Image: Site of Paria, Utah

Description: Old Paria (pa-ree'-a) was settled about 150 years ago along the Paria River. After a few decades of existence, the town was wiped out by a series of devastating floods. In the 1960s a movie set was constructed in front of the colorful mesas, creating a picturesque setting for photographers until the set was washed away by a flood in the 1990s. A group of volunteers reconstructed some of the buildings, but they were razed by an arsonist in 2005. So now the area has reverted to its natural beauty. All that remains of human habitation is the cemetery and a small campsite. I spent the first night of my Zion trip there, alone.
Title: Site of Paria, Utah
Credit: Old Paria Uploaded by PDTillman
Author: John Fowler from Placitas, NM, USA
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
License: CC BY 2.0
License Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0
Attribution Required?: Yes