ATV Adventures: An ATV adventure that happened when plans went wrong
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- Rock formations on the road to Gooseberry Mesa.
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- Amazing views from the top of Gooseberry Mesa.
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- Amazing views from the top of Gooseberry Mesa.
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- One of the wooden buildings at Grafton.
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- The author’s wife, Gayle, is on the porch of a home in Grafton where a scene from the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” was shot.
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- Lynn Blamires
Photo supplied, Lynn Blamires
Rock formations on the road to Gooseberry Mesa.
We were on the second day of a two-day ride with Terry and Michelle Maxfield in Washington County. I have been fascinated by Indian rock art called water glyphs since I first saw one on Lost Spring Mountain. I was excited to show one to our friends. Water glyphs may have been used to navigate the Arizona Strip.
I had two sets of GPS tracks leading to water glyphs on Lost Spring Mountain in Apple Valley east of Hurricane. I had both of them loaded into my Garmin GPS. Entering the valley, we found a place to stage on a turn-out off 7400 E west of Highway 59.
We left the truck heading south into Canaan Wash. The weather was bright and balmy – in the low 70s and sunny. It was the perfect day for an ATV adventure. We turned west by Canaan Gap and came up against a locked gate marked with no trespassing signs. Disappointed, we backtracked to the Wash and followed the other GPS track I had to access Lost Springs Mountain.
Double disappointment – we came up against the same trail closure we found on the other track. I couldn’t understand how well-established public access could be legally closed. It was time to get some answers.
We made our way into a shady hollow beside Short Creek to organize our thoughts. It was the perfect place for lunch, but it wasn’t lunchtime. We decided to save that spot for another adventure.
Photo supplied, Lynn Blamires
Amazing views from the top of Gooseberry Mesa.
I noticed that I had a cell signal. I called Gus Peterson, who guided me to the water glyphs on Lost Spring Mesa in the first place. I asked about the closures. He told me that the BLM allowed the closure. That didn’t make sense because Washington County should have jurisdiction. He did say that the Mesa could be accessed from Colorado City, but that didn’t solve our problem.
I needed to do something to save the day. I knew we weren’t far from the Gooseberry Mesa and the Grafton ghost town. They would be fun to visit. I got my bearings, and off we went.
We crossed Highway 59 near Big Plain Junction on the Gooseberry Road and took the first left turn. This trail took us to the top of the Mesa.
Gooseberry Mesa is a world-class mountain bike destination popular with mountain bikers. We saw many trailheads and lots of riders on the mountain that day. We were enjoying the day in our UTVs. The views were spectacular.
The overlook where we found the beautiful views was next to the Gooseberry Mesa Yurts. These yurts provide an opportunity for upgraded camping with no corners. The four yurts found here are round. No water or electricity is available, but there are some nice amenities, and they provide the only lodging on the Mesa. Each yurt has a unique mountain view and some wonderful sunsets.
Photo supplied, Lynn Blamires
Amazing views from the top of Gooseberry Mesa.
It was getting late in the day. We still wanted to see the ghost town. Coming down from the Mesa, we turned left on the road that would take us to Grafton. The trail comes off the mountain into a pretty valley where pioneers tried to establish a town.
Grafton is a ghost town with something to see. Many ghost towns I have visited require a lot of imagination. Here, there is a small group of aged wooded buildings in good condition standing in tree-lined fields near the Virgin River just south of the boundary of Zion National Park. Scenes from the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” were filmed here. There is a school that also was used as a church building.
Grafton was established in 1859 by a small group of settlers from Virgin, seven miles west, on the fertile Virgin River floodplain. Despite good soils and scenic surroundings, life was difficult due to floods and Indian attacks.
Descendants of the people who lived here still care for the buildings. They still raise and harvest crops and care for the nearby cemetery. We left with an appreciation of the hardships these pioneers endured.
We followed the dirt road to the point where it crossed the highway and made our way back to the truck.
Photo supplied, Lynn Blamires
One of the wooden buildings at Grafton.
Our ATV adventure was not what we had planned, but it was still a great ride. We didn’t see the water glyphs, but we saw some beautiful backcountry and a fascinating ghost town. When you go, take plenty of water, keep the rubber side down and make the best of every ATV adventure.
Contact Lynn R. Blamires at quadmanone@gmail.com.
The author's wife, Gayle, is on the porch of a home in Grafton where a scene from the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" was shot.
