Sacred Grove

Reviews

• MS

  Mark Sowards

  Nov 25, 2025
  5.0
  Great Tour talking about the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Smith Family. Definitely a peaceful spirit here.
• RP

  Reed Palmer

  Nov 21, 2025
  5.0
  Awesome tour, this was definitely one of my highlights while being in New York. Tour guide was great and very knowledgeable
• GB

  Guilherme Bagatoli

  Nov 5, 2025
  5.0
  The Sacred Grove in Palmyra, New York, is where Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, visited the young Joseph Smith Jr. in 1820. 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. 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. Read more about Joseph’s experience in the Sacred Grove in Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 2, "HEAR HIM". Joseph rose early on a spring morning in 1820 and set out for the woods near his home. The day was clear and beautiful, and sunlight filtered through the branches overhead. As he prayed, his tongue seemed to swell until he could not speak. Suddenly, an unseen power seized him. He tried to speak again, but his tongue was still bound. A thick darkness closed in around him until he could no longer see the sunlight. Doubts and awful images flashed across his mind, confusing and distracting him. He felt as if some terrible being, real and immensely powerful, wanted to destroy him. Exerting all his strength, Joseph called once more to God. His tongue loosened, and he pleaded for deliverance. But he found himself sinking into despair, overwhelmed by the unbearable darkness and ready to abandon himself to destruction. At that moment, a pillar of light appeared over his head. It descended slowly and seemed to set the woods on fire. As the light rested on him, Joseph felt the unseen power release its hold. The Spirit of God took its place, filling him with peace and unspeakable joy. Peering into the light, Joseph saw God the Father standing above him in the air. His face was brighter and more glorious than anything Joseph had ever seen. God called him by name and pointed to another being who appeared beside Him. “This is My Beloved Son,” He said. “Hear Him!” Joseph looked into the face of Jesus Christ. It was as bright and glorious as the Father’s. “Joseph,” the Savior said, “thy sins are forgiven.” His burden lifted, Joseph repeated his question: “What church shall I join?” “Join none of them,” the Savior told him. “They teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” *For more information: >Read Joseph Smith History chapter 1. >Watch Ask of God, The First Vision of Joseph Smith, Youtube Video.
• MC

  Margarite Chesley

  Nov 2, 2025
  5.0
  Such a spiritually uplifting experience! Seeing the old Smith Farm including the log cabin, frame house, barn, cooper shed, and orchard was a surreal experience that immersed us in Smith family life. Wandering the forest of the Sacred Grove was so peaceful! Definitely worth taking the time to take it all in!
• RB

  Rick Bassett

  Oct 14, 2025
  5.0
  Well worth the trip. Highly recommend visiting this site. Plan plenty of time to spend walking through and/or meditating/ praying in the sacred grove.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sacred Grove