One of my favorite things about road trips is that sometimes, the incidental pit stops along your journey are just as intriguing as the final destination.
On a winter drive through Southern Utah, I came across the old pioneer town of Panguitch, population 1,600 at elevation 6,600 feet. Situated in Bryce Canyon country, Panguitch is an unassuming settlement surrounded by some of the most spectacular national parks and natural monuments in Utah.
On this lonely stretch of highway sat an abandoned general store, an ammo store, and a diner that had seen better days. I liked wandering through the weathered old structures, admiring the distressed wooden slabs, and imagining the characters that mingled in these spaces.
Despite the desolation, there’s a strangely romantic quality to it all.
