Sacred Grove

In the spring of 1820, God the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith Jr. in the woods near his home. Joseph was 14 years old when he decided he should ask his questions to God through prayer after reading James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not.” Joseph grew up in an area buzzing with religious fervor. Joseph was concerned about his own salvation and wanted to know which church could bring him to God. In the early spring, Joseph ventured to a predetermined place in the woods near his home and knelt in prayer. To his astonishment, he was visited by God the Father and Jesus Christ. The instruction they gave him as an answer to his prayer spurred the beginning of the restoration of Christ’s church on the earth.

The 20-acre, old-growth forest area on the western boundaries of the Sacred Grove Historic Site has been referred to as the Sacred Grove since as early as 1905. When the Smith family moved to this 100-acre property in 1818, the land was covered in forest. By the spring of 1820, the family had cleared 30-acres for farming but left large areas of productive woodlands on the farm’s eastern and western sides. Today, this carefully preserved forest contains a series of paths to provide visitors with a reverent place for quiet contemplation.

Read more about Joseph’s experience in the Sacred Grove in Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 2.

360° Walkthrough

What to Expect

Your visit of the Sacred Grove is self-guided, and you will be invited to explore it by missionaries after the tour of the homes on the Smith Family Farm. You may spend as long as you’d like in the Sacred Grove, and there are benches periodically if you’d like to sit down for quiet reflection. The trails throughout the Grove are subject to weather conditions but off-road wheelchairs are available in the Welcome Center.