Menor’s Ferry in Grand Teton National Park: A Trail Guide
The view of the Grand Tetons from the. back of the general store at Menor’s Ferry
If you’re interested in history, you have to add the Menor’s Ferry trail to your Grand Teton National Park itinerary!
This trail takes in the multiple buildings that once made up the location of local ferry service, general store, and homestead.
Elsewhere on the trail, you’ll also be able to see a historic church that’s still in use, and the Maud Noble cabin, where a female dude rancher made her home.
This trail is far less crowded than others in this area of the park, making it an easy add-on when you have a short break in your itinerary. The convenient trailhead is only 14 miles from Jackson, Wyoming.
In the hiking guide below, you’ll find everything that you need to know in order to add this short, educational hike to your Grand Teton National Parks itinerary, from parking options to what to expect at every point along the trail.
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Hike Overview
Trailhead Location: at the Chapel of the Transfiguration off on Menor’s Ferry Road in Moose, WY
Trail length: 0.3 mile loop
Trail difficulty: very easy
Elevation gain: 0 feet
Getting to Menor’s Ferry
To get to the parking lot for the Menor’s Ferry historic area, you’ll head north from Jackson, Wyoming, on U.S. Highway 191 for 14 miles.
When you get to the intersection of Highway 191 and Teton Park Road, turn left. You’ll pass by Dornan’s complex in Moose (which has a couple of our recommend places to eat in Grand Teton National Park!) on Teton Park Road.
Shortly after making the turn, you’ll come to a set of entrance stations as you enter the paid portion of the national park. The entrance fee is good for up to 7 days.
However, if you’re planning to visit 2 or more NPS sites, including national parks, battlefields, monuments, seashores, or historic sites, I highly recommend getting an annual pass.
And for even more savings, grab the NPS America the Beautiful pass and AllTrails+ bundle!
From Moose, continue north on Teton Park Road until you come to Menor’s Ferry Road, which will be on your right in about 0.5 miles.
Drive to the parking lot at the end of Menor’s Ferry Road (approximately 0.5 miles). This is a large lot with about 50 parking spaces, and it is rarely full.
Plan your entire national parks vacation with this helpful (and free) collection of Grand Teton National Park resources!
Visiting the Menor’s Ferry Historic District, Step-by-Step
TIP: Before you set out on any hike, it’s a good idea to check for any recent updates, trail conditions, and level of difficulty at AllTrails! Purchase your annual subscription here.
This short, easy trail is a loop, starting at the Chapel of the Transfiguration near the parking area, then heading to the Menor’s Ferry historic district and Maud Noble’s cabin before returning to the parking area.
There are vault toilets between the Chapel of the Transfiguration and the historic district, but you’ll want to bring your own water and snacks.
Chapel of the Transfiguration
This church from the mid-1920s is found steps from the parking area and is accessible via a flat paved sidewalk.
Even if you’re not religious, this log cabin-style church is worth a quick peek, thanks to the charming architecture and beautiful location.
If you are religious, the church is open daily for reflection.
If nothing more, stepping inside this small building reinforces the grandeur of the mountains, which are gorgeous from this section of the park.
On that note, I will say that the views over at Mormon Row on the other side of Highway 191 get all the attention, but the views of the Grand Tetons from the much less crowded Menor’s Ferry area are just as stunning.
If you’re short on time and don’t want to fight peak mid-day crowds at Mormon Row, come here instead.
Menor’s Ferry Historic District
From the sidewalk in front of the Chapel, head across the parking area and away from the church and the mountains.
On the side of the parking loop just across from the church, look to your right. You’ll see the start of the gravel and dirt path to Menor’s Ferry Historic District.
Follow this path for a couple of hundred feet. The trail crosses a park service road, and then splits on the far side of this road.
If you need to use the restroom, there is a set of vault toilets at the corner of the trail and the service road to your right.
Otherwise, you’ll need to determine which part of the loop you’d like to do first. If you continue ahead, you’ll go to the Menor’s Ferry area, while a right turn will take you to Maud Noble’s cabin first.
It doesn’t really matter which you choose since it’s all a loop, and you’ll see everything regardless.
For the purposes of this trail guide, I’ll suggest going straight on for no reason other than doing so seems more intuitive.
Once you’ve passed the split in the trail, you’ll quickly come to the first of the many things to explore in this area.
To your right will be a large wooden boat that’s a replica of the ferry that once carried people, goods, and livestock from the far side of the Snake River to this side.
My son next to the ferry replica
It’s a fascinating glimpse into what life was like here for the pioneers in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Beyond this boat is the general store and home of William (Bill) Menor, who started with his ferry service and this added on as business and traffic grew.
While you can’t go into any of the buildings, you are able to peek inside to see what the store and his living quarters would’ve been like around 1895 or so.
The Menor’s Ferry general store with the living quarters to the left
They were both sparse, but I imagine any business or home out here would’ve been a welcome respite from the windy, snowy, and cold conditions this area of Wyoming often gets.
One of my kids’ favorite parts of this area was the outhouse, which is a tiny building built precariously onto the riverbanks. When you don’t have indoor plumbing, you get creative!
You can also get views of the Snake River, which is calmer here than in nearby areas. That slow current is why Bill Menor chose to position his ferry here as it had the highest likelihood of getting his cargo and passengers from one side of the river to the other safely.
Maud Noble Cabin
From the Menor’s Ferry buildings, turn to your right and walk along the small dirt path along the river.
You’ll quickly come to an outbuilding on your right which is worth a stop. You can look inside this old barn structure to see a variety of antique transportation.
Then, continue on the path as it curves slightly away from the river, and you will see Maud Noble’s cabin.
This cabin, which dates to 1916, was built by Maud as part of her business venture in the valley. She bought out Bill Menor and ran the ferry—now suitable to bring over early automobiles!—for almost a decade before a permanent bridge put her out of business.
It was around that same time that locals began discussing the possibility of preserving this area of Wyoming for the public. Yellowstone National Park, to the north, had been the world’s first national park in 1872, so there was precedent nearly in their backyard.
A meeting among 7 locals in 1923 took place inside Maud Noble’s cabin, and this discussion of land preservation kickstarted what would (much later) become Grand Teton National Park in 1929, though the cabin and this area of the valley wasn’t added to that parcel until 1950.
In more recent history, the person directly responsible for deeding this piece of Jackson Hole history to the park was John D. Rockefeller, Jr. The Rockefellers had close ties to this part of Wyoming, and another section of the park is named after Laurance S. Rockefeller.
Learn more about the history of Maud Noble here.
You can walk through the main room of the home, which feels spacious for the time period and the area in which it was built. While you can’t go in the other 2 rooms, you can stick your head in over the rope barrier to see them.
There are several interpretive signs here to help you learn more about the park’s history and the fascinating person who was Maud Noble.
When you’re ready to go, head out of the cabin’s front door and continue to your left along the path. The trail curves to the right and parallels the service road before rejoining the loop near Menor’s Ferry.
Turn to the left at this intersection to go back to the parking lot, or right to revisit the Menor’s Ferry area.
Tips for Visiting the Menor’s Ferry Area
This hike is one of the easiest in the park.
Thanks to the non-existent elevation gain, location near the entrance station, and short loop, nearly anyone can do this hike.
That makes it perfect for multi-generational trips or for visits with very young kids.
Since it’s close to Moose and the entrance station, you can quickly stop here on the way to another, longer hike like Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls deeper into the park.
Add on a river rafting experience.
For a truly memorable pairing, visit Menor’s Ferry and then go on a Snake river tour. Doing these back-to-back (or very close together on your visit) really reinforces how the river shaped, and continues to shape, the history of the park.
Many of the river tour companies either start or end near Menor’s Ferry, making these a great duo for your itinerary.
To learn more about what to expect on these tours, and get my recommendations for family-friendly options, check out my guide to the best Grand Teton float trips.
More helpful posts about the Wyoming national parks:
Final Thoughts on Menor’s Ferry Trail in Grand Teton
This trail might be short, but it packs in the history and education. Plus, it’s one of the best trails in the park for young kids, visitors with mobility issues, or visitors who are pressed for time.
Its location in Grand Teton National Park makes it a convenient add-on to a river float, bike ride, or dinner in Moose, and you’ll come away with a better understanding of the Jackson Hole valley during the frontier years.
Plus, the Menor’s Ferry area is a great alternative if Jenny Lake or Mormon Row is too crowded.
This trail is a must-do for families and history buffs visiting this park!
