Scenic Colorado Elopement Locations
You started planning your Colorado elopement, and its time to pick that epic location! Colorado is home to a variety of landscapes to choose for your elopement. Ranging from high alpine lakes, mountain views, forests and even desert landscape- Colorado is a pretty diverse state. We spend so much time exploring and stumbling upon all the gems this state has to offer and want to share them with you! We know that choosing a Colorado Elopement location is not an easy task because the options are endless. If you need help choosing that perfect spot, contact us and let us help you through the process!
Below is a list of some of the best places to elope in Colorado:
Best Places To Elope In Colorado In The Mountains
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain has to be one of our favorite locations for elopements! Although they have only 12 designated ceremony locations where you can legally have your ceremony, the park offers an array of picture worthy options. Along those are popular alpine lakes like Dream lake, Lake haiyaha etc. Trail Ridge Road is a high mountain pass road that offers stunning views and although you can’t get married there- It is totally worth the drive to explore and get a few pictures in! Check out how to get married at Rocky Mountain National Park.
Permit Required: Yes. It is $300 and you need to apply for a commercial use permit or a single session permit online if you are only doing a portrait session and not an elopement/wedding or exchanging vows.
Best Time To Visit: Year-Round
Lake Isabelle
The hike to Lake Isabelle starts by Braniard lake. It is 8.6 mile trail rated as moderate. This hike features 3 lakes: Brainard Lake, Long Lake, and Lake Isabelle. If you walk a bit more you can get to Isabelle glacier which is also really great to see! The hike is rated as moderate but we would say it is more on the easy side! At least that’s other couples think when they elope here!
Permit Required: It depends. Make sure you contact the Boulder Ranger District before any elopement takes place at this location.
Best Times To Visit: June- October. you can snowshoe to this trail in the winter but you do add the mileage from the road closure to brainard lake.
Brainard Lake Recreation Area
Brainard Lake is a super accessible area that can accommodate guests with wheelchairs. It is right off the parking lot thus making it a very busy location. It is a gorgeous spot for fall colors and summer sunsets are killer at this location!
Best Times To Visit: June- Mid October. You can hike down the road from the winter lot when the main road closes.
Permit Required: It depends. Make sure you contact the correct Forest Service District for more information.
Silver Dollar Lake
Silver Dollar Lake is a moderate 4.1 mile trail that features a few lakes and amazing scenery. It is an amazing place suitable for any adventure elopement!
Permit: Yes. Contact National Forest Service for more info.
Best Time To Visit: May-Oct
Permit Required: Yes. You can book a one hour time slot online and the cost is $150 for non-residents or $100 for residents.
One of the larger elopement venues, it is suitable for elopements with guests and sweeping views of Boulder.
Best Times To Visit: May- October
St. Mary’s Glacier
This trail is 1.9 out and back trail that ends at a beautiful alpine lake!
Permit Required:
Best Time To Visit: Year round. You may need to snowshoe in the winter months
Mount Evans
The mountain with the highest paved road in the country that ends on a 14er! You can get amazing 360 views without the hike.
Best time to visit: June-September. The road up closes in the fall due to snowfall.
Permit Required: Yes. Contact Arapaho National Forest For more info.
Crested Butte
Crested Butte has so many options for your elopement. If you are looking to experience colorado wildflowers this is the place to go.
Best time to visit: Year-Round
Permit: It Depends. make sure you contact local authorities for the location you choose to elope.
Independence Pass
Another mountain road pass that is an amazing elopement spot!
Best time to visit: May-Oct
Permit Requirements: It Depends.
San Sophia Overlook
Ride the Gondola up to this epic overlook located in Telluride, Colorado and read your vows surrounded by amazing views.
Permit Requirements: Check out info on pricing on their website.
Best Times To Visit: Year-Round
Maroon Bells
If you haven’t heard about Maroon Bells, do yourself a favor and google it! This spot is seriously an amazing elopement spot nested in Aspen. It is very had to get a wedding permit though due to how popular it has became.
Permit Requirements: Yes. You can reserve a slot on recreation.gov
Best time to visit: June-Oct. You can snowmobile your way there during the winter months
Loveland Pass
San Juan Mountain Range
If we can choose some of our favorite mountain ranges in the state, the San Juans would be high on the list!
Permit Requirements: It depends.
Best Times To Visit: Year-Round
Twin Lakes
Twin lakes has great lake surrounded by mountain views! It is the perfect “Colorado beach” with mountains location. You can kayak and paddle board here to add a bit of adventure!
Permit Requirements: None if your total amount of people including vendors is less than 10. Just pay the daily park fee.
Best time to visit: Year-round
Turquoise Lake
Turquoise Lake is another spot near Leadville that features a nice lake surrounded by mountain vies.
Best time to visit: Year-round
Permit Requirements: None in under 10 people total
Planning A Colorado Adventure Elopement?
Download Our 20 + Page PDF Guide to help you start planning an epic adventure!
Best Places To Elope In Colorado Near Denver
Lost Gulch
Lost Gulch is an amazing overlook right off the parking lot. Although elopements aren’t technically allowed there, it can be used for the most amazing portrait location.
Best Time To Visit: Year Round
Permit Required: Yes. A special event permit may be required, you can find info here. The photography permit is $50 for a single use session and you can apply for it online.
Chautauqua Park
Featuring the famous flatirons in Boulder, Chautauqua Park is a great accessible spot that looks amazing in the summer.
Permit Required: Yes. Make you you apply for a commercial use permit. You can’t elope here with guests but if its just you two you can. If you have guests check out the grassy lawn area for Chautauqua ( can be reserved by calling 303-413-7200)
Best Time To Visit: Year Round
Paint Mines Interpretive Park
If your are looking for one of Colorados most unique elopement places, look no further! Paint mines has a colorful landscape with interesting formations that make you feel like you are in another planet!
Best Time To Visit: Year Round
Permit Required: Yes. For more info check out El Paso County Website.
Mount Falcon West
Imagine eloping and having a mini-moon all at the same time? Thats what eloping at a location like this sounds like!
Permit: Dunton Hot Springs has packages and rates on their site.
Best Times To Visit: Year-Round
Lookout Mountain
Lookout mountain is the perfect spot for couples who want to enjoy their stay in Denver and want a location that does not have a terrible commute with the views!
Permit Requirements: Yes. Permits can be obtained online.
Best Times to visit: Year-Round
Horsetooth Reservoir
If you are into big lakes with awesome views, Horsetooth Reservoir may be the best location for you.
Permit Requirements: Yes. Permits can be obtained online here.
Best Times To Visit: Year-Round
Red Rocks Park In Denver
Roxborough State Park
Garden of The Gods
If you are looking to elope in Colorado Springs, look no further that Garden of the Gods. It is another one of Colorado’s unique elopement places! We highly recommend eloping here on a weekday.
Permit Requirements: None.
Best time to visit: Year-round
Golden Gate Canyon State Park
Hugo and I actually had a small, intimate wedding celebration here! After eloping, we decided to have a nice BBQ style get together here! We hiked to a cute overlook at sunset to read our vows privately at sunset and it was the best!
Permit Requirements: Yes. Golden Gate has a two designated spots for elopements or small weddings. Red Barn Picnic Area and Panorama Point.
Best times to visit: May- Oct
Other Epic Colorado Elopement Spots
The locations mentioned above are some of the most popular spots to elope here in Colorado. Colorado truly has something to offer for everyone and although we can write a book of locations to elope here, it won’t suit your needs scrolling though 100’s of options. One of the services we offer is location scouting for our couples that hire us to work with them. We find beautiful, off the beaten path locations that are suitable for what you envision. Contact us to get started!
Planning Tips For Your Colorado Elopement Location Search
When To Elope
It is super important that you consider what time of the year will be the best time for your Colorado Elopement. Some locations are not accessible year round and depending on the type of scenery you are looking for, you may be restricted on what locations will work. Check out our weather planning guide to learn more about when to elope in Colorado.
Guests
Not all locations in Colorado can accommodate guests unless they have a reservation system in place or you are having less than 10 people total including vendors (photographer, videographer, officiant etc.) If you are looking to have more than 10 people present we highly recommend you look into small wedding venues that can accommodate the number of guests you plan to have.
Leave No Trace
When you choose to elope outdoors, it is so so important that you follow Leave No Trace principles on your special day. We want to leave locations better than we found them and that is a small price to pay for a practically free venue. Leave no trace means:
- Plan ahead and prepare.
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
- Dispose of waste properly.
- Leave what you find.
- Minimize campfire impacts.
- Respect wildlife.
- Be considerate of other visitors.
You can learn more at LNT.ORG
Permits
Most Colorado Locations whether on national forest, public or state lands may require a commercial use permit. This is something that we help couples navigate through if needed! Commercial use permits can run from $0-300 and are usually required for any type of event. Your vendors should also be aware of any permits that they may need as well like photography permits, filming permits etc. Don’t let your day be ruined because you failed to obtain proper permits. We promise it is not too hard to do it the right way!
Colorado Marriage Laws
Colorado is a self-solemnizing state which means you don’t need an officiant or witnesses to get married. You can get married anywhere in the state and it costs $30 to pick up your marriage license. You dogs can sign as witnesses or if you have kids they can as well. Make sure to check the local clerk and recorder offices for any updated rules due to coronavirus such appointment requirements, residency requirements etc.
Need Help Looking For The Perfect Location & Epic Photos/Video To Remember It?
We are Laura +Hugo, Colorado Elopement Photographer/Videographer team at Together We Roam. We help couples find the perfect place to elope in Colorado while also documenting the whole thing with photos and video. We love spending most of our time outdoors and casually coming across some of the best spots to elope in Colorado. We help our #roamingbuddies find the perfect elopement location that is unique to them. Let us help you plan and document your ultimate adventure! Check out out pricing and Contact Us to get started.
Impressive! Thanks for the post.
King regards,
Harrell Cannon