How to elope in Crested Butte: A planning & travel guide

There are only a few mountain towns that we would choose for our own elopement location, and one of them on our list is the wildflower capital of Colorado: Crested Butte. It is one of the most quirky, movie scene-like, mountain peak-filled mountain towns in the entire state making the perfect setting for your mountain elopement in Colorado.

After photographing and planning quite a few of the best elopements for our couples there, we decided to put together a guide to help other couples interested in doing the same. In this guide you’ll find everything you need to know to plan your elopement in Crested Butte along with photo inspiration, pros and cons, and more!

Reasons to choose Crested Butte as your elopement location

Finding the right location is a big part of planning an adventure elopement in Colorado. Although Colorado has a ton of gorgeous places to elope, the mountains in Crested Butte have some unique features that other areas don’t. So if you aren’t sure about a Crested Butte elopement just yet, here are some of the reasons we think it’s one of the best places to get married!

It’s Scenic AF

Obviously the top selling point about eloping in Crested Butte, like many other mountain towns, is the scenery. We always joke with couples that you can just get married in the middle of a random street in Crested Butte because it’s that beautiful. Jokes aside, it has those tall dramatic mountains surrounding the town with miles worth of meadows, waterfalls and trees. 

The Wildflowers

Let’s be honest, you’re probably here because you read about the wildflowers somewhere. Crested Butte has the best wildflowers in the state and that’s why they call it the wildflower capital of Colorado. Every year from mid July to mid August, the wild flowers are insane. If you can see them at peak, that’s the best time (we plan most wildflower elopements the last week of July for this). You can find  fields upon fields of them throughout the entire town and deep into the back country! There’s even a wildflower festival that goes on every year, but we don’t recommend planning your elopement during those exact dates since it is much busier for lodging purposes.

Small town feel

Crested Butte is a tiny town tucked away between a ton of mountains making it feel like you’re truly in the middle of nowhere. You’re not going to find any chain stores or restaurants. It’s a small town full of local shops that you can visit and support. The historic and colorful buildings surrounded by mountain peaks  give off a small town movie scene feel and we are obsessed with it. 

Self Solemnization

One of the best things about eloping anywhere in Colorado is that you can self solemnize. Self- Solemnization just allows you to legally get married without an officiant or witnesses. It’s the best way to create an intimate, stress free elopement experience in the mountains of Crested Butte!

Year Round Adventures

Not all mountain towns are accessible year round, but Crested Butte is and it looks gorgeous throughout every season. You can find beautiful places to elope and plan fun intimate experiences year round. We especially love summer and fall (specifically July-September) for elopements because it’s when mountain access is more open, the colors are unreal and the weather is more agreeable to be wearing wedding clothes.

When we recommend eloping in Crested Butte

We typically only work with couples who are choosing a date in the summer or fall for an elopement in Crested Butte. Not because winter isn’t beautiful, but because those are the seasons that will give you the best overall travel and elopement experience there. 

Summer in Crested Butte

Summer is our favorite if you couldn’t tell. It’s the best time to elope in Crested Butte because it showcases what it’s known for: colorful landscapes and wildflowers. Yes, it is one of the busier seasons in Crested Butte but not so much that you can’t find seclusion for your elopement.

It’s a great time for exploring in the mountains because most trails and roads are finally open making your options for elopement locations basically double. The waterfalls are unfrozen and the weather is perfect, averaging around 70 F all summer long.

A couple things to keep in mind for summer elopements is that afternoon thunderstorms are common in the mountains and snow can stick around on the mountains until July. Thunderstorms usually pass quickly, but for summer elopements you’ll want to be prepared or plan a sunrise elopement to avoid the rain. 

Fall in Crested Butte

The key to finding the perfect fall foliage locations in Colorado is knowing where the aspen tree clusters exist, and they exist all over Crested Butte. Peak fall foliage season is super short here, and the best times to see the golden aspens are the last two weeks of September. The first week of October may be too late to see fall foliage depending on the year. It’s one of our favorite Crested Butte seasons because it’s basically summer with cooler weather, colorful mountains and less people. 

After the leaves fall off the trees though, it does look very dry and gray so we recommend planning your elopement accordingly.

Winter & Spring in Crested Butte

If you’re big into skiing and snowboarding you’re going to love Crested Butte in the winter/spring time. It might be the least busy time of the year offering the most seclusion for locations to elope in the mountain town. It’s not our favorite time to elope in Crested Butte because it’s too cold to be outside for too long, over half of the locations available in the summer or fall are not accessible and there are a lot of other logistics you have to plan for a winter elopement. There is also an increase in avalanche danger in many locations including driving danger when traveling here by car. 

Choose a weekday 

Even though Crested Butte is in the middle nowhere basically, it’s gotten increasingly popular especially on the weekends during peak wildflower and fall foliage seasons. As Denver locals, we have so many friends that make the drive for camping or weekend getaways so we recommend choosing a weekday for your elopement if you want to maximize seclusion. If you can’t do weekdays, no need to worry as you can still find secluded spots especially if you work with locals who can help you find them.

Traveling to Crested Butte

You’ll find that Crested Butte is basically located in the middle of the state, which ends up being about a 4-5 hour drive from the Denver airport. It’s far away from the city which is what gives it that small town feel that is far less busy than other locations near Denver.

How to get there

This doesn’t mean it’s difficult to get there. There are a few different options to travel here; one being driving from the Denver airport, which in our opinion is the most economical and scenic route. You’ll get to pass by a few other mountain towns and passes depending on the route you take. Gunnison Airport is also only 30 minutes away so it can also be a good option if driving an extra 4 hours isn’t your thing. There are connecting flights from Denver to the Gunnison airport. You can also fly into Montrose airport and drive 2 hours instead of 4. 

Winter road closures 

Winter adds another layer to the driving experience into Crested Butte as many mountain pass roads close meaning you’ll have to take longer routes to get to the town. 

Car rental

We 100% recommend renting a car to get around as public transportation isn’t the best in most mountain towns.  Preferably, renting an SUV with some clearance and/or 4×4 will be a good idea so you aren’t limited on the locations you can go to. Most of the best drive-up elopement locations in Crested Butte will be up dirt, mountain roads so a capable car is a must. If you plan staying in town and the surrounding areas you definitely can get by with a regular sedan though. 

Winter in Crested Butte

Crested Butte looks like a picture perfect snowglobe each winter – snow covers the town and the surrounding mountains, and it’s truly a winter wonderland. Crested Butte Mountain Resort is one of the best ski areas in the country, with steep slopes and beautiful views. So whether you’re skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, or just enjoying the gingerbread-esque town covered in white, a winter elopement is guaranteed to be a beautiful, unique experience.

Spring in Crested Butte

When the ski resort closes in early April and the crowds die down, spring is a really peaceful time for an elopement. As the snow melts, rivers and waterfalls are in full force. March is actually the snowiest month of the year, so if you’re hoping to avoid that, late spring is your best bet – though higher elevations will still be covered in snow and a lot of locations will still not be accessible.

The Best Places To Elope In Crested Butte

It’s always unclear where exactly you can elope in mountain towns like Crested Butte because there are just too many options. Many of the locations you’ll find are not “designated” elopement venues, they just happen to be trails, open spaces, dirt roads on public and BLM lands. 

Crested Butte has some unique locations from turquoise lakes to waterfalls to tall mountain passes. We aren’t going to share all of our best kept spots, but here’s an idea of the type of locations you can elope at in Crested Butte:

Alpine lakes

Crested Butte is full of alpine lakes that feel like a dream. You can find beautiful, accessible turquoise lakes to remote alpine lakes surrounded by tall mountain peaks and trees. 

Some of our faves are Lake Irwin, which is an easy to reach spot with beautiful mountain views. Peanut Lake is also gorgeous and close to town if you want to elope with any family present. 

Anywhere down Gothic Road 

This is a prime example of what we mean when we say there isn’t a specific “spot” for your elopement when you elope in nature. You can find multiple pull off spots down Gothic Road that are perfect for the most epic photos in nature. 

Mountain Passes

If you’re not into hiking to your elopement spot, picking a mountain pass you can drive up to will give you top of the mountain views without all that hard work to get to it. Some mountain passes in Crested Butte are paved but most are not. Make sure you rent a 4×4 vehicle or hire a driver if you  don’t feel comfortable heading up mountain passes. Kebler Pass is a fully paved pass, and it’s insane during the fall foliage season with tons of unique views!

How to Get Legally Married When You Elope in Crested Butte

Eloping in Colorado is the easiest thing ever which is why it’s the best place for elopements.  You’ll need to apply for a marriage license to legally marry here and it can be obtained at any county clerk’s office in the state, so choose one that’s convenient for you. The closest one to Crested Butte is the Clerk and Recorder in Gunnison.

You’ll both need to visit the office in person to fill out a marriage license application – though some counties allow online applications. Some offices might require an appointment, so make sure to check before you go. You’ll need an ID, and $30.

Then, you’ll get the marriage license the same day. There’s no waiting period, which means you can use it right away, but the signed license does need to be submitted back to the issuing office within 63 days.

Colorado makes eloping easy, so no officiant or witness signatures are required. All you need is both of your signatures, and once the marriage license is returned, it’ll be official.

Crested Butte Elopement Permits

Depending on where you choose to elope in Crested Butte you might need a special use permit to elope there. Your first step is finding out who manages the land and reaching out to them for information. Researching whether a permit is needed can honestly be a pain with information all over the place. Some areas don’t require a permit if it’s just you two, but that is not always the case. Don’t stress about figuring it all out though. Permit information and logistics is included in every location guide that we send to the couples that we work with.

Activities that can make your elopement experience unique

Your elopement day isn’t just a ceremony, it’s a whole experience. Imagine starting your morning with a slow coffee on your cabin porch, mist still hanging over the mountains. Maybe you off-road to a hidden alpine lake for your vows, or hike through wildflower meadows so vibrant it feels unreal. You could go horseback riding down scenic trails, canoe at sunset, or toast with local brews downtown before soaking in a hot tub under a blanket of stars.

Activities turn your elopement from a photoshoot into a story you’ll feel every time you think back on it. Here are a few Crested Butte based activities you could incorporate into your day:

• Canoe and picnic next to one of the many alpine lakes
• Take the Silver Queen Chairlift and hike to the top of Mt. Crested Butte
• Paddle board down the Slate River with Wheelies & Waves.
• Book a 4×4 tour to drive up some fun, rocky roads with views out of this world with JJ’s Jeeps
• Access some epic trails via horseback with Fantasy Ranch Outfitters
• Drive up the dirt roads for epic stargazing

Photographable places to stay in Crested Butte

Booking a beautiful place not only enhances your experience but also makes for gorgeous photographs. An aesthetic setting for your getting ready photos is going to make a huge difference in the feel of your complete album. It’s also great for post-elopement activities that can be artfully photographed like a candlelit dinner, hot tub & champagne celebrations, etc. These are examples of amazing places that will elevate your elopement experience:

• Eleven Scarp Ridge Lodge
• Eleven Sopris House
• The Outpost
• Lofts at Public House 
• Elk Mountain Lodge
• Crested Butte Airbnb’s

Tips for choosing a photogenic place to stay:

When choosing a place to stay, look for one that feels both beautiful and functional for photos. Spaces with plenty of natural light, neutral or earthy tones, and thoughtful design details like plants, wood textures, or cozy textiles tend to photograph best. Make sure there’s enough room to move around, and bonus points if the property has stunning outdoor views or unique features like a porch, hot tub, or fireplace. Most importantly, pick a space that matches your personality and vibe. The more it feels like you, the more natural and effortless your photos will look.

Things they don’t tell you about eloping in smaller mountain towns

You’ll find that in Crested Butte lodging will be a little bit more difficult to find due to it being a smaller area. This means that lodging can also be priced a bit more than other areas but if you plan well in advance, you should have an easier time finding a beautiful place. Wildflower season can be especially difficult to find lodging for obvious reasons so make sure you plan well ahead to find a perfect place. 

Finding vendors can also be a challenge because of where the town is located. The largest town nearby is Gunnison-which means you may have to find a local vendor from that town to service your elopement. We travel throughout the entire state so this is no problem if you decide to work with us. We also give you vendor recommendations for Crested Butte specifically so you can take out the guesswork of who travels here. 

The last thing that nobody talks about with small town mountain elopements: A lot of service hours for restaurants and shops can be incorrect and close early. Keep in mind that most of these shops are locally owned so it’s just something to think about! It’s a small town but there are enough restaurants and shops to enjoy during your stay.

What can the day look like? Real elopements we’ve helped photograph, film and plan in Crested Butte:

Ready to start planning your elopement experience in Crested Butte?