GeoSights: Silver Reef, Washington County, Utah
by Mark Milligan
Located about 20 miles north of St. George, Silver Reef is a historic mining district and ghost town reborn as a residential neighborhood. It is one of the few places in the world where silver was mined from sandstone. Silver is most commonly emplaced by hot, mineral-rich fluids directly within or adjacent to igneous intrusions (magma which cools beneath the surface), and is usually found with other metal ores, especially lead, zinc, or copper. High-grade silver ore was first discovered at Silver Reef in 1866. However, the concept of silver hosted in an unaltered sandstone was unbelievable, so it took 10 years before a silver rush began.
The silver minerals at Silver Reef are nearly invisible but they can occur with colorful copper and uranium minerals. Top samples–blue azurite and green malachite replacing plant fragments. Bottom sample–blue azurite “dots” on sandstone. U.S. quarter for scale.
At Silver Reef, silver ore, along with associated copper, uranium, and vanadium, is found in unaltered beds of the Springdale Sandstone Member of the Kayenta Formation. Over 90% of the silver mined in the district was in the form of silver chloride (AgCl, also known as horn silver or chlorargyrite). Horn silver is colorless or grayish white while underground but turns grayish brown in sunlight, making it difficult to see in rocks. The ore is only obvious where it also contains colorful copper or uranium minerals. Trace amounts of silver occur in the Springdale Sandstone across southwestern Utah but is only concentrated enough to be economically mined at Silver Reef.
The origin of the silver and other metals hosted in the Springdale Sandstone has been debated since their discovery. The consensus is that they were likely leached by groundwater flowing through volcanic ash beds in the underlying Chinle Formation, transported upward, then redeposited in the overlying porous beds of the Springdale Sandstone. These beds are part of the larger Virgin anticline, an upward folded structure. This geometry helped to concentrate and trap the mineral-rich fluids in the sandstone. The presence of organic material in the Springdale Sandstone, and likely mixing with near-surface fresher water, modified the rising groundwater’s chemistry, causing the metals to precipitate.
The Silver Reef mining district produced ore from four distinct “reefs” composed of the Springdale Sandstone—Buckeye, Butte, White, and East. “Reef” in this context describes a rocky ridge that formed a barrier to wagon travel, although the term can also refer to a distinct metalliferous mineral deposit, which is also apt for these four of the area’s six named reefs. Buckeye Reef was the richest, yielding 70% of the district’s production.
The boom days of Silver Reef only lasted through 1888, when falling silver prices, depleted reserves, and labor disputes conspired to effectively halt major mining operations, although some minor lessee operations continued through 1909. By this time, the district had produced over 219 tons (7 million ounces) of silver worth roughly $500 million at current prices ($70 per ounce as of spring 2026). Sporadic mining from 1949 to 1968 produced an additional 5 tons of silver, 10 ounces of gold, 34 tons of copper, and at least 1.25 tons of uranium oxide.
Areas to Explore
Visits to Silver Reef are best started at the Silver Reef Museum, located in the historic Wells Fargo and Company Express Building built in 1877. The museum has informative history, mining, and geology displays, as well as knowledgeable docents and two interpretive walking trails through the historical townsite. From the museum, take a dirt road heading in any direction from southeast to west, and you will find something to investigate and explore.
Another option is to visit East Reef and the former small town and mill site of Babylon, located about 4 miles south of the museum, on the east side of I-15. Access is via 900 North Road, located north of the town of Leeds. This dirt road is rough in places and can be impassable when wet. Highlights to see in this area include a young basalt flow, mine workings and ruins, dinosaur tracks, petroglyphs, great bedrock exposures, a small arch, and the Virgin River.
Reclamation Without Erasing History
During your visit, you may notice many closed mine entrances. Following their legal mandate to protect the public and environment by sealing off mine openings and cleaning up mine waste, the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining’s Abandoned Mines Reclamation Program closed 465 Silver Reef mines in 1996 and 1997, and another 184 mine openings at East Reef in 2000. Although abandoned mine reclamation efforts typically strive to return sites to a natural state, the goal at Silver Reef was to preserve mining history while minimizing visual impacts of reclamation efforts. Most mines were backfilled, but the fill was left below the surrounding surface level to keep the appearance of the opening. The appearance of associated mine dumps (piles of waste rock from mine excavations) was also preserved. Furthermore, much of this work was often done by hand to minimize tracks and other disturbances from heavy equipment.
Silver Reef’s mine openings provide roosts for multiple bat species and house one of Utah’s largest Townsend’s big-eared bat maternity colonies, where bats birth and raise their young. To protect them, many mine openings were covered by steel gates and grates that allow bats continued access.
Stay Out and Stay Alive
Although the Silver Reef area has been reclaimed, it is still an old mining district with many associated hazards. Stay away from abandoned mines. They are inherently unstable, dangerous, and illegal to enter.
More Information:
If this brief article piqued your interest, more information can be found in Silver Reef Mining District by Robert F. Biek and Chris Rohrer, 2019, and Geology, Mining History, and Reclamation of the Silver Reef Mining District, Washington County, Utah by R.F. Biek and J.C. Rohrer, 2006.
How to Get There
A map showing directions to Silver Reef Museum.
Silver Reef is located roughly 10 miles north of St. George on the west side of I-80. All visits should start at the Silver Reef Museum. To get to the museum:
From the north, take I-15 exit 23 for Utah State Route 228 south to Leeds. Turn right at the offramp stop sign and follow the signs to the museum, which is just over a mile on Silver Reef Road.
From the south, take I-15 exit 22 for Utah State Route 228 north to Leeds. Turn left at the offramp stop sign. After 1.5 miles turn left and follow the signs to the museum, which is nearly 1.5 miles on Silver Reef Road.
Coordinates: 37.253015, -113.366890
When exploring the area, follow all posted signage and be mindful of road conditions. The road to the museum is paved, but many area roads require high-clearance or four-wheel drive. Take only pictures and leave no trace.
Note there is extensive private property in the area, and heed “no trespassing” signs. Visitors have the responsibility to be aware of land ownership, regardless of signage. Please leave all mining and related relics as you found them.
