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Paria (or Pahreah) was a town in southern Utah, not too far from Kanab. The town site can be visited by driving out into the rugged desert on an unpaved road.
History
The town was settled in 1865 and grew to 47 families in the 1870s. It was quite prosperous in the beginning, with farmers producing good crops every year. In 1883, everything changed as devastating annual floods began to hit the area. By 1892, there were only eight families left. The post office closed in 1915, and by the early 1930s, everyone was gone.
In 1943, the first Western was shot in Paria, and the former town site became popular with movie and TV producers in the 1950s. A movie set for the Rat Pack’s Seargents 3 was built in 1961 and was popular with tourists until it was destroyed in a fire set by vandals on August 25, 2006.
Our Visit
On our way to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, we drove up to the old movie site at Paria. There’s nothing left but a few interpretive panels with photos and information about the town.
The actual town site is about a mile to the north. We tried to get there but the road was washed out and impassable for my car. A 4×4 could have done it. Anyway, there’s nothing left to see but a couple of foundations and a cemetery.
As we drove back to US-89, we admired the gorgeous scenery but could also appreciate how difficult life must have been for settlers living in these harsh conditions.
