When President Abraham Lincoln signed The Homestead Act into law in 1862, it opened up opportunities for pioneers to move west. Mormon settlers arrived from the Great Plains and homesteaded land in northwest Wyoming, following three requirements: filing an application for ownership of 160 - 640 acres, tending and improving the land for 5 years and filing for title at the end of that period of time.

The land they claimed was spread along the valley floor of what is now known as Jackson Hole, with the magnificent mountain peaks of the Grand Tetons as the backdrop. Over time, the homesteaders developed a full community, including a school, church and other assorted town buildings. Eventually, the Rockefeller family's Snake River Land Company bought out all but one acre of the area, offering tempting cash in exchange for the homesteads. This settlement came to be known as Mormon Row, a must-see area for visitors with a penchant for history and a well-known spot for avid photographers. It is now a National Historic District and part of Grand Teton National Park.

Lodging in Jackson Hole is notoriously expensive, especially during the jam-packed summer season. There are few options for tourists once the park and town lodging facilities get booked up. The few lodges in the park are sold out far in advance and cancellations are few and far between. The town of Jackson and nearby Teton Village are packed with hotels and inns, offering everything from basic motel rooms to suites at the Four Seasons. Those, too, are booked solid most nights. Having worked at a lodge all summer, there were numerous times I had to inform impulse visitors that the closest accommodations available were over Teton Pass, in Idaho. If anything in town was available, it was most likely a basic room in Teton Village for a hefty price tag of around $400-600. per night. Yes, you read that correctly. That would be for a basic room.

So imagine my shock when an online search turned up a small cabin on Mormon Row that could be booked for a mere $80. It was unheard of. I had to see for myself if such a place really existed, so I drove 13 miles north of town, turned east on Antelope Flats Road and parked along the dusty Mormon Row dirt road.

Wandering along, I passed the remaining structures of the former Mormon settlement, small cabins and sheds, tattered fences and two rustic barns known as the Moulton barns, frequently featured in photographers' collections on the area. Eventually I came upon the one acre of land that was still privately owned and, sure enough, a small sign advertised cabins for rent. Accompanying it was a "No Vacancy" sign, which was no surprise.

Fast forward through two months of checking the cabins' website daily, always pulling up an availability chart that was completely blocked full. Until one day when I looked at the chart and my eyes grew wide. A cancellation had opened up one night. I called the owners immediately and booked myself in.

When the long-awaited day finally arrived, I packed lightly - one change of clothes, my journal, camera equipment and laptop - and drove the short distance up to Moulton Ranch Cabins. Owned and operated by Hal and Iola Blake, descendants of the homesteading Moulton family, the small cluster of cabins sits in direct, unspoiled view of the Tetons, within a whitewashed fence, amidst a garden enthusiast's dream of sunflower fields, tin tub planters filled with petunias and artistically arranged flowerbeds of every shape and size imaginable.

Iola introduced herself and showed me to The Cottage, the smallest of all the cabins. It was adorable, as I had expected, with a fishing theme, old-fashioned furnishings, a sweet, blue quilt, a tiny kitchenette and a half bath. A private full bath and shower was located just steps away in a separate building - a worthwhile compromise for such a bargain rate.

In contrast to my usual travel adventures, I was in familiar territory, since I was working for several months just a short distance away. I wasn't about to head back into town for dinner, so I drove north, instead, to Colter Bay Village's restaurant, an indoor eatery with a Chuckwagon theme. Ordering a favorite menu item, lasagna, I ate half and saved half to stash away in the cabin's small refrigerator.

That evening I settled into my cabin for a quiet night of reading and seclusion. It was blissfully quiet and I felt far away from town. It was wonderful.

A chilly evening, I cranked up the thermostat a little too high and woke up in the middle of the night, kicking off my quilt and yearning for cool air. I cracked open the cabin door and stepped out for just a moment, only to find myself instantly mesmerized by the brightest stars I had ever seen. Had I ever known there were that many stars in the sky? It was a magical moment, accentuated by a perfect, still silence, and it took my breath away.

Lodging in cabins is a typical choice for me and I had come prepared. In the morning, I pulled open the drapes to let in the sun, clicked on my travel coffeemaker and unwrapped a muffin I'd brought along. With that for breakfast and the leftover lasagna for lunch, I was set for the morning and afternoon.

Hal came around before I checked out and gave me a little tour, showing me another old barn that he's converted into a dance hall/meeting room space. Renovation is an ongoing challenge with older buildings and the Blakes work hard to keep improving their more than a century old property.

Because the roads to Mormon Row are not plowed during Jackson Hole's long winters, the accommodations at Moulton Ranch Cabins are only open from Memorial Day through mid-September. During the rest of the year, the Blakes reside in Idaho Falls and work on other projects. Still, the cabins book up a year in advance and only book for one summer at a time. It takes pre-planning - or a stroke of luck - to nab a reservation there. But with the prime location, breathtaking views of the Tetons and stars that make the heart skip a beat, it's well worth it.