Facility Overview

Mormon Row South Parking is an open-air, unpaved gravel trailhead and historic site parking area situated within the Mormon Row Historic District of Grand Teton National Park in Teton County, Wyoming. Positioned along Mormon Row Road just north of Gros Ventre Road and east of Blacktail Butte, this rustic parking area serves as the primary southern vehicle staging point for exploring the preserved late-nineteenth-century homesteads established by Mormon settlers. Because the lot is an open-air natural surface area, it has no vertical clearance restrictions, making it suitable for standard passenger vehicles, minivans, crossover SUVs, and light pickup trucks. However, oversized RVs, extended travel trailers, and motorhomes should exercise caution due to limited turnaround radiuses during peak hours and the presence of rough gravel and washboard ruts.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

This car park offers unmatched, immediate access to the most iconic photographic vistas and pioneer history in the American West:

• T.A. Moulton Barn: Situated just a short 2- to 4-minute walk (under 300 yards) north, this historic barn with the towering Teton Range rising directly behind it is one of the most photographed barn structures in the world.
• John Moulton Barn & Homestead: Located roughly 0.5 miles (a 10-minute walk or brief drive north along the historic road), featuring the restored pink-stuccoed two-story residence and associated outbuildings.
• Blacktail Butte: Dominating the western horizon, Blacktail Butte offers nearby hiking trails and technical rock-climbing routes, accessible within a 5-minute drive.
• Gros Ventre River & Kelly Warm Springs: Located approximately 3 miles to the southeast, popular for wildlife watching including regular moose, pronghorn, and bison sightings.
• Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center: Grand Teton National Park’s primary southern visitor center at Moose Junction is situated roughly a 10- to 12-minute drive (approx. 5 miles) west.
• Town of Jackson: Jackson Town Square, dining, shopping, and lodging accommodations are located approximately 15 miles (a 25-minute drive) to the south via US-191/US-89.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

Mormon Row South Parking is accessed via Antelope Flats Road or Gros Ventre Road, turning onto Mormon Row Road. The roadway transitioning into the parking lot consists of packed dirt and gravel, which can develop washboards, ruts, and localized mud after heavy mountain rain or during spring snowmelt. There is no scheduled public transit or commercial bus line serving Mormon Row; visitors arrive via private vehicle, rental car, bicycle, or guided park tour vans. Mormon Row Road connects easily to US Highway 26/89/191, providing direct north-south highway access between Jackson, Jackson Hole Airport (JAC), and the southern entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Mormon Row Road is seasonally closed to motor vehicle traffic during winter and early spring (typically November through April), during which the area can be reached only via snowshoes, cross-country skis, or fat-tire bikes.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

• Open-Air Surface Parking: Unpaved, level dirt and crushed gravel parking spaces bordered by natural sagebrush flats.
• Zero Vertical Clearance Limits: Unobstructed open skies allow high-profile overland rigs and vehicles with rooftop cargo boxes or bike racks to maneuver freely.
• Vault Restrooms: Seasonal National Park Service pit/vault toilet facilities are located within walking distance along the historic district corridor.
• Interpretive Signage: Informational kiosks and historical plaques maintained by the National Park Service detailing the history of the homesteaders.
• Park Fee Area / Free Parking: While a valid Grand Teton National Park entrance pass (or America the Beautiful Interagency Pass) is mandatory to enter the park, there are no individual parking fees, meters, or hourly parking charges at the lot.

Ideal For

• Landscape & Sunrise Photographers: Essential early-morning staging area to capture the dawn alpenglow illuminating the Grand Teton behind the historic barns.
• National Park Explorers: Visitors touring the scenic loop of Grand Teton National Park seeking easy walking access to historic homestead sites.
• Wildlife Enthusiasts: Excellent base for spotting roaming bison herds, pronghorn, coyotes, and birds of prey hunting across the Antelope Flats sagebrush plain.
• Historical Tourists: Families and travelers interested in the rugged pioneer agricultural history of Jackson Hole.

Visitor & Driver Tips

• Arrive Before Dawn for Sunrise: Parking fills up rapidly 30 to 45 minutes before sunrise between June and September as dozens of photographers gather with tripods. Arrive early to secure a convenient space.
• Mind Dust and Speed Limits: Mormon Row Road is a delicate, unpaved gravel corridor with pedestrians and wildlife. Drive slowly (15 mph or below) to suppress airborne dust and safeguard fellow visitors.
• Bear & Wildlife Safety: Grand Teton is active grizzly and black bear country. Never leave food, coolers, or trash unattended in open truck beds, and maintain a minimum distance of 25 yards from bison or moose and 100 yards from bears.
• Check Seasonal Road Closures: Before traveling in late autumn or spring, check the official Grand Teton National Park road status page to verify that Mormon Row Road and Antelope Flats Road are open to motorized vehicles.
• Stay on Designated Footpaths: Help protect the sensitive sagebrush ecosystem and fragile historic structures by walking only on designated paths and respecting posted boundary barriers around the barns.