(This page was originally published in December of 2014 at Best of the Tetons. In 2023, I moved it to its new home here on Golden Studios in the Best of the Tetons Section.)
In December of 2014, I created this post: “SHANE” — The Epic Western Movie Filmed in Jackson Hole. Since then, it has been one of the most popular pages on Best of the Tetons. This new page is intended to augment the first one, with specific directions, GPS coordinates and photos taken at the actual sites.
“Shane”, the epic western movie was filmed in Jackson Hole in 1951 and released in 1953. That’s common knowledge by almost all Jackson Hole residents. Other than the cabin on the Gros Ventre Road, affectionately given the name “the Shane Cabin”, most people have no idea where the rest of the important scenes were filmed. I wouldn’t either, if not for the work and dedication of Walt Farmer. He was around during filming, collecting literature, interviews, photos, and memorabilia about the classic movie.
You can watch the movie trailer here: Amazon.com .
By almost anyone’s contemporary standards, Walt’s CD interface is inferior and clunky. Still, the information in the CD is astounding and thorough. If you are a western buff, movie buff, or just love Jackson Hole, the $40 cost might be well worth it. Walt gave walking tours to the sites when he was alive, but since then, it doesn’t appear many people visit the locations. There are no plaques or any sort of identification. Paths, if you can find them, are ghostly visible and unused. After over 60 years, sagebrush has reclaimed all areas scraped off for the buildings, streets, and ranches.
Starrett’s Homestead
Starrett’s Cabin: Most of the important scenes in Shane were filmed at either the Starrett Homestead or at “the Town Site”. The cabin, barn, and corrals were built for the movie and then removed after filming. “In 1927, the Kelly Warm Springs emerged as a result of a powerful flood. Residents of Mormon Row named it “The Miracle Spring” as it provided the community with much needed water year round.” Source: GTNP pamphlet available at Mormon Row. Farmers dug numerous irrigation ditches, allowing them to flood fields for their crops. The “creek” shown in the movie as actually part of the original irrigation ditch. The stream was wider at the time of the filming. Currently, there are berms about 3′ to 5′ above the water line along most of its length.
Coordinates: 43.64475° by N -110.63722 W (Via Walt Farmer) Click this map to view it much larger! Allow about 15-20 minutes for the hike out to the site. I also suggest long pants, as the sagebrush is now thick and high. (Click the map to view it much larger)
The Town Site ~ Cemetery Hill ~ Three Tree Hill
Cemetery Hill and the Old Town Site: This location takes a bit of a hike.There are a few remnant planks on the hill. The town site is in the distance and Three Tree Hill is off to the left. I composited in the images from the movie over the photo I took at the site. Just like the Starrett site, sagebrush has reclaimed the area.
Coordinates: 43.73027° N by -110.62167° W (Via Walt Farmer)
Three Tree Hill: Shane and various riders pass through these trees in numerous shots.
Three Tree Hill: Walt Farmer mentions the three trees were planted on this hillside by the production crew. They have since fallen down but you might see remnants of them just to the west of the small grove of aspens. It appeared to me there is a faint hint of the old road.
Coordinates: 43.72955° N by -110.62917° W (Via Walt Farmer)
The General Coordinates of the Town Siteare: 43.73109° N by -110.62847° W (Via Walt Farmer). You might still find a few pieces of debris, but are asked not to remove any of them.
Town Site Region: To access the Town Site, go east on the gravel road just south of Snake River Overlook, then take the gravel road south. Park Rangers call this the East Boundary Road, though some call it the Forest Service access road, and it is identified as Antelope Flats Road on some satellite maps. A power line runs more or less parallel with the East Boundary Road (shown in amber). (Click the map to view it much larger)
Detail of Town Site Zone: Head south on the East Boundary Road for a couple of miles until it meets up with the power line and park there. Follow the service road for the power line north until you see the post marked with the letters and numbers above. At one time, the first letter was probably a K, but now looks more like an I. You’ll have to look around just north of that post for the remains of a trail. It’s not a great trail, but it is much better than bushwhacking your way through the thigh high, mature sagebrush. The trail will take you to Cemetery Hill, roughly a half mile out. You will likely end up walking between 1.5 and 2 miles on the full trip. Remember to find the trail from Cemetery Hill back to your vehicle! (Click the map to view it much larger)
The Town Site and Starrett’s Homesite are grown back over now, as I mentioned earlier. Neither places offer any better view of the Teton Range than any other spot along the valley floor. In other words, about the ONLY reason you would hike out to either site is to get the nostalgic “warm and fuzzy feeling” of standing on the very spots the movies stars, directors, and film crews stood over 60 years ago! For many movie lovers, that’s enough!
2020 Update
Over the years since I created this page,I’ve had a few people suggest that the townsite was actually at the “disturbance” shown at the gray pin above. In late January of 2020, I had another email suggesting the same, so I spent some time using Google Maps and the Photographer’s Ephemeris to locate the old townsite. I copied Walt Farmer’s coordinates into the upper box, then nudged the red pin around until the coordinates matched as well as I could. In other words, the red pin is located at the old townsite. Someday, I will hike out to the disturbance area to see what’s actually there. Walt Farmer visited the site when they were filming the movie, so I put a lot of weight in his coordinates. Right now, I would speculate this disturbance is a gravel pit used to build the highway. When zoomed in tight, it appears there is an old road to the pit from the highway. Go to http://app.photoephemeris.com/?ll=43.479929,-110.762428¢er=43.7305,-110.6410&dt=20141015080500-0600&z=17&spn=0.01,0.02 where you can zoom in and see gravel in the basin.
This is the movie’s town scene. Walt attributed it to GTNP. The Main Street aims a bit south of the Grand.
This “modified” image shows the Grand at the end of the street.
If at the old Cemetery Hill, it is apparent the old town was no farther west than Three Tree Hill. The gray pin in the new satellite image is considerably west of the Three Tree Hill.
End of 2020 Update
The Ernie Wright (Shane Cabin): Just about everyone around here calls this “The Shane Cabin”. It was built by Luther Taylor and leased to the production company by Roy Chambers. There are no historic signs or plaques at the site.
This site was only used in the movie for a few minutes. The Park Service has now deemed it as a “ruins” and is letting it deteriorate.
The Shane Cabin is accessible year round by driving a mile or so north of Kelly, and then following the Gros Ventre Road another couple of miles. You shouldn’t need GPS coordinates, but here they are: 43.64355° N by -110.60497° W (Via Walt Farmer) (Click the map to view it much larger)
Lewis Homestead
The Lewis Homestead: Seen briefly in the movie. Lewis and his family were feeling the pressure from Ryker and his gang and were ready to pull up stakes. This site is effectively inaccessible to the public. It is located on the National Elk Refuge which requires all visitors to stay ON THE ROADS. It was located along upper Flat Creek. Additionally, the area is behind a fenced off area along the creek.
After filming the “Saddles and Harnesses” building was moved to a location at the base of Snow King Mountain, then later to a home at the JH Historical Society research offices on Mercill Ave. I’ve driven by them hundreds of times and not paid much attention.
The Shane Cabin Plaque: The plaque is mounted to the front of the cabin. It indicates the cabin was built in 1951. (Click either of these two thumbnails to see the larger)
Current Lewis Cabin Location: Coordinates: 43.4838°N 110.7643°W (Via Google Maps) (Click the map to view it much larger)
2021 Update: The Harness and Saddle cabin has been moved to a fenced in area west of Karnes Meadows. It’s an anti-climatic view now, mixed in with several other old buildings.
This page contains the sites you can visit in GTNP and the JH area. There were other locations, like Schwabacher Landing, Teton Pass, and Upper Gros Ventre with characters passing through the scenes. Some of them are mentioned on this page: “SHANE” — The Epic Western Movie Filmed in Jackson Hole.
Before making this post, I did a few web searches, questioning whether I could or should use screen grabs from the movie. As you can guess, I found all kinds of pages with comments like, “I do it all the time and I never got caught” to this one written by a law student specializing in intellectual rights. Ask the Law Geek: Is publishing screenshots Fair Use? Yes, I know, I’d be better off asking a lawyer with a degree, but this is the best I can do for now. IF anyone with rights to the movie asks me to remove the images, I will do so immediately. I am relying on this parameter found on his page: “The purpose and character of the use: Reproduction for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship or research is not copyright infringement. This probably covers most blogs and personal websites, but there are other factors to consider.”
This is so interesting! Every time we go to Jackson Hole we go to the “Shane Cabin” and have had our Christmas card picture taken there several times. Next time, we’ll try to find some of the other out-of-the-way spots you mentioned. Thank you for sharing!!
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This is so interesting! Every time we go to Jackson Hole we go to the “Shane Cabin” and have had our Christmas card picture taken there several times. Next time, we’ll try to find some of the other out-of-the-way spots you mentioned. Thank you for sharing!!
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