Mormon Row Historic District

Beginning in the 1890s, families largely belonging to the Latter day Saint church moved north into Jackson Hole and took up homesteads on this part of the valley floor. They settled close together in the pattern of their faith communities, clustering their farms along a road that came to be known as Mormon Row.

The settlers faced a hard environment of thin soil, short growing seasons, and long, cold winters. To make the land productive they hand dug an extensive network of irrigation ditches to carry water to their fields, an enormous labor that transformed the dry flats into workable farmland and made the community possible.

The buildings that remain, including the much photographed Moulton barns, were raised by these homesteading families from local timber. Their simple, sturdy forms, weathered to soft grays and browns over the decades, stand on the open ground with nothing between them and the mountains behind.

That setting is what makes the row so striking. The Teton Range rises abruptly from the valley floor just to the west, so the barns appear to sit at the very foot of the peaks. The contrast between the modest human made structures and the immense wall of rock is the heart of the image that draws so many visitors.

Photographers prize Mormon Row above all at sunrise, when the rising sun strikes the east face of the Tetons and sets the peaks glowing above the still shadowed barns. On a clear morning the effect is unforgettable, and the roadside fills quietly with tripods before first light.

The scene changes with the seasons as well, from the golden grass and thunderheads of summer to the frost and snow of the colder months. The barns hold their ground through it all, a fixed point against the ever changing sky and mountains.

As Grand Teton National Park grew to encompass the valley, most of the homesteads were acquired and the farming families moved on, but the core of Mormon Row was preserved as a historic district. The surviving barns, cabins, and traces of the old fields are now protected as a record of the valley's settlement era.

Visiting means treating the buildings gently, admiring them from the outside rather than climbing on or entering the fragile structures. Together with the wildlife that grazes the surrounding flats, the row offers a vivid sense of both the human and natural history of Jackson Hole.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Mormon Row Historic District, in Grand Teton National Park in northwestern Wyoming, preserves a collection of historic homesteads settled by Mormon pioneers in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the valley of Jackson Hole. The district is famous above all for its iconic weathered barns, especially the Moulton barns, set against the dramatic backdrop of the towering Teton Range, creating one of the most photographed scenes in the American West. Along with the barns, the district includes homes, fields, and remnants of the pioneer farming community. With its historic barns, pioneer heritage, and spectacular Teton backdrop, the Mormon Row Historic District is a beloved and iconic destination in Grand Teton National Park.

You can view and photograph the iconic historic barns, especially the famous Moulton barns set against the Teton peaks, one of the most classic scenes in the West, explore the other historic homestead buildings and interpretive information about the Mormon pioneers who settled here, watch for wildlife like bison and pronghorn that frequent the area, and take in the beautiful valley scenery. Photography, especially at sunrise, is the main draw. With its iconic barns, pioneer history, wildlife, and stunning Teton backdrop, the Mormon Row Historic District offers a memorable and photogenic stop in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

Sunrise is the marquee time, when the first light illuminates the Teton peaks behind the historic barns, creating the classic, glowing photograph that draws photographers, while summer offers full access and mild weather, and fall adds golden color and the chance of frost. Clear days are best for seeing the peaks. Summer mornings can be busy with photographers at the barns, so arriving early helps. For the iconic sunrise photo of the barns and Tetons, aim for a clear morning, especially in summer or fall, at the Mormon Row Historic District in Grand Teton National Park.

Mormon Row is world-famous for photography because of the striking composition of its weathered historic barns, particularly the Moulton barns, standing in the open valley with the dramatic, jagged Teton Range rising directly behind them, a scene that perfectly captures the beauty and history of the American West. The contrast of the rustic pioneer barns against the majestic snow-capped peaks, especially glowing at sunrise, makes for an irresistible image that has been photographed countless times. This iconic pairing of pioneer heritage and spectacular mountain scenery is what makes Mormon Row one of the most photographed and beloved spots in Grand Teton National Park.

The Mormon Row Historic District is in Grand Teton National Park in northwestern Wyoming, near the park's other attractions including Jenny Lake, the Snake River Overlook, the Menor's Ferry and Chapel of the Transfiguration historic sites, the town of Jackson to the south, and within reach of Yellowstone National Park. That makes Mormon Row an iconic stop to combine with Jenny Lake, the Snake River Overlook, Jackson, and the other attractions of Grand Teton National Park on a visit to Wyoming.