Best Places to Elope in Colorado

WHERE TO ELOPE IN COLORADO

Alright, so you’re here because you’re searching for the best places to elope in Colorado, and chances are you want your location to feel as adventurous as your relationship. I’m Sean, a native Coloradan who’s been photographing elopements across these mountains for years. I’ve built 450+ elopement days across this state. My couples have stood in places most people have never heard of, and I know exactly which spots will make your jaw drop and which ones are secretly a nightmare.

You’ve probably already scoured endless eloping in Colorado blogs drowning in the same recycled advice and stock photo energy. That stops here. I’m not just going to tell you what’s pretty. I’ll tell you what’s actually right for you, including the regions I’d steer you away from depending on what you’re after.

One thing upfront: I don’t publish the exact names of my best hidden spots here. That’s intentional. Part of what you’re getting when you hire me is access to locations I’ve spent years finding and protecting. What I will do is give you an honest breakdown of every major spot: the good, the overhyped, and who it’s actually built for. Think of this guide as the trailhead for your inspiration and we’ll reach the summit together later.

So grab your gear, crack a beer, and let’s get into the best places to elope in Colorado!

WHAT ARE THE BEST PLACES TO ELOPE IN COLORADO?

Colorado’s top elopement locations include the San Juan Mountains, Telluride, Breckenridge, Maroon Bells, Rocky Mountain National Park, and Great Sand Dunes.

Picking the right location is the most important decision in this whole elopement process. Not because any of these places are bad. They’re all incredible. But the right one for you depends on your season, your adventure level, whether you’re bringing guests, and what kind of day you actually want to have.

There are also some real mountain considerations — altitude, weather, and trail access — that should factor into your decision before you fall in love with a spot.

That’s why every couple I work with fills out a questionnaire before I send a single location suggestion. The list below is the starting point. The real conversation happens after. Want to start on the planning first? Check out my how to elope in Colorado guide!

SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS

I started shooting elopements in the San Juans eight years ago, back when almost nobody was talking about this part of Colorado for elopements. It’s blown up since then, and I’ll be honest, that’s a little bittersweet, but the range is so massive that I’m still finding new elopement locations every season. It’s one of the reasons I eventually packed up and moved to Ridgeway. Living here means my couples get access to spots that no photographer flying in for the weekend will ever find.

You can base yourself in one town and have a completely different elopement experience depending on which direction you point the jeep. Jagged volcanic peaks, turquoise alpine lakes, wildflower meadows that don’t look real, and 4×4 roads that lead to places most people don’t know exist. The Weminuche Wilderness is one of my favorite areas in the entire state, the largest wilderness area in Colorado and one of the most remote. If you want to feel genuinely far from the world on your wedding day, this is where I take couples who mean it.

The honest caveat is that it’s a serious drive from Denver, but that distance is also exactly what protects it from the crowds that have taken over closer spots.

ASPEN

Everyone knows about Maroon Bells and yes, it’s stunning, I’ll get to it below. But some of my favorite places around Aspen are the ones that take real effort to reach. I remember scouting a backcountry lake out here for an elopement years ago, and couples still ask me about those photos. That’s the thing about the Elk Range, the iconic stuff is just the surface. Go deeper and it gets even better!

Independence Pass is an easy go-to recommendations for couples who want sweeping high alpine views without a long hike. You’re at 12,095 feet with panoramic views in every direction and the access is straightforward. Backpacking in this area has some of the most rewarding approaches in the state for couples who want a genuine backcountry experience but most of the Maroon Bells wilderness requires a competitive permit.

For couples who want the views without the Aspen price tag, staying in Basalt, Twin Lake or Carbondale gives you the same access with a lot more breathing room. Easy access to Twin Lakes, Snowmass, and Independence Pass means there’s no shortage of options at every difficulty level.

VAIL

The trails in Vail are genuinely tough: long approaches, serious elevation gain, views you absolutely work for. Fall turns the aspen corridors in Vail valley gold in a way that’s hard to put into words. Winter is great for winter elopements with some of the best skiing and snowboarding you will find in Colorado. One thing to know is that a lot of trailheads in Vail start in residential neighborhoods, so park respectfully and don’t be the tourist who gets a ticket on their elopement day.

Vail is also where I shot my first backpacking elopement, and that day permanently shaped how I approach adventure elopements. The couple carried everything they needed overnight into the backcountry, earned every step of it, and woke up on their wedding morning completely alone in the mountains with no one else around for miles. If that sounds like your kind of elopement day, the Gore Range is built for exactly that. Type 3 fun is to be had in Vail!

BRECKENRIDGE

I spend a lot of time capturing elopements in the Summit County area of Colorado, where the adventures are endless. I especially love the sunrise hikes here, as most of them are western facing, giving off some amazing morning alpenglow! Whether it’s a chill Jeep ride up Boreas Pass or a hike to alpine lakes surrounded by wildflowers in summer or vibrant foliage in fall, the options on both sides of the Continental Divide are abundant.

Sapphire Point is one of the most stunning family ceremony spots in Colorado. It’s a short walk from the parking area with a lakeside overlook that photographs beautifully in every season. But here’s what most people don’t know: Windy Point is right down the road, equally stunning, and almost nobody goes there. That’s the kind of local knowledge that changes what your day looks like. Beyond those two, Summit County has more family-friendly ceremony spots than almost anywhere else in Colorado and I can match couples to the right one based on their group size and what they want the day to feel like.

Check out my guide for Breckenridge elopements and choose your adventure!

BOULDER

What I love most about Boulder for elopements is that it’s a gateway to the Indian Peaks Wilderness, which gives you the high alpine experience without the permit lottery that makes Rocky Mountain National Park so stressful to plan around. That’s a huge deal for couples who want the dramatic peaks and alpine lakes without crossing their fingers in a reservation system!

The Chautauqua Park area just outside Boulder has some of the best family ceremony spots in Colorado. Places like Sunrise Amphitheater are super accessible, beautiful, and with the Flatirons as your backdrop, it works for groups of all sizes. For couples who want to go deeper, the Nederland and Eldora area up the canyon opens up access to jagged peaks and alpine lakes that most people don’t associate with Boulder at all. Lake Isabelle is one of my favorites but there is so much more!

I always give a stop to Cross Cut pizza with couples after their elopement. Some of the best pizza in the state!

TELLURIDE

I live 40 minutes from Telluride and shoot here constantly. That should tell you something. I’ve photographed more sunrises over this box canyon than I can count at this point, and it still gets me every time I drive in. Bridal Veil Falls is practically in town, the free gondola gives you elevated terrain without hiking, and the surrounding passes connect to the broader San Juans for full adventure days. This town is super pricey and has some influencer vibes, but these mountains are still full of type 3 fun.

Read my complete Telluride elopement guide for permits, ceremony spots, best seasons, and where to stay.

GRANBY

Granby is my pick for couples who want the Indian Peaks Wilderness without the crowds that come in from the Boulder side. The trails in Granby are longer and more demanding and almost nobody talks about this area for elopements, which means you get a genuinely remote experience that’s getting harder to find in Colorado. You can also find the backdoor into Rocky Mountain National Park via Trail Ridge Road from this side, which opens up a whole other world of options. The fact that almost no one talks about Granby as an elopement destination is exactly what makes it worth considering. Win for you!

What I love about Granby is that the distance filters people out. The couples who come here are the ones who actually want to be somewhere remote, and that intention carries through into the day. Winter Park and Mary Jane are right here too, more local, less resort polish, and better tailgating on weekends. Pack your PBRs so you don’t stick out.

BRAINARD LAKE

Do you want some big views? Brainard, accessible by car, it’s like stepping into a postcard with those jaw-dropping views of the surrounding Indian Peaks. I still remember the first time I laid eyes on it almost a decade ago – utterly mesmerized doesn’t even begin to cover it. Despite its growing popularity and the permits they’ve had to introduce over the years, there’s something about Brainard Lake that keeps pulling me back time and time again. Trust me, once you experience its beauty for yourself, you’ll understand exactly why!

Brainard Lake sits at the trailhead of 10 different hiking trails and stands out as one of my favorite spots during the summer. Don’t miss the chance to trek up to Lake Isabelle, which was my first Colorado hike, for some truly epic views! You’re welcome to host your ceremony at Brainard Lake, but parking can be tough. Smaller groups help manage this and respect the area’s serenity for other visitors. If you have a larger group of family, I suggest going towards Boulder and renting out a spot there after your photos at Brainard.

GEORGETOWN & IDAHO SPRINGS

Georgetown is like like a hidden treasure chest of everything you could want when eloping in Colorado. Some of my favorite elopement spots in the entire state are tucked right in the backyard of Georgetown, and almost no one outside of locals knows about them. When the gate opens up at the pass for the summer, the scenery gets seriously stunning fast, but it fills with 14er hikers on weekends.

Georgetown is one of the most convenient elopement destinations in Colorado for couples flying into Denver, about 45 minutes from the airport and already deep in the mountains. Head up Guanella Pass and you have trails, a 14er, and 13ers with approaches far less crowded than their more famous counterparts. St. Mary’s Glacier gives you a genuine alpine experience year-round. Or take a Jeep up a pass and catch one of the best sunsets on the Front Range.

The small-town character here is authentic in a way that bigger resort towns have lost. After your ceremony, local breweries and that genuine Colorado mountain-town feel make for a natural end to the day. One thing I always tell couples: weekdays only. Georgetown and Idaho Springs sit right on I-70 and weekend traffic from Denver is relentless. A weekday elopement here means empty trailheads and a completely different experience.

BUENA VISTA

Buena Vista is a place I want every couple to experience as its own destination, not just a pitstop on the way somewhere else. The Collegiate Peaks dominate the Buena Vista skyline, the town is genuinely walkable and full of character, and Mount Princeton Hot Springs is close enough to soak in after your ceremony, which is one of the better post-elopement traditions I can recommend anywhere in the state!

For the elopement itself, Cottonwood Pass is one of my favorite spots in Colorado: a paved road that takes you to 12,000 feet with 360 degree views of the peaks around you. No serious hiking required and the payoff is enormous. In summer the alpine basins up here are full of wildflowers. In fall the entire valley shifts color in a way that rivals anywhere in the state. Read more about my

Bonus points: BV is right in the middle of a bunch of good places like Aspen, Breck, and CB.

CRESTED BUTTE

I still remember my first elopement in Crested Butte. I had heard about the wildflowers but nothing prepares you for what the Gothic valley looks like in July when you’re up there with a couple on their elopement day. The density and variety of the blooms, the scale of it against the peaks, the way the whole valley just erupts. I’ve shown couples photos from that first trip and had them immediately say that’s the elopement they want.

There’s a popular alpine lake out here that shows up on every photography blog and Instagram feed, and it’s genuinely beautiful. But what I love about Crested Butte is that there are places just as expansive and just as stunning a short distance away that most people never find. Less traffic, same views, completely different feel. That’s where I take couples who want the Crested Butte experience without sharing it.

Kebler Pass in fall is an aspen explosion that rivals anything in Colorado. The back roads reward couples who want to slow down and actually be somewhere rather than just pass through it. The honest caveat is that it’s Crested Butte is 4.5 hour drive from Denver, and that distance is also exactly what protects it.

GARDEN OF THE GODS & COLORADO SPRINGS

Garden of the Gods is genuinely one of the most visually distinct elopement locations in Colorado. Those towering red sandstone formations against the backdrop of Pikes Peak create a landscape that looks like nowhere else in the state, dramatic, ancient, and completely different from the alpine aesthetic most couples picture when they think of Colorado elopements. For couples who want something striking and accessible without high elevation or a long hike, this is one of the best options in the state.

The light here in the early morning is incredible, warm pink hitting red rock before the crowds arrive. I always recommend getting in early and being strategic about which of the six designated ceremony spots you use. They’re free and first-come-first-served which is a genuine advantage, but on a peak summer weekend you’ll be sharing the park with a lot of people. Weekday mornings are a completely different experience.

Colorado Springs has more going for it beyond Garden of the Gods too. There is some amazing places for elopement photos around here that most people have never heard of. And Pikes Peak gives you summit shots at 14,115 feet if you want to go big. It’s a surprisingly deep region for elopements once you start exploring beyond the obvious.

MAROON BELLS AMPHITHEATER

The Maroon Bells are the two most photographed peaks in Colorado and for good reason! Standing in front of them is one of those moments that justifies your elopement. But here’s something most couples don’t know about Maroon Bells: some of my favorite shoots here happen before the permit system kicks in at the end of May. Before the official wedding season starts, you can drive or even bike up to the Bells, the crowds are a fraction of what they are in summer, and the privacy feels completely different. If your date is flexible, that window is worth considering seriously.

Once the season opens, fall is the peak moment golden aspens against the peaks with first snow sometimes hitting at the same time.

There is a $200 application fee to elope in Maroon Bells Wilderness Area. You can reserve your Maroon Bells ceremony spot at recreation.gov.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK

RMNP is beautiful and I want to be straight with you about it rather than just hype it because it’s famous. Iconic spots like Dream Lake, Bear Lake, and Sprague Lake are genuinely stunning and worth it if you can get the permits or don’t care about privacy. The problem is that permits have gotten more competitive every single year and they sell out fast, sometimes months in advance for popular dates. If RMNP is your dream, start at least a year out and go in knowing the lottery system is real!

For couples who want that Indian Peaks wilderness feel without the permit stress, the Boulder and Granby areas give you something very similar with a lot more flexibility and a lot less anxiety in the planning process. Trail Ridge Road above treeline is one of the most dramatic drives in the country and worth doing regardless of where your ceremony ends up.

The ceremony fee is $300 for a reserved location. Check out my Rocky Mountain National Park elopement guide for the full permit breakdown and designated spot details.

GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK

I shot a friend’s elopement at the Great Sand Dunes and I still think about that day. There were three of us standing in the middle of North America’s tallest sand dunes with the Sangre de Cristo Mountains rising behind us and it genuinely felt like we were the only people on earth. That feeling of total remoteness in a place that looks like it shouldn’t exist in Colorado is something I haven’t experienced anywhere else in the state.

The Sand Dunes are otherworldly in a way that photos don’t fully capture, rippling sand against a 14,000-foot mountain backdrop, the scale of it, and the silence once you get away from the trailhead. It’s a completely different aesthetic from the alpine elopements that dominate Colorado photography and that’s exactly what makes it special. If you want something that looks like nothing else, this is it!

On moonless nights the stargazing out here is some of the best in the state thanks to the dark sky designation. If you’re open to a sunset-into-stars elopement, the Great Sand Dunes is one of very few places in Colorado where that works as a complete visual story from ceremony to nightfall.

Permit fees range from $50 to $250 depending on group size.

LET’S GET STARTED ON YOUR COLORADO ELOPEMENT!

I’m Sean. I moved to Colorado 14 years ago and spent the first few years just exploring every corner of the state I could find. Eight years ago I started doing elopements in Colorado and it clicked immediately.

Hundreds of couples later and I’m still going out before sunrise to find those hidden locations, fixing broken dress zippers mid-elopement, and building days where couples tell me they completely forgot I was even there. That the whole thing felt natural and unscripted, like hanging out with an old friend who just happened to be capturing everything. I’ve had couples deal with weather that had no business being on their wedding day, and their friends and family still couldn’t stop raving about the photos. That’s what I’m after every single time!

This place is not a backdrop to me. It’s home. That’s the difference between hiring someone who flies in for your elopement and hiring someone who genuinely lives in the mountains you’re getting married in. My work has been featured in Authority Magazine, Business Insider, SLR Lounge, and Wedding Maps.

Sound like the perfect match? Check out my All Inclusive Elopement Packages and reach out if you’re ready to elope in Colorado!

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COLORADO ELOPEMENT GALLERY INSPIRATION

Need a little inspiration for eloping in Colorado? Check out these stunners for what your day could look like! But remember, each day is crafted uniquely for each couple, so these galleries are intended to be sources of inspiration for starting points!

COLORADO ELOPEMENT RESOURCES

Still exploring? Check out these other blogs for location guides, and other resources to make your Colorado elopement epic and special!

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