Historic Helper

Sponsored by Helper City

• Location: Utah
• Travel Type: Walking
• Tour Duration: 1 hour
• Language:

Welcome to a charming downtown Helper City, located just off the Dinosaur Diamond National Scenic Byway in Central Utah! This walking tour will guide you down our historic Main Street-- built by the various cultures that came to America to make a better life for their families.

Helper is named for the extra engines historically required to help trains up the steep mountain grade to Soldier Summit. The town sits below sandstone cliffs and gray shales of ancient Cretaceous seas, carved by time, water, and wind.

History and the present intertwine in Helper, which was once a central hub for many coal mining towns. These vanished towns can be explored in the canyons and mountain country that surround Helper, along with echoes from the further past, such as Native rock art and Paleolithic sites as found in nearby Nine Mile Canyon.

The Helper Riverwalk and Spring Canyon Trail offer paved walkways to explore diverse natural habitats, from the river to high desert, while downtown blossoms with art galleries, museums, and small shops. Restored buildings provide photographic backdrops and shady parks provide oasis of shade. Affectionately known as a living ghost town, Helper is alive with the annual Arts, Music, and Film Festival; Butch Cassidy Film Festival, Helper Outlaw Car Show, and monthly First Friday celebrations.

As you explore Helper City, you’ll learn the history of our country’s westward expansion, enabled by the Transcontinental Railroad and accelerated by the coal boom, which brought the wave of immigrants who made this remote little community surprisingly diverse. As we guide you through the heart of this historic town, we’ll share interesting stories about its past residents and visitors, including some who are rumored to still haunt the city. We’ll also introduce you to the exciting new trends that are turning Helper into a must-visit place for artists, art lovers, and history buffs.

Tour Sponsors
This tour is brought to you by Helper City, the Carbon County Tax Advisory Board and the Coal Country Strike Team.

Find More Tours Near You
If you are interested in more audio tours in the region, check out the Nine Mile Canyon tour. To find more tours in Colorado or wherever your travels may take you, visit TravelStorys.com Every place has a story.