St. Thomas Trail

From the kiosk, the trail heads east along the ridge before dropping on a short sequence of switchbacks. Rounded stones roll underfoot, especially as the path leaves the ridge toe. The descent is brief but awkward enough to slow down and watch each step. Below, the route crosses nearly level former lakebed, where saltcedar and open sandy stretches replace the rocky slope. A washout area can make part of the path less distinct. The town loop follows the old streets, then returns to the west edge of the ruins and retraces the ridge approach to the parking area.

The townsite rewards a slow look. The path follows the line of old Main Street, also part of the Arrowhead Highway, past interpretive panels and the remains of homes, shops, and civic buildings. The Fenton Whitney home still has walls and a cistern; the Frehner home is remembered by its steps. A former store and gas station, often called the ice-cream parlor, is one of the few places with part of a second story still standing. Elsewhere, the schoolhouse, post office, and Gentry Hotel are mostly foundations or low walls, easy to miss if you expect a row of intact buildings. Look for the different ways residents built with local river cobbles, concrete, and stone. Do not climb on the remains, move glass or other objects, or collect fragments; the whole site is an archaeological resource.

Mormon pioneers settled here in the 1850s and 1860s. Changes to the state boundary placed the community in Nevada, where a demand for back taxes led most residents to leave for Utah. St. Thomas continued as a small agricultural and service town: a railroad arrived in 1912, and nearby mining increased the importance of its stores and transport links. The town was abandoned as Lake Mead rose in the 1930s and the site was submerged. As the reservoir later receded, foundations and streets reappeared. The signs trace that sequence through farming, water storage, the railroad, the highway, and the town's eventual disappearance.

There is little shade and no drinking water at the trailhead, so bring what you need and plan for cooler hours or seasons. The access is in Lake Mead's fee area. The route is not maintained; take care where the route crosses saltcedar and do not cut between foundations. Sturdy shoes help on loose, uneven rock, and a hiking pole is useful on the ridge descent. Dogs are allowed on leash up to six feet. Parking is at the end of Old St. Thomas Access Road, just beyond milepost 46 on Northshore Road; stay right at the fork for the trailhead. For a photo, frame the surviving walls or chimney against the open lakebed and mountains rather than trying to make the town look more intact than it is.