T.A. Moulton Barn
T.A. MOULTON BARN
Jackson Hole, WY
T.A. Moulton Barn (South) - is one of most photographed barns in the country, as well as one of the most iconic places in the Jackson Hole area. It is a simple shot, but timing (time of day, time of year), weather, and luck are crucial to taking a great photograph.
Located approximately 15 miles north of the town of Jackson, WY, T.A. Moulton Barn (south barn) is easy to access (except in the winter) and only a few yards from a well maintained parking area. There are MANY compositions from this location, so my suggestion is to either arrive extra early or come the day before to find the spot that is best for you.
The north barn is just a quarter mile up the road (see hedges on the far right of this picture) and also offers a great opportunity to capture a beautiful image while in the Jackson Hole area.
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
Trail Difficulty - EASY
I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 1 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). The location is easy to access (except in the winter) and only a few yards from a well maintained parking area. Please note: after a hard rain, the dirt road can be very muddy and potentially impassable.
GPS Coordinates & Elevation
6,644ft Elevation
View In Google earth
Directions
CLICK HERE to get driving directions to the T.A. Moulton Barn (south) parking area.
From Jackson, WY - travel north on US-191 12.9 miles to Antelope Flats Rd. (road is unmarked) - which is just past mile marker 168. Turn right (east) and travel 1.6 miles to Mormon Row (dirt road). At Mormon Row, take a right and the barn is ¼ mile on the right. There is a well-maintained parking area, which can hold up to 10-15 vehicles. Overflow parking is available on the dirt road before and after the parking area.
From Yellowstone - travel south on US-191 toward Jackson. Once you get to the Moran Entrance of the National Park Station, travel 4 miles and then turn right (south) on US-191. From there drive 20.8 miles and take a left (east) on Antelope Flats Rd. (road is unmarked). Travel 1.6 miles to Mormon Row (dirt road). From here, take a right and drive for 1/4 mile. You will easily see the barn on your right.
Photography Tips
The shot for the T.A. Moulton Barn is fairly straightforward. However, the challenge is finding your own special composition on this often photographed location.
You will notice the closer you stand to the barn, the higher the barn is in relation to the Teton mountains in the background. I prefer to find a spot where the tip of the barn is in-between the mountain peaks - so they don’t overlap.
If you are lucky enough to be at the barn when there is water in the little stream in front, make sure you include it in your image as it really helps to anchor the shot.
EXIF Data
Focal Length – 50 mm (5 stitch vertical pano)
Exposure – 1/30th sec @ f 8.0
ISO – 100
Date – June 13th
Time – 6:37 am
Other Images From This Location
Best Time of Day to Shoot
There are several factors you may want to consider, but for me the best time to shoot is about 15-30 minutes after sunrise. The different factors are: 1) the Grand Tetons in the background will glow red for a few minutes after sunrise, 2) then the barn has a wonderful glow - once the sun works its way down onto the foreground, and 3) the foreground in front of the barn is nicely laminated several minutes after the sun hits the barn. The shot above was taken about 30 minutes after sunrise.
Best Time of Year
I believe you can capture a nice image any time of year. However, for me the Spring (late May/early June) is best for the following reasons: 1) there will most likely still be snow on the Grand Tetons, 2) the direction of the sunrise is at a nice angle crossing in front of the barn, and 3) the grass in the range is green. But, again, I believe you can capture a great shot any time of year.
The above shot was taken on June 13th
Lens(es) Needed
Lens focal length from 11mm - 200mm can be used in this location, all dependent on the composition you choose. The image above was made by stitching together 4 shots vertically with a 24mm lens and panoramic tools. Most shots I have seen from this location are with lenses ranging from 24mm - 135mm.
Birds-Eye View
Permits
This location is in the Grand Teton National Park. Once in the park, no additional permit is required.
Direction of the Shot
The direction of the traditional shot of the barn is west by northwest @ 284°.
Equipment Needed
Other than a tripod, there is no need for any special photography equipment unless you plan on doing a panoramic shot. If you arrive pre-dawn at this location in the fall, it is most likely to be cold, so make sure you bring appropriate clothes, hats, and gloves.
Number of Other Photographers to Expect
Depending on the time of year, you may expect between 5 to 20 other photographers at sunrise.
The spring and fall are the busiest times (the road is normally closed in winter). The location is fairly small, and in peak times it can get crowded, so I would suggest visiting this location the day before and scouting out your composition.
Weather
The weather in the spring, summer, and fall is wonderful in the Jackson Hole area. Early morning before sunrise can be cold, and winter in the Jackson Hole area can be extremely cold.
Cell Service
I have Verizon and my cell service was fine in the Jackson and Jackson Hole area. However, outside of the valley cell service can be very spotty.
Lodging & Camping
There are plenty of nice lodging (1 star to 4 star hotels) in the city of Jackson, and multiple camp/RV sites in the Jackson Hole area. When I am in the area, I usually stay at either the Gros Ventre Campground or the Jenny Lake campground.
Nearby camping and lodging
Camping - click on the campground below for directions
Gros Ventre Campground (3.3 miles south)
Jenny Lake Campground (11.3 miles west)
Crystal Creek Campground (15.3 miles east)
Lodging - click on the lodging below for a TripAdvisor review
Elk Country Inn
(307) 733-2364
480 W Pearl Ave, Jackson, WY
Hampton Inn Jackson Hole
(307) 733-0033
350 US-89, Jackson, WY
Ranch Inn Motel
(307) 733-6363
45 E Pearl Ave, Jackson, WY
Nearby Restaurants
The city of Jackson is one of the great small towns in American and has no shortage of good to great restaurants. My personal favorite places to eat are Cafe Genevieve for both breakfast and dinner (nice place, great food, cold beer, and good service) and MacPhail's Burgers (great Angus and Bison burgers).
Nearby Restaurants - click on the restaurant below for yelp review
Cafe Genevieve
(307) 732-1910
135 E Broadway, Jackson
Liberty Burger
(307) 200-6071
160 N Cache St Jackson
Bin22
(307) 739-9463
200 W Broadway, Jackson
Area Guides and Workshops
None