How to balance safety vs. adventure at Utah's ghost towns and abandoned mines
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An abandoned building in Ophir, Utah. Photo: Erin Alberty/Axios
As Halloween approaches, Utah's ghost towns hold spooky appeal — but visitors should approach with caution.
Why it matters: Most of the state's ghost towns are connected to abandoned mines, whose hazards have left dozens of explorers injured, trapped or killed.
State of play: Utah officials are scrambling to seal off old mines, where falls, loose rock, tainted water and poisonous air are common perils.
- They also have served as dumpsites in homicides, like the murders of Brelynne "Breezy" Otteson and Riley Powell. For years, crews and volunteers have also searched mines in the West Desert for the remains of Susan Powell, who famously disappeared from West Valley City in 2009.
The other side: Ghost towns and abandoned mines are beloved by historians — and thrill seekers who compare their explorations to other potentially risky adventure sports like spelunking or canyoneering.
- Davis County residents, for example, balked in 2020 when Farmington's popular Patsy's Mine was closed off.
- In Eureka, city and state leaders are trying to preserve mine buildings that are "historically significant" but frequently targeted by thieves.
By the numbers: Utah is home to about 17,000 abandoned mines, according to data from the state's Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program.
- About 7,000 had been sealed off with metal grates, concrete and backfill as of 2023.
- There have been 11 recorded deaths in old mines since 1982, with another 45 injuries, falls and entrapments, state mining officials told Axios.
Pro tips: It's considered trespassing to enter mining structures that are locked, sealed or marked with warning signs, even if the buildings and shafts are on public land, the AP reports.
- Don't take out souvenirs — and before you touch anything, remember that many undetonated explosives have been found in abandoned mines and adjacent buildings.
- Don't enter private property. The proliferation of "no trespassing" signs around Ophir Canyon in Tooele, for example, is due to a rash of break-ins at old mining sites where landowners could be liable if someone were injured.