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Thorncrown Chapel, Eureka Springs, AR

Photo: Clinton Steeds, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingFreeIconicDate Night

Thorncrown Chapel

12968 Highway 62 W · Eureka Springs, AR

Why you should go…

Thorncrown Chapel is a glass and timber chapel in the Ozark woods about 1.5 miles west of Eureka Springs, designed by architect E. Fay Jones and built in 1980. It rises 48 feet into the trees, with 425 windows and more than 6,000 square feet of glass resting on over 100 tons of native stone. Inside, the forest surrounds you on every side. Jones kept every structural piece small enough for two men to carry through the woods, so the site was barely disturbed.

  • #glass chapel
  • #architecture
  • #e. fay jones
  • #ozarks
  • #wedding chapel

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Thorncrown Chapel, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Stay
    History Buff

    1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa

    $50+

    Stay in an 1886 mountaintop hotel above Eureka Springs with a spa, a balcony pizza bar and ghost tours that end in the old morgue.

    2.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay

  • Sightseeing
    Free

    Christ of the Ozarks

    Free

    Stand beneath a seven-story white statue of Jesus with outstretched arms on Magnetic Mountain above Eureka Springs.

    2.7 mi awayMore like this

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge

    $25–$50

    Nonprofit 459-acre sanctuary near Eureka Springs caring for rescued lions, tigers, cougars, leopards and bears.

    7.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Dogwood Canyon Nature Park

    $25–$50

    A 10,000-acre Ozark nature park where you hike or bike past bluffs, waterfalls and trout streams, or ride a wildlife tram.

    19 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Sightseeing
    Outdoor Adventure

    Table Rock Lake

    Free

    Ozark reservoir near Branson lined with marinas, resorts, and fishing coves.

    25 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Family Favorite

    Branson

    Free

    Ozark Mountains entertainment town packed with live-music theatres, lakes, and family attractions.

    35 mi awayMore like this