Retro Sinclair Gas Station Renovated into an Airbnb - Helper, Utah
If you've driven through central Utah on Route 6, you've probably passed through Helper without a second thought. This little historically mining town — with a ghost town nearby and an artists' colony creatively revitalizing its downtown — deserves way more attention than it gets.
We first stayed there in 2022, at what might be the coolest Airbnb in the state: a converted Sinclair gas station right in the heart of town. The property had been on our radar since around 2017, before it was an Airbnb, and when we finally stayed in it, it was every bit as cool as we'd imagined. Old fixtures kept up front, historical charm intact, but with thoughtful modern touches layered in. As of writing this, that specific listing seems to have moved off Airbnb — there's now a website called Stay Helper that appears to manage it, though it looks like they may be shifting more toward preservation events than vacation rentals. Worth reaching out directly if you're interested.
What to Do Downtown
Helper's downtown is small, but that's kind of the point. You can spend a couple of hours just wandering — popping into art galleries, checking out the shops, grabbing a bite. What makes it special is the artist colony energy that's taken root here. A lot of artists have moved in from other parts of the country (and even internationally), breathing life into the historical buildings while respecting what made them worth saving in the first place. It's that rare thing: a revitalization that actually feels authentic.
If you want to stretch your legs more, there's a walking trail between the town and the road that's worth checking out. Helper Riverwalk is an easy out-and-back that gives you a nice feel for the landscape.
Getting There Without a Car
Here's a fun one: Helper is actually an Amtrak stop. The California Zephyr comes through — heading east from Salt Lake City (departs SLC at around 3:30 AM), arriving in Helper sometime between 5:30 and 7:00 AM depending on delays. It's early, yes, and not much will be open when you arrive except maybe the gas station and a diner. But for a future trip idea, imagine taking the train in, spending a weekend exploring (there's even a farmers' market - Helper Vibes - in the warmer months), and then heading back. The catch is you'd need to book your rental for two nights even if you only sleep there one, since the train gets in so early — but given how affordable vacation rentals in Helper are compared to other Utah destinations, that's manageable.
Day Trips from Helper (Car Required)
The real draw of Helper isn't just the town itself — it's the position. You're smack in the middle of some seriously underrated Utah landscape.
Ghost Towns: There's a ghost town about 13–20 minutes away (one way) that's worth the drive. It's the kind of place where you half-expect to find someone still living there, and apparently that used to cause a bit of confusion for curious passersby.
Below, see our journey there in 2017 when we drove down Spring Canyon Road in Carbon County, Utah that took us through the Ghost Towns of Peerless, Standardsville, Rains and Burnt Tree Fork. See more photos here.
Prehistoric Museum, Utah State University Eastern: About 15 minutes down the road is Price, home to a really solid dinosaur museum. Even if you're not a dinosaur person, it's worth a stop.
Jurassic National Monument /Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry: Past Price, continuing maybe about 1 hour south east of Helper, is the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry, managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). We've been there, and it's legitimately cool — one of the densest concentrations of Jurassic-era dinosaur bones ever found. It's remote, and the drive out is that empty-desert, red-rock-mountains kind of beautiful that makes you feel like you're on another planet.
San Rafael Swell: This is the big one. Head out Route 6 toward Exit 89 or so and you start getting into the Swell area. There are slot canyons, rock formations, overlooks, and enough to fill a full day depending on how into the geology and history you are. My favorite view is at the Wedge Overlook/Little Grand Canyon, a little over an hour south of Helper. I will dedicate a full post to that area in the future. There's so much to see and do there though at a casual glance it doesn't look that way!
The view above is one of my favorite stops in the whole region is a particular overlook that I'd call my favorite viewpoint in that stretch of Utah — the kind of place that makes you pull over and just stare. I've tried to capture it in video before, and it just doesn't do it justice in person.
Price Canyon Recreational Area: There's also a scenic recreational area right off Route 6 on the south side of the canyon — a great spot for a picnic or some light hiking without needing to pay an entry fee (worth double-checking that before you go though).
Nine Mile Canyon: Nine Mile Canyon is about 30–40 minutes from Helper, making it an easy addition to any trip through the area. Known as the "world's longest art gallery," it stretches nearly 40 miles and is lined with thousands of ancient Fremont and Ute petroglyphs and pictographs carved into the canyon walls. It's a slow, unpaved drive — but that's the point, and the rock art alone makes it completely worth it.
A Fremont petroglyph panel in Nine Mile Canyon, Utah from our 2022 jaunt— one of thousands of ancient images etched into the canyon walls over a thousand years ago. No filter, no enhancement. It really looks like this.
The Bottom Line
Helper and the Price area don't get the hype of Moab or Zion, and honestly, that's a big part of what makes them worth visiting. It's more affordable, less crowded, and genuinely surprising in the best way. If you've been and have recommendations I didn't mention — there's a lot out there I know I've missed — drop them in the comments. Always happy to hear what other people have found out in that part of the state.
Comments
Post a Comment