Mormon History Salt Lake Self-Guided Walking Tour

Follow the pioneers' footsteps through Salt Lake's founding landmarks

This self-guided walking tour of Salt Lake City uses an audio app to lead you through Mormon history at your own pace, starting outside the State House and covering Temple Square, the Pioneer Museum, the Church History Museum and sites linked to Brigham Young and the city's founders. The tour runs roughly an hour to an hour and twenty minutes, stays completely outside, and passes multiple free-entry museums and observation decks you can enter during opening hours if you choose. No guide, no fixed schedule, no meals or entrance fees included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Utah State Capitol5m
2. Temple Square10m
3. Church History Museum5m

Explore Mormon history sites in Salt Lake City

• See Utah State Capitol and learn history
• Learn story of the war and peak
• Visit Pioneer Museum and hear pioneers' story
• See founders' cemetery and hear story
• Enter church office and visit observation deck
• Stop outside the Beehive and hear history
• Visit park where Brigham Young lived
• Explore multiple sites in Temple Square
• See old Pioneer Cabin and pioneer life
• End at Church History Museum and hear history

The experience

The tour starts outside the Utah State Capitol and moves through downtown Salt Lake on a route you control. The audio app narrates the history of the Mormon pioneers who settled the city, the role of figures like Brigham Young and Joseph Smith, and the Native Americans who were here first. You'll pass the Beehive House, the old Pioneer Cabin, and multiple sites within Temple Square, hearing the story of each one as you walk.

Several stops offer free entry if you want to step inside: the Pioneer Museum tells the story of the journey west; the Church Office Building has a free elevator to an observation deck with views across the city; the Church History Museum closes out the route and sits at the end. A cemetery, parks, and government buildings round out the stops. Because you're moving at your own pace with an app, you can linger at any site, skip ahead, or circle back. Something a group tour doesn't allow.

The route is entirely outside, so you can start anytime and take it whenever the weather suits you. Service animals are welcome, and public transit options run nearby if you need them. The audio is in English, and the app works for anyone 15 and up.

What’s included

• Audio guide in English through a walking tour app.
• access to the route covering the State Capitol, Temple Square, Pioneer Museum, Church History Museum, Beehive House, Brigham Young's residence, the Pioneer Cabin, and multiple free-entry observation decks and parks.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (15 and older) · Under 15: can't be booked

GroupUp to 100

Audio guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by WalknTours

Is this one for you?The self-guided format and roughly one-hour length fit a morning or afternoon slot without eating your whole day. You move at your own pace and stop only where the history interests you, which a group tour doesn't allow. If you want someone narrating in real time and making all the stops together, a guided group tour would suit you better.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What's inside the Church Office Building that the tour mentions?

The Church Office Building offers free entry to an elevator that takes you to an observation deck with views of Salt Lake City: one of the optional stops the audio guide highlights along the route.

Can I enter the museums the tour passes, or do I just walk by them?

The Pioneer Museum, Church History Museum, and Church Office observation deck all offer free admission during opening hours, and the app tells you about each one: entering is completely optional and happens after the audio guide finishes at that stop.

How long does the whole walk take?

The tour runs roughly one to one and a half hours, though your actual time depends on how long you spend at each stop and whether you enter any of the free-admission sites along the way.

Do I need to book a specific time to start, or can I begin whenever I want?

You can start anytime. The tour is completely self-guided through an app, so there's no fixed departure or schedule to work around.

What's the route like for someone who's not very fit?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels and stays on city streets and parks around downtown Salt Lake, so you can move at whatever pace works for you and take breaks whenever you need them.

Does the tour include food, drinks, or entrance fees?

No, the tour itself is free, but food, drinks, and any museum entry fees are on your own. The app guides you to the sites and tells you about them, and you choose whether to enter.