FHE at Utah Valley Temple Grounds: All Six

Faith & Community October 20, 2026 12 min read ✓ Updated October 20, 2026

JoAnn Giordano Editor-in-Chief, Provo.com How we make Provo.com

Six temples are operating in Utah Valley, and the grounds of every one of them are open to walk. The best evening for a family home evening visit is usually Monday, for a reason most people don't notice: the buildings themselves are mostly closed that day, so there are no patrons or wedding parties coming and going. On Fridays and Saturdays, as our temple visitor guide notes, wedding parties often gather outside for photos.

This page goes temple by temple: where it is, how long it takes to reach, what the Church's own page lists for closures through 2027, and what sits nearby for the rest of the evening. It's written for families planning home evening, and equally for newcomers and visitors of any faith who want to know what they're allowed to do. Everything was checked on October 19, 2026.

What "open" means here

Visit Utah, the state's tourism site, puts it in one line: "All are welcome to visit and enjoy the beauty of these religious buildings and their peaceful grounds," while "only church members are permitted to enter inside the temples." That's the whole rule for a family walk.

Two things the row we set out to write assumed, and that turned out not to be true:

There are no posted grounds hours. The Church's page for each temple lists the building's address, phone number, services and closure dates. None of the six pages lists separate hours for the grounds. Google's listings show building hours. So we can tell you when the doors are locked, but not when the gardens close, and neither can anyone else without calling. If you want to be there after dark, phone the temple.

A closure doesn't mean the grounds close. When the Church lists a temple as closed for two weeks, that refers to the building. Nothing on the Church's pages says the grounds close with it. Some closures involve landscaping or construction crews, though, so a closure week is a good week to choose a different temple.

The Monday pattern

Google's listings, checked October 19, 2026, showed these building hours for Monday:

Temple	Monday building hours	Tuesday to Saturday
Provo City Center	Closed	5:30 a.m. to 8:55 p.m.
Orem	Closed	5:30 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.
Payson	Closed	Opens 7 a.m. Tue to Thu, 5 a.m. Fri and Sat; closes 8:30 p.m.
Saratoga Springs	Closed	5:30 a.m. to 9:15 p.m.
Mount Timpanogos	7 to 11 a.m. only	5 a.m. to 9:15 p.m.
Lindon	No hours listed	No hours listed

All six were listed closed on Sunday. Treat Google's hours as a guide and the temple's phone number as the answer.

What this means for a family evening: with the building closed on a Monday night, nobody is arriving for appointments or leaving a wedding. On a Friday or Saturday you may be walking around wedding parties. Both are fine. They're different evenings.

Temple by temple

Drive times are estimates from the OSRM routing service, measured from Center Street and University Avenue in Provo. Real traffic runs longer, particularly on I-15 at 5:30 p.m.

Provo City Center Temple

50 S. University Ave., Provo. About a minute from Center and University; it's on the corner.

This is the temple to bring children to if you have a story to tell. The building began as the Provo Tabernacle, completed in 1898. The Church's newsroom account says a fire in the early morning of December 17, 2010 gutted the interior but spared the exterior walls, and the rebuilt building was dedicated on March 20, 2016 as the Church's 150th temple and the 16th in Utah. Walk around the outside and let the kids find the old brick.

Closures listed by the Church (temple page): November 30 to December 14, 2026; Christmas Eve and Christmas; New Year's Eve and Day; and a long one, May 31 to July 5, 2027.

After: Rockwell Ice Cream at 43 N. University Ave., listed open until 10 p.m. on Mondays, is a block north. The history of the whole block is on our Provo Tabernacle page, and our visiting Provo's temples guide covers parking downtown.

Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple

742 N. 900 E., American Fork. About 22 minutes from central Provo, 14 from central Lehi.

Dedicated October 13, 1996, according to the Church's page, and for three decades the north county's temple. The grounds sit at the base of the mountain it's named for.

Closures listed: November 9 to 24, 2026, then the Thanksgiving days; Christmas; May 17 to 31, 2027; and November 8 to 22, 2027.

After: Jack and Jill Lanes in Lehi is listed open until 10 p.m. on Mondays; see our Jack and Jill guide.

Lindon Utah Temple

850 E. Center St., Lindon. About 19 minutes from Provo, 9 from central Orem.

The newest temple in the county, dedicated May 3, 2026, per its Church page. Families who went through the open house have a ready-made lesson: ask the children what they remember from inside, then walk around the outside and find the windows of the rooms they described.

Closures listed: October 19 to November 2, 2026 (the week this was written); limited operations November 7 and November 25; February 1 to 15, 2027; and August 2 to 16, 2027.

Orem Utah Temple

1451 S. 1100 W., Orem, per the Church's page; Google lists it as 1471 S. Geneva Road. About 11 minutes from Provo.

Dedicated January 21, 2024 (Church page). On the valley floor west of I-15, so the evening view is east, toward Mount Timpanogos and the Wasatch.

Closures listed: the Thanksgiving days; Christmas; February 22 to March 8, 2027; and August 23 to September 6, 2027.

After: Leatherby's Family Creamery at 304 E. University Parkway, listed open until 11 p.m. on Mondays.

Saratoga Springs Utah Temple

987 S. Ensign Drive, Saratoga Springs. About 33 minutes from Provo, 16 from Lehi and 18 from Eagle Mountain.

Dedicated August 13, 2023 (Church page), on the northwest side of Utah Lake. For Provo and Orem families this is a destination evening, not a quick one. For the west side of the valley it's the neighborhood temple.

Closures listed: November 30 to December 14, 2026; Christmas; June 7 to 21, 2027; and November 29 to December 13, 2027.

After, in the long-light months: Golden Eagle Pass in Eagle Mountain, a 1.3-mile loop with views over the lake, per AllTrails. Our FHE hikes guide has the details.

Payson Utah Temple

1494 S. 930 W., Payson. About 25 minutes from Provo, 15 from Spanish Fork and 5 from central Payson.

Dedicated June 7, 2015 (Church page). The south county's temple, at the edge of town.

Closures listed: limited operations November 25, 2026, closed Thanksgiving; Christmas; March 22 to April 5, 2027; and September 13 to 27, 2027.

After, May through October: Grotto Falls in Payson Canyon, a 0.6-mile hike on the Nebo Loop road, which closes for winter. See our Nebo Loop guide.

The temples that aren't open yet

Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple, 2200 Temple Hill Drive. This is the site of the Provo Utah Temple, dedicated February 9, 1972, next to the Missionary Training Center. The Church's temple list shows the Rock Canyon temple with the status "Renovation," and its page lists no closures or hours because there's no operating building. Don't bring the family expecting gardens; it's a work site. Our explainer on the new Provo temple covers what's being built.

Lehi and Spanish Fork. The Church's pages show a Lehi Utah Temple announced April 7, 2024 and a Spanish Fork Utah Temple announced April 6, 2025, both still listed as "Announced." When they open, the open houses will be the event; our open houses and dedications page tracks them.

Making it a home evening, not just a walk

Do the lesson in the car or at home, not on the lawn. People come to temple grounds to think. A family of six reading scriptures aloud on a bench is welcome; a family of six arguing about whose turn it is to read is better done in the minivan.

Give the children a job. Count the spires. Find the angel Moroni statue, if the temple has one, and figure out which way it faces. Find the dedication date carved or posted near an entrance.

Talk about why the doors are locked. Children notice. The Church's newsroom explains that after a temple is dedicated it's "open only to Church members who are actively engaged in the faith," which is a simple sentence to start from, and the open house before each dedication is the one time anyone can tour inside. Our guide to visiting Utah Valley's temples explains the rest in plain terms for every faith.

Pick a season on purpose. Spring gardens and the December dark are the two times families talk about afterward. In mid-December the sun sets in Provo at about 5:03 p.m. by Sunrise-Sunset.org's data, so a 6:30 p.m. visit is a night walk. Check the closure list first: the Provo City Center and Saratoga Springs temples are both closed November 30 to December 14, 2026.

Etiquette, briefly

Walk on paths. Keep off planted beds.
Give wedding parties their space and their photos. Don't walk through a group shot.
Leave ball games, scooters, drones, picnics and speakers for a park.
Dress isn't policed on the grounds, but clothes you'd wear to a nice garden fit the setting.
Don't try the doors, and don't ask the front desk for a tour; there isn't one after dedication.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can anyone walk on temple grounds in Utah Valley?

Yes. Visit Utah, the state's tourism site, says all are welcome to visit Latter-day Saint temples and their grounds, while only Church members may enter the buildings. The grounds are private property the Church leaves open, so the expectations are those of a quiet garden: no ball games, no loud music, and room for wedding parties.

What are the hours for temple grounds?

None of the Church's own pages for the six operating temples in Utah Valley post separate grounds hours. They post the building's closure dates. Google's listings give building hours, which in October 2026 showed most of these temples closed all day Monday. If you plan to be on a temple's grounds late in the evening, call the temple and ask.

Are Utah Valley temples open on Monday?

Mostly not, as buildings. Google's listings in October 2026 showed the Provo City Center, Orem, Payson and Saratoga Springs temples closed all day Monday and the Mount Timpanogos Temple open only from 7 to 11 a.m. Lindon's listing showed no hours. That is the reason Monday evening is usually the quietest time on the grounds.

How many temples are in Utah Valley?

Six were operating in October 2026: Provo City Center, Mount Timpanogos in American Fork, Payson, Saratoga Springs, Orem and Lindon. The Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple is listed by the Church as under renovation, and temples in Lehi and Spanish Fork have been announced.

Which Utah Valley temple is newest?

The Lindon Utah Temple, at 850 E. Center St., dedicated May 3, 2026, according to the Church's temple page. Its building is closed October 19 to November 2, 2026, and again February 1 to 15, 2027.

Is the Provo temple by the MTC open?

No. That building, the Provo Utah Temple dedicated in 1972, was replaced, and the Church lists the new Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple on the same site as under renovation. The Provo City Center Temple downtown is the operating temple in Provo.

Can you take photos at temple grounds?

Snapshots of the building and gardens are normal. Commercial shoots, tripods and wedding photography can be restricted at busy temples, and rules are set temple by temple, so call ahead before booking a photographer. The interiors are never photographed.

What should non-members know before visiting temple grounds?

That you are welcome on the grounds and not inside the building, that weddings happen often and families will be taking photos, and that nobody will ask why you are there. Do not try the doors. The grounds of the Provo City Center Temple downtown are the easiest to walk to, and Rockwell Ice Cream is a block north.

Sources

The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.

Mormon Heritage, Visit Utah. Checked October 19, 2026.
Provo City Center Temple (temple details and closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 19, 2026.
Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple (temple details and closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 19, 2026.
Lindon Utah Temple (temple details and closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 19, 2026.
Orem Utah Temple (temple details and closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 19, 2026.
Saratoga Springs Utah Temple (temple details and closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 19, 2026.
Payson Utah Temple (temple details and closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 19, 2026.
Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple (temple details and closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 19, 2026.
Lehi Utah Temple (temple details and closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 19, 2026.
Spanish Fork Utah Temple (temple details and closures), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 19, 2026.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Temple List, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 19, 2026.
150th Temple Is Dedicated, Church Newsroom. Checked October 19, 2026.
Temple open house, Church Newsroom. Checked October 19, 2026.
AllTrails: Golden Eagle Pass, AllTrails. Checked October 19, 2026.
Sunrise and sunset times for Provo, Utah (API, mid-month 2027), Sunrise-Sunset.org. Checked October 19, 2026.
Google Places listings (hours, addresses), checked Oct 19, 2026, Google. Checked October 19, 2026.
OSRM routing service (drive-time estimates), Project OSRM. Checked October 19, 2026.

JoAnn Giordano

Editor-in-Chief

JoAnn Giordano is the editor-in-chief of Provo.com. Having lived in and around Utah Valley for years, she leads the site's editorial direction with a focus on the comprehensive, honest local coverage that helps residents, students, and newcomers feel at home. When she's not shaping Provo.com's restaurant and neighborhood coverage, she's exploring the valley's trails and tracking down the best new spots on Center Street.

FHE at the Temple Grounds: Every Utah Valley Temple, and the Best Evening to Walk Each One