The first time I heard about Gilgal Gardens was back in the eighties when my friends Bill and Allan took me there very late one night. As I recall, we accessed Gilgal through one of the adjacent properties. I remember thinking, "This better be worth it," as we tiptoed through a neighbor's yard, then down some steps that led into the fantastic garden of very large, wonderfully crafted, stone statues.In those days, the obscure sculpted stone garden near Salt Lake's Trolley Square wasn't even open to the public, and it appeared that no one had been taking care of the grounds either. What a surprise. It was hard to believe. Here was this wonderfully sculpted and unknown garden in Salt Lake, and it was being taken over by foliage. The unkempt nature of the park made it seem especially surrealistic under the silent moonlight. The mysterious garden seemed inviting and was obviously a place I would want to learn more about.
Swords into plowshares
It's a Joseph Smith Sphinx 
A Joseph Smith Sphinx
Wire-frame Moroni trumps the tune of the new dispensation.
Fortunately, it's become a whole lot easier to gain access to Gilgal Gardens these days. Now Gilgal is open to the public every day, and the grounds are well groomed and nicely managed. And since the garden remains an obscure destination and largely unknown to locals and tourist alike, Gilgal still doesn't get many visitors, therefore it is always a nice quiet place to be alone with the stone. 
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