This Is the Place Heritage Park: The Village, the Monument and Admission

This Is the Place Heritage Park sits at the mouth of Emigration Canyon on Salt Lake City's east bench, on the ground where the first Latter-day Saint pioneer company came out of the mountains on July 24, 1847. It is two attractions sharing one address. The monument and park grounds are free, open dawn to dusk every day. The Heritage Village, a living-history town of pioneer-era buildings with costumed interpreters, a train and farm animals, is the paid part, at $15 per person for a Daily Experience Pass. From downtown Provo it is about 49 miles and an hour's drive, which makes it a full half-day or the anchor of a Salt Lake day trip, and in December it hosts two of the Wasatch Front's best-known holiday events.

Everything below was checked against the park's own pages, Utah State Parks, the National Park Service and the state's History To Go site on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026. Hours shift by season here more than at most attractions, so read the hours section closely and check the park's page the week you go.

What the park is

This Is the Place is a Utah state park, but the state does not run it day to day. Utah State Parks says a nonprofit, the This Is The Place Foundation, manages the park, and the state's page describes it as 450 acres that preserve "the story of those who settled the western territory." The same page counts more than 60 original or replica structures in the historic village, where costumed interpreters tell the story, and lists trains, farm animals, pony rides, gold panning, a Native American Village and pioneer trade demonstrations among the things to do. (A separate National Park Service page for the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail gives the park as 500 acres; the state, the NPS's own place page for the park and KSL all use 450.)

The park has had a turnaround over the last two decades. KSL reported in January 2025 that Ellis Ivory was stepping down after 19 years as executive director. Ivory was asked in 2006 by then-Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and Elder M. Russell Ballard to revive the park, which KSL described as being in disrepair and discussed for closure at the time. Under Ivory the park added monuments and the Pioneer Center, KSL reported, along with the Walk of Pioneer Faiths. His successor is Case Lawrence, who had served on the park's board for five years.

The park's own history page frames its mission broadly, honoring Native peoples, trappers and traders, Catholic missionaries and Mormon pioneer immigrants. It quotes Brigham Young's words on reaching the valley, "It is enough. This is the right place. Drive on," and notes that the spot where he said them is now the site of the monument.

The monument: the free part

The This Is the Place Monument is the centerpiece, and you can see it without buying anything. Utah's History To Go site, run by the state, says the granite structure stands sixty feet high and eighty-six feet long and was dedicated in 1947 during Utah's pioneer centennial. The National Park Service gives the dimensions as 60 feet high and 84 feet wide and counts 15 plaques, statues and bas-reliefs on it. Either way, it is big enough that you should stand back on the lawn to take it in.

Its designer was Mahonri M. Young, a grandson of Brigham Young, selected in 1937 by a state commission, according to History To Go. The figures tell a wider story than most visitors expect:

• On top of the center pedestal: Brigham Young in the middle, Heber C. Kimball to the north and Wilford Woodruff to the south.
• At the base of the center column: Orson Pratt and Erastus Snow, members of the scouting party and the first to enter the valley, on July 21, 1847, with nine horsemen of the exploring party on the sides.
• West wings: a bas-relief of the first pioneer company's wagons, with Brigham Young visible in Woodruff's carriage at the rear.
• East side: Etienne Provost, Chief Washakie, Peter Skene Ogden, Capt. Benjamin Bonneville, Father Jan DeSmet and John C. Fremont, plus the route of the Donner-Reed party.
• South pedestal: the Spanish explorers of 1776, including the Dominguez-Escalante expedition, which History To Go notes reached as far north as Utah Valley.
• North column: 1820s trappers and traders, including William Ashley of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company on horseback.

That south pedestal is the Provo connection. The Dominguez-Escalante party reached Utah Valley in 1776, seventy-one years before the pioneer company, and the trapper Etienne Provost appears on the east side. A family from Provo can walk around the monument and find a piece of its own valley's history on it.

The National Park Service page for the park adds the National Pony Express Monument with a replica Pony Express station and an Avard Fairbanks sculpture of a relay rider changing horses, and a Statuary Walk east of it leading to the main monument. The Utah State Parks page also points to the Pioneer Children's Memorial, where seventeen large stones are engraved with more than 600 names of known children who died on the trail. The park's visit page lists the Walk of Pioneer Faiths, which shows how ten religions shaped Utah's pioneer heritage.

On a free visit you can see all of those, plus the view west over the valley. The Pioneer Center and the Gift Shop are open seven days a week and do not require a pass. The park's planning page recommends starting at the Pioneer Center, which covers the park's history and the monument.

The Heritage Village: the paid part

Beyond the visitor center is the reconstructed village. The NPS describes it as original pioneer-era buildings where costumed docents and interpreters share history and demonstrate early crafts and trades. The park's homepage describes historic homes, a self-guided tour, costumed interpreters and hands-on activities, along with a replica train, a pony carousel, farm animals and shops including the ZCMI Toy and Candy Shop and the Livery.

The Daily Experience Pass is $15 per person for ages 2 and up. The park says it covers:

• the Heritage Village
• free parking
• demonstrations and presentations
• hands-on park experiences
• a train ticket

The park's activities page says it offers "pioneer crafts and hands-on demonstrations to train rides, pony rides, gold panning, historic homes, and add-on experiences," and that additional activity costs are listed in the activity guides at the front desk. Read that guide when you arrive so the extras do not surprise the kids. A train-only ticket is $5 per person, ages 2 and up.

How long to stay: the park's planning page says to plan "for several hours" to see everything. For a family from Utah Valley, that means arriving close to the 10 a.m. opening and leaving mid-afternoon, which also keeps you ahead of the I-15 evening rush on the way home.

Pass pricing applies to ages 2 and up. The park's pages we checked did not separately spell out a price for children under 2, so ask at the front desk if you have an infant.

Hours, season by season

This is the section to read twice. The park publishes several sets of hours, and they do not all match.

Fall 2026, from the park's hours page:

• Monument and park grounds: dawn to dusk, 7 days a week
• Experiences (the village): 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday; closed Sunday
• Pioneer Center: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
• Gift Shop: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., open 7 days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday

Winter season, from the park's winter page: November 1 to March 27, with winter park hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In winter the park lists Heritage Village self-guided tours with cabins decorated for the season, blacksmith, tinsmith and print shop demonstrations, warm indoor museums, cabins and exhibits, gift shops, hot cocoa and treats at the Huntsman hotel, self-guided tours of the monuments and the Mormon Battalion Museum, the ZCMI Kid and Candy Shop, and Brigham's Donuts, which the park says is open year-round.

Two cautions for winter visits. First, trains run "on select days (weather permitting)," and the winter page does not say which days. If the train is the point of the trip for a small child, call 801-582-1847 before you drive. Second, the park says it will be "closed on a select few days during Candlelight Christmas," again without listing dates. A December daytime visit needs a phone call or a check of the online calendar first.

Summer: The park's summer page describes a petting farm with goats, sheep and bunnies, pony rides, "one of our four historic trains," with the mini train winding around the pond with views of the Salt Lake Valley and Great Salt Lake, and pioneer trades including blacksmithing, handcart pulling, gold panning and take-home crafts. It did not list separate summer hours or dates when we checked, so look at the hours page closer to spring.

A mismatch to know about: The Utah State Parks page for the park lists hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with limited programming on Sundays. The park's own page, which is updated by season, shows the village closed on Sunday this fall. Go by the park's page, and if you can only visit on a Sunday, plan on the free grounds, the monument, the Pioneer Center and the Gift Shop rather than the village.

Christmas at the park: two different events

The two December events here get confused, and they work very differently.

Christkindlmarkt, Dec. 2-5

Salt Lake's German-style Christmas market is organized separately from the park (its website is christkindlmarkt-slc.com) and held at This Is the Place. The market's schedule lists it as open daily, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 2, through Saturday, Dec. 5. The organizers' FAQ says the market "is free and open to the public," with no entry tickets required.

The schedule highlights, by day:

• Wednesday, Dec. 2: Main Stage performances, the Gnomie Storytelling Show (2-4:30 p.m.), Meet St. Nikolaus (5-8 p.m.) and a Live Nativity (6-7 p.m.).
• Thursday, Dec. 3: Clock Tower Dancers (noon-3 p.m.), plus the Lantern Parade and Meet the Christkind, both 6-7 p.m.
• Friday, Dec. 4: Meet St. Nikolaus (noon-8 p.m.), with the St. Nikolaus Parade and Meet the Christkind at 6 p.m.
• Saturday, Dec. 5: Main Stage performances, Meet St. Nikolaus (noon-8 p.m.) and a Live Nativity (6-7 p.m.).

The schedule also notes a petting zoo, pony rides (at "minimal cost") and pioneer-era demonstrations from the park, with hours that vary by day.

Parking is the hard part. The organizers say they offer "limited prepaid onsite parking" and free offsite lots with a free shuttle to the market. Neither page we read listed the onsite price or the shuttle lot locations, so check the market's parking page before you leave Provo. Other rules from the FAQ: no pets (service animals are allowed), and because of crowds and tight spaces, "we ask that you leave strollers at home if possible." The FAQ says the park is stroller and wheelchair accessible but that wheelchairs are not available for the public to borrow.

For a Utah Valley family, the weeknight evenings are the obvious pick for the parades, but they also land right in the northbound I-15 commute. A Thursday or Friday with an early departure from Provo, aiming for the lantern or St. Nikolaus parade at 6 p.m., is the realistic plan. If you would rather stay home, Provo has its own Utah Valley Christkindlmarkt later in December.

Candlelight Christmas, Dec. 11-23

Candlelight Christmas is the park's own evening event in the Heritage Village. The park lists the 2026 dates as Dec. 11-23 (Monday-Saturday), with event hours of 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 11 is a Friday, so the run starts at the end of a week; the Monday-to-Saturday label suggests no event on Sundays, Dec. 13 and 20, but confirm that on the event page.

The park describes an evening meant to show "what Christmas felt like more than a century ago," with:

• the Heritage Carolers performing through the village
• visits with Father Christmas, where children can share wishes and check the naughty or nice list
• a live nativity reenactment in the village
• hands-on holiday crafts, warm firesides and demonstrations of 1800s Christmas practices in the historic homes
• storytelling and simple activities

Brigham's Donuts, the ZCMI Candy and Toy Shop and the Gift Shop are open for treats and gifts.

Tickets are sold online through tickets.thisistheplace.org. The event page did not show a price when we checked on Nov. 11, and the annual pass page does not say whether passes cover the event, so check the ticket site before assuming either. Parking for Candlelight Christmas is free onsite, and the park advises arriving early "to enjoy the full evening and to make parking easier."

Much of the event is outdoors. The park advises dressing warmly and wearing comfortable shoes, and notes indoor stops for warming up. Paths are a mix of paved and packed earth. For more December ideas north of the county line, see our guide to Christmas in Salt Lake from Utah Valley and Temple Square in December from Provo.

Before December

The park's calendar also lists a concert on Friday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. with Cal Cook, Johnnie Kapua, Saade and Owen Uffens. Check the events page for tickets and details.

Annual passes, and what does not work

The Utah State Parks Annual Day-Use Pass does not get you in. The state's pass page says it "does not grant access to Jordan River OHV State Park or This is the Place Heritage Park." Our Utah state parks pass guide covers where that pass does work.

The park sells its own annual passes:

Benefits listed are unlimited village activities ("some activities have additional costs"), a monthly newsletter, free parking, 10% off gifts and the option to add a guest for the day for $20. The pass page gives the children's age range two ways (0-17 in one place, 3-17 in another), so confirm when you buy.

The math is simple. At $15 a person, a family of five spends $75 on one visit. The $165 family pass pays for itself on a third visit, and sooner if you come back for summer pony rides after a winter trip. A one-time visitor should buy day passes.

Horseback trail rides

Utah Trail Rides runs guided rides at the park in partnership with it, through the base of Emigration Canyon. Its page lists summer rides Monday through Saturday at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. (call for 3 p.m.), a 60-minute ride at $95 per person, ages 8 and up by appointment only, children under 14 with an adult, and a maximum weight of 230 pounds per rider, who must be able to mount without help. It says winter rides are available by phone. Booking is online or by call or text at 801-448-6126. The page gives two different arrival times (30 minutes and 20 minutes before your ride), so confirm when you book. Rides can be canceled for bad weather.

This is a separate price from the village pass and is aimed at older kids and adults, not toddlers.

Food

The park has two named places to eat:

• Heritage Grill: serves lunch and dinner, with a menu built around "New Takes on Old Favorites," and says its meats and produce are locally sourced and smoked and grilled on site. The menu images show items like the Brigham Burger, Iosepa Burger, chicken tenders and pulled pork. Its posted menu is labeled a summer menu, and the page does not list hours or prices, so do not count on it in winter without calling.
• Brigham's Donuts: the winter page says it is open year-round, and it appears in both the Candlelight Christmas and winter listings.

In winter the park also lists hot cocoa and treats at the Huntsman hotel in the village, and the ZCMI shop sells candy. For a budget day, pack a lunch. If you want a sit-down meal in the city afterward, our Salt Lake City day trip guide covers downtown.

Accessibility

The most specific accessibility language on the park's site is on the Candlelight Christmas page: paths are a mix of paved and packed earth, most activities work for wheelchairs and strollers, and "some historic cabins have steps or narrow doors." The Christkindlmarkt organizers describe the park as stroller and wheelchair accessible, but say there are no wheelchairs to borrow, so bring your own. The park's planning page did not include separate accessibility, pet or rules information when we checked; call 801-582-1847 with specific questions.

Getting there from Provo

By car: From downtown Provo, OpenStreetMap routing gives about 49 miles and just under an hour in normal traffic. The route runs north on I-15, onto the I-215 belt route, then Foothill Drive (SR-186) north to Sunnyside Avenue and east to the park at 2601 E. Sunnyside Ave. The park says parking is free onsite (Christkindlmarkt week is the exception, with limited prepaid onsite parking and free offsite shuttles).

Allow more time on December evenings. A 5 p.m. Candlelight Christmas start from Provo means leaving in the heart of the northbound commute. Leaving by 3:30 p.m. is a safer bet.

By transit: We could not confirm a current UTA bus route to the park on rideuta.com today. FrontRunner reaches Salt Lake City from Provo; from there, use UTA's trip planner for a bus connection toward Sunnyside Avenue and the canyon mouth. Our FrontRunner from Provo and UTA fares and passes guides cover the train and fare side. For a family with small children, driving is far simpler.

Next door: Hogle Zoo is across the street at 2600 Sunnyside Ave., according to the zoo. Doing both in one day is possible for older kids but a lot for small ones. Our Hogle Zoo and Tracy Aviary guide covers the zoo. The park's planning page also suggests Red Butte Garden, Temple Square and the Utah State Capitol as nearby stops.

A sample half-day from Provo

1. Leave Provo around 9 a.m. and arrive near the 10 a.m. village opening.
2. Start at the Pioneer Center, as the park suggests, for the background on the monument.
3. Walk the monument and Statuary Walk while the kids still have patience for reading plaques. Find Provost and the Dominguez-Escalante panel.
4. Enter the village on the Daily Experience Pass. Pick up the activity guide and decide on any extras.
5. Ride the train (if it is running) and visit the farm animals.
6. Lunch at the Heritage Grill if it is open, Brigham's Donuts, or your own picnic.
7. Head home by 2:30 or 3 p.m. to get ahead of the evening commute.

Who should go, and who should skip it

Good fit: families with kids roughly 3 to 12, school groups, anyone interested in pioneer or Utah history, and visitors who want a low-cost stop (the monument is free). The village works well for multi-generational outings, which is what the grandparent pass is built for.

Think twice: if your visit falls on a Sunday this fall, when the village is closed. On a winter weekday, ask first whether the train is running, since some children will judge the whole trip by it. During Christkindlmarkt the park is crowded and stroller-unfriendly by the organizers' own description. And anyone hoping for a long, quiet historical museum visit may prefer a weekday morning outside the holiday weeks.

Closer to home: If an hour's drive is too much, Utah County has its own pioneer and state park history. Camp Floyd in Fairfield, west of Utah Lake, is a state park museum on the 1858 Army post there, and our FHE day trips guide collects other family outings. For the background on why July 24 matters, see Pioneer Day explained.

Before you go

• Check the park's hours page the week you visit; hours change by season.
• In winter, call 801-582-1847 to ask whether trains are running and whether the park is closed that day for Candlelight Christmas.
• Buy Candlelight Christmas tickets online and confirm the dates and price.
• For Christkindlmarkt, look up the offsite parking lots before you leave Provo.
• Bring warm layers for any December evening; most of both holiday events is outdoors.
• Leave the Utah State Parks pass at home; it is not valid here.

Sources: This Is The Place Heritage Park pages for hours and admission, planning, events, winter and summer seasons, Candlelight Christmas, annual passes, the Heritage Grill and Utah Trail Rides; Christkindlmarkt SLC's schedule and FAQ; Utah State Parks' park and pass pages; the National Park Service; Utah History To Go; KSL (January 2025); Hogle Zoo; and OpenStreetMap routing. All checked Nov. 11, 2026.

Related Guides

• Salt Lake City Day Trip from Provo
• Christmas in Salt Lake from Utah Valley
• Hogle Zoo and Tracy Aviary from Provo
• Temple Square in December from Provo
• Pioneer Day Explained
• Days of '47 from Utah Valley
• Utah State Parks Within Two Hours of Provo
• Utah Valley Christkindlmarkt

More Things to Do Guides

Day Trips

Day Trips

Natural Bridges National Monument: Utah's Dark Sky Pioneer and the Three Bridges

12 min read

Day Trips

Day Trips

Monument Valley From Provo: The Navajo Tribal Park, the Loop Drive and What to Know

13 min read

Day Trips

Day Trips

Vernal and Dinosaur National Monument from Provo: The Wall of Bones, and the Side of the Park With No Dinosaurs

14 min read