Elko Nevada Temple Photography by LDS Temple News
The Elko, Nevada Temple sits on a beautiful 5.2 acres of land, with its groundbreaking and site dedication held on May 7, 2022. The open house welcomed visitors from August 30 to September 13, 2025, and it was dedicated on October 12, 2025, by President Gary E. Stevenson. Its exterior shines with white Mount Airy granite and features a graceful single central tower. Spanning 12,901 square feet and reaching a height of 108 feet, it’s beautifully perched at an elevation of 5,133 feet.
This charming temple marks Nevada’s third, following those in Las Vegas (1989) and Reno (2000). Its dedication was a special moment during a transition between church presidents, happening shortly after President Russell M. Nelson’s passing on September 27, 2025, and just before the October 2025 general conference on October 4-5. Nelson’s funeral took place on October 7.
President Nelson announced the exciting construction of the temple on April 4, 2021, during the 191st Annual General Conference. The church’s first mission in Nevada started back in 1855 in The Meadows (Las Vegas). Nevada was part of Utah Territory until achieving statehood in 1864. The first stake in Elko County was formed in 1942, when Nevada had over 184,000 members and about 350 congregations, with the temples in Las Vegas and Reno already serving members.
On June 10, 2021, the site for the temple was announced, covering 5.2 acres next to the Ruby View Golf Course. It’s planned as a welcoming single-story building about 10,000 square feet in size. The stunning exterior rendering was shared with the public on September 17, 2021.
Elder Paul B. Pieper of the Quorum of the Seventy led the groundbreaking ceremony on May 7, surrounded by his wife Melissa and other Church leaders. He shared heartfelt gratitude for the temple and encouraged members to deepen their love for God and their neighbors during its construction. An open house was planned for August 27, 2025, with tours from August 30 through September 13, excluding Sundays. Elder Gary E. Stevenson dedicated the temple on October 12 via a broadcast to district units. The building features strong steel framing with a beautiful white Mount Airy Granite veneer.
Design elements honoring local Paiute and Shoshone cultures include wood carvings, art glass, paint, fabrics, and metal motifs inspired by desert globemallow flowers native to the area. The warm color palette of orange, yellow, and green reflects Elko’s landscapes. Inside, the main temple and waiting rooms are decorated with green carpets, beige, and geometric patterns, blending harmoniously with the white tones in the celestial and sealing rooms. Entry and waiting areas are cozy with wool rugs featuring complementary patterns. Throughout the temple, porcelain tiles that imitate stone add a natural feel, with Emperador Light used for counters and wall bases, Crema Ella for baptismal and instruction rooms, and Latte for transitional spaces. Elegant lighting fixtures include brass and frosted-glass pendant lights and chandeliers from Preciosa, with crystals adding a touch of sparkle to the ordinance spaces. The baptismal font is finished with a brass-painted aluminum railing, glass panels, and sapele wood accents. Doors in sapele veneer or painted metal are custom-designed to complement the temple’s motifs, creating a harmonious and inviting atmosphere.