like the farther along the riverbed, the less opportunity for you to climb up.
Be careful when you’re climbing up. The dirt here is super soft. It is very easy for it to fall apart. Once climb up, we continue to walk toward the canyons. We put the coordinates for the ruins above. This will help you find your way easier. There are a couple of spots when we have to jump over the crack on the ground. They are not super big or anything but it still a bit scary jumping over it.
After what seems like forever, we saw what looks like a stone foundation ahead. Dustin excitedly ran over to take pictures. After we walked past the initial one, we saw a few more a bit further away. One of the houses is still kind of intact. It was an added bonus to see these neat ruins. Once you’re done, head back the same way you come in.
These are the gear that we personally use and find them helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
adventure gear
Good hiking shoes are recommended on these adventures. Vy uses the Merrell Women’s Moab 2 hiking boots
Dustin’s shoes are Targhee III Waterproof
There isn’t a lot of shade in the desert. Make sure to use lots of sunscreens! We use eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen, Stream2Sea SPF 30.
Face sunscreen is also important. We love these tinted, organic All Good Organic Sunscreen Butter.
You should always bring plenty of water. Vy loves the Camelback L.U.X.E.
For shorter hikes, the Patagonia Women’s Nine Trails Pack 18L is perfect to hold water and your essentials.
If you want something lighter, we love the packable Patagonia Women’s Houdini® Jacket and Patagonia Men’s Houdini® Jacket
These La Sportiva approach shoes are perfect for crossing the river and also provide great traction in the mud and for hiking.
This is the men’s version. We use these for canyoneering and love them!
other things to bring
Make sure to have a full tank of gas, lunches and/or snacks with you. There are no stores around. For healthy and easy snacks, check out some of our recipes.
camera gear
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