St. Thomas: What to Know Before You Go
St. Thomas was founded in 1865 by Mormon settlers, abandoned in 1871 over a tax dispute after a survey placed it in Nevada rather than Utah, resettled, and then submerged entirely by Hoover Dam's rising reservoir in 1938 — at peak lake level, the town's tallest building sat 60 feet underwater. Since then, the water has risen and receded over the site nine times, with the most recent recession beginning during a 2002 drought and the ruins remaining exposed ever since. Today an easy walk of roughly 2 to 2.6 miles round trip reaches building foundations, cisterns, and scattered seashells left behind from the town's decades underwater. Welcome to St. Thomas, one of the most genuinely remarkable history stops in this entire series.
Trail Snapshot
Distance | Approximately 2-2.6 miles round trip (sources vary slightly)
Elevation | ~1,146-1,242 ft (minimal gain)
Difficulty | Easy
Hike Time | 2+ hours
Fee | $25 per vehicle (1-7 day pass), $15 per person pedestrian/cyclist, $45 annual pass — cashless, card only, applies even at this remote entrance
Restrooms | Not confirmed at the trailhead
Pets | Generally allowed on Lake Mead NRA trails, must be leashed (6 ft max)
Elevation | ~1,146-1,242 ft (minimal gain)
Difficulty | Easy
Hike Time | 2+ hours
Fee | $25 per vehicle (1-7 day pass), $15 per person pedestrian/cyclist, $45 annual pass — cashless, card only, applies even at this remote entrance
Restrooms | Not confirmed at the trailhead
Pets | Generally allowed on Lake Mead NRA trails, must be leashed (6 ft max)
How to Reach the Trailhead
From Overton, take NV-169 south about 9 miles to the Lake Mead entrance station, then turn left onto a graded dirt road signed "St. Thomas" and continue 3.5 miles to the parking area. Lake Mead National Recreation Area's standard entrance fee applies even at this remote gate.
What to Expect on the Trail
An easy, mostly level walk suitable for most visitors, following a route past scattered building foundations. No significant hazards exist beyond standard desert hiking precautions — bring your own water and sun protection given the exposed setting.
A Town That Drowned and Resurfaced Nine Times
St. Thomas was founded in 1865 by Mormon settlers under Thomas Smith. It was abandoned in 1871 after a survey determined the town actually sat in Nevada, not Utah as settlers believed, and the state levied back taxes the residents refused to pay. The town was resettled by miners and ranchers and thrived in the early 1900s, before Hoover Dam's rising reservoir submerged it entirely in 1938. The water has risen and receded over the site nine times since, most recently receding during a 2002 drought, with the ruins remaining exposed ever since. Only foundations remain today — a schoolhouse, grocery store, general store, and many cisterns — with NPS informational signage marking key sites along the route. Seashells are scattered along parts of the trail, a genuinely striking visible relic of the site's decades underwater.
Best Time to Visit and Conditions
Fall through spring is most comfortable given the fully exposed, shadeless setting.
Practical Advice for New Visitors
- Bring at least 2 liters of water per person.
- Pack sun protection — there's no shade along the route.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes.
- Read up on the town's history before you go for extra context.
- Look for the schoolhouse, grocery store, and general store foundations, plus the scattered cisterns.
- Watch for seashells scattered along parts of the trail, a real relic of the town's time underwater.
- Standard Lake Mead entrance fee applies even at this remote gate.
- An excellent, easy, genuinely fascinating stop for families.
St. Thomas offers something no other trail in this series can match — a real ghost town that has literally drowned and resurfaced multiple times, with tangible ruins and a genuinely well-documented history behind every foundation you pass. Take your time reading the interpretive signage, and leave every relic exactly where you found it.
