Surfing into Silver Reef

On our way back from Springdale, J drove us back a different route, so we could stop by another old ghost town, Silver Reef near Leeds, Utah.

Silver Reef was once a booming mine town, now its historical buildings are museums. There's also a large population of artists and artisans, and a local restaurant, The Cosmopolitan, has been part of the community since the time of the silver mine.

While we didn't stop by the museum (which was probably closed anyway because of the holiday), or poke around the displays of old mining equipment or ore carts, we did hop out of the car to look at the scenery.


If you can't read the sign, here's the text:

Site of the old Barbee and Walker Mill
All that remain are the rock walls
across the canyon. It began
operations in 1887. By 1908 it
ceased operations marking
the end of the old silver reef.

You could lean over the edge and pear down part of an old sluicing shaft,

or stand near the edge of the canyon walls and look

out towards the remains of the mine buildings.

Here's the view of another part of town.

You could ponder the wonders of the differing elevations and topography,

Or revert to childhood and just have a ball.

Maybe we shouldn't have a snowball fight so close the canyon edge ...

It's a long way down to the valley floor.

Those are the tops of trees by J's fingers.

Next stop, back to J's house to gear up for our trip to the range ... in Arizona.