Utah Ghost Towns

Bingham, Utah — Once a thriving mining town carved into Bingham Canyon in the Oquirrh Mountains, the community of Bingham was gradually consumed by the expansion of what is now one of the largest open-pit copper mines in the world. The town itself no longer exists, swallowed by the very industry that created it.

Colton, Utah — A former railroad town in Carbon County along the historic Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad route, Colton served as an important junction point before fading as rail traffic declined.

Mercur, Utah — Once a booming gold and silver mining town in the Oquirrh Mountains, Mercur was largely destroyed by fire in 1902, rebuilt, and then abandoned again as the ore played out. The townsite sits on private land within a modern mining operation today.

Mosida, Utah — An early 20th century agricultural settlement on the western shore of Utah Lake, Mosida was part of an ambitious irrigation project that ultimately failed, leaving behind only remnants of the community that once stood there.

Soldier Summit, Utah — Named for soldiers who perished crossing the mountain pass in 1861, Soldier Summit grew as a railroad town before being completely disbanded in 1984. Today a gas station, empty houses, and crumbling foundations are all that remain.

Thistle, Utah — Established in 1883 as a farming and railroad community, Thistle was destroyed in April 1983 by the costliest landslide in U.S. history, which dammed two creeks and flooded the town. A red schoolhouse, a church on a hill, and a partially sunken house are still visible from the road today.

Tucker, Utah — A former railroad junction and helper engine station in Spanish Fork Canyon, Tucker grew to a population of 500 before being abandoned as the railroad era faded. In 2009 the original townsite was buried during a U.S. Route 6 realignment project, with the Tie Fork Rest Area built nearby in its memory.