Garfield County is a county in Utah, United States, in the south-central part of the state, on the Colorado Plateau. It had a population of 5,083 at the 2020 census and covers 5,208 square miles (13,490 km2) of land and water, centred near 37°52′N 111°26′W.
Panguitch is the county seat, and its postal code is 84759. The county has 2 incorporated cities, 7 incorporated towns and several unincorporated communities. It sits in the Mountain time zone.
Towns & Villages in Garfield County
Garfield County has 9 incorporated places and about 9 unincorporated communities and ghost towns scattered across its high plateaus and canyon country. Places marked "Unincorp." have no city or town government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panguitch | City · seat | 1,725 | 84759 |
| Escalante | City | 786 | 84726 |
| Tropic | Town | — | 84776 |
| Bryce Canyon City | Town | — | 84764 |
| Boulder | Town | — | 84716 |
| Cannonville | Town | — | 84718 |
| Antimony | Town | — | 84712 |
| Henrieville | Town | — | 84736 |
| Hatch | Town | — | 84735 |
| Widtsoe | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Widtsoe Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hillsdale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ticaboo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Osiris | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eggnog | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Three Forks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bear Valley Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
Widtsoe and Widtsoe Junction are two names for the same abandoned homestead settlement west of Bryce Canyon, largely deserted since the 1930s Depression-era exodus. Ticaboo, on the shore of Lake Powell, was built in the 1980s to house uranium-mine workers and now serves boaters heading for the Bullfrog Marina area.
ZIP Codes
- 84759 — Panguitch (also serves Hatch and Hillsdale)
- 84726 — Escalante
- 84776 — Tropic
- 84764 — Bryce Canyon City
- 84716 — Boulder
- 84718 — Cannonville
- 84712 — Antimony
- 84736 — Henrieville
- 84735 — Hatch
Smaller unincorporated places such as Widtsoe, Ticaboo and Osiris use the ZIP code of their nearest post office town rather than one of their own.
Geography
Garfield County is almost entirely public land, split between the high forested plateaus of the Dixie National Forest — the Aquarius Plateau and Table Cliff Plateau — and the slickrock canyon country to the south and east. The Escalante River drains the southern half of the county through Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, and the Colorado River backs up into Lake Powell along the county’s eastern edge near Ticaboo. Bryce Canyon National Park sits on the county’s western rim, and the county also holds a portion of Capitol Reef National Park in its northeast corner. With roughly one resident per square mile, it is the least densely populated county in Utah.
Garfield County borders Wayne County to the northeast, San Juan County to the east, Kane County to the south, Iron County to the west, Beaver County to the northwest, and Piute County to the north.
Demographics
Garfield County had 5,083 residents at the 2020 census. Panguitch, the county seat, is the largest community with 1,725 people, followed by Escalante at 786. The county’s 2020 median household income of $44,279 sits well below the Utah median of $93,421, reflecting a rural, tourism- and ranching-dependent economy. Density works out to roughly one person per square mile of land, the lowest of any Utah county.
Economy & Local Life
Tourism tied to Bryce Canyon National Park and Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument drives much of the county’s economy, supporting motels, restaurants and outfitters concentrated around Bryce Canyon City, Tropic and Escalante. Cattle ranching and hay farming remain central to life in the Panguitch and Antimony valleys, where irrigation from Panguitch Lake and the Sevier River sustains working ranches. Garfield County School District and Garfield Memorial Hospital in Panguitch are the county’s largest public employers.
History
Garfield County was created by the Utah territorial legislature on March 9, 1882, from parts of Iron and Kane counties, and named for President James A. Garfield, assassinated the previous year. Mormon pioneers had settled Panguitch in 1864, abandoning it briefly after a harsh winter before returning in 1871. The county’s remoteness kept it among the last areas of the continental United States to be mapped; the Henry Mountains region to its east, in neighboring Wayne and Garfield territory, was one of the last mountain ranges in the Lower 48 to be surveyed and named, in the 1870s.
Getting There
US Route 89 runs north–south through Panguitch and Hatch, while State Route 12, a designated Scenic Byway, links Panguitch to Bryce Canyon, Tropic, Cannonville, Boulder and Escalante.
- Cedar City — 55 miles west
- St. George — 110 miles southwest
- Kanab — 70 miles south
- Richfield — 65 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Bryce Canyon Airport (BCE), just north of Bryce Canyon City; the nearest larger airport is Cedar City Regional Airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Garfield County, Utah?
It is in south-central Utah, on the Colorado Plateau between Bryce Canyon National Park and Lake Powell.
What is the population of Garfield County?
5,083 people, per the 2020 census — the fifth-least populous county in Utah.
How big is Garfield County?
5,208 square miles (13,490 km2), making it Utah’s fifth-largest county by area.
What is the county seat of Garfield County?
Panguitch is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns are in Garfield County?
Nine incorporated cities and towns, plus several unincorporated communities such as Widtsoe and Ticaboo.
What ZIP codes are in Garfield County?
Nine ZIP codes, led by 84759 (Panguitch), 84726 (Escalante) and 84776 (Tropic).
What national parks are in Garfield County?
Bryce Canyon National Park lies mostly within the county, and the county also holds part of Capitol Reef National Park and the northern half of Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Utah.