Table of Contents:
- Best Places to Elope in Northern Colorado
- Best Places to Elope in Central Colorado
- Best Places to Elope in Southern Colorado
- Best Places to Elope in Western Colorado
- Colorado Elopement Photographer & Videographer
- Ultimate Colorado Elopement Guide
We recently published a whole Colorado elopement guide, a Telluride guide, AND a Rocky Mountain National Park guide – so we figured we’d keep up the Colorado love & come out with a full list of the best places to elope in Colorado! This is the guide for you if you know you want to elope in Colorado, but you’re not quite sure what location is right for your big day. We’ve compiled all of the best elopement locations in northern, central, southern, & western Colorado, so you have plenty of options across the state to choose from. Hopefully one of these places fits exactly what you’re looking for and ends up being the perfect destination for your dream Colorado elopement!!
Best Places to Elope in Northern Colorado
Let’s start off with all of the best northern Colorado elopement locations!
If you’re eloping in northern Colorado, we recommend flying into Denver International Airport (DEN) and renting a car to get to your elopement location. The best time to elope in northern Colorado depends on what your priorities are: if you’re aiming for the best weather for outdoor activities, then the best time of year to elope in northern Colorado is between May-September. If you want to elope when there will be the fewest crowds, then the best time to elope in northern Colorado is between November-April!
Rocky Mountain National Park
We’ll start with one of the most iconic elopement locations in the whole state: Rocky Mountain National Park! This park is truly a dream come true for couples who love being in the mountains and exploring a variety of stunning landscapes, from wildflower meadows to subalpine forests to jagged mountain peaks. There’s over 200,000 acres for you to explore, so you definitely won’t run out of things to do with your friends & fam if you elope in RMNP!
Some of our personal favorite elopement locations within the park include:
Distance from airport: 1 hr 15 min
Entrance fee: $30
Permit required: Special Use Permit
Feeling like RMNP might be the right elopement location for you? Don’t miss our Ultimate Rocky Mountain National Park Elopement Guide to help you plan your big day!
Estes Park
Estes Park is a great option if you want to elope close to RMNP, but you don’t really want to go through the process of applying for a permit and crossing your fingers that you’re able to get one. Estes Park offers scenery that’s just as gorgeous, with plenty of trails, luxurious mountain resorts, and lush forests to meander through together! It’s the perfect place for a mountain getaway, and gives you easy access to RMNP if you do want to head into the park for some casual portraits outside of your actual ceremony.
Distance from airport (DEN): 1 hr 15 min
Winter Park
Winter Park is one of the most popular mountain vacation destinations in Colorado because of its awesome skiing opportunities in the winter, and gorgeous landscapes + warm weather in the summer! The wildflower meadows, views of the Rocky Mountains, and abundance of outdoor activities (camping, hiking, boating, you name it!) make Winter Park a really great place to elope and spend quality time with your family & friends.
Distance from airport (DEN): 1.5 hrs
Indian Peaks Wilderness
Located about 30 minutes from RMNP, the Indian Peaks Wilderness is a stunning wilderness area (who could’ve guessed?) that covers over 70,000 acres of land. Explore over 100 miles of trails via a quick hike or an overnight backpacking trip, or check out the vibrant alpine lakes with the mountains in the background – no matter where you choose to spend your time, the Indian Peaks Wilderness makes for yet another great elopement location outside the confines of the national park nearby.
Distance from airport (DEN): 1.5 hrs
Entrance fee: $11
Permit required: None for groups of under 75 people
Boulder
Want to stay in a larger urban area with delicious food, breweries, & a fun downtown area, but still have access to plenty of outdoor activities? Boulder is a great place to elope, nestled in the foothills of the Rockies and surrounded by tons of exciting things to do, whether you elope on your own or with a few loved ones who you want to spend time exploring with. Check out the art galleries, cafes, boutiques, & museums of downtown Boulder, or head to the mountains for an epic hike!
Distance from airport (DEN): 40 min
Breckenridge
If you’d prefer a true escape into the mountains over a stay in a more urban area, you can’t miss out on Breckenridge. With world-class skiing, year-round alpine activities, and a fascinating history, Breckenridge is a freaking stunning mountain town in northern Colorado. It’s actually one of the most well-known ski destinations in the world thanks to its luxurious ski resort & world-class snow skiing opportunities, so if that’s your vibe – then spending some time in Breckenridge for your Colorado elopement is a must!
Distance from airport (DEN): 1 hr 45 min
Denver
Finally, if you want to truly be in the city, we absolutely love Denver – a.k.a. the “Mile High City!” Best known for its close proximity to the Rockies, adventurous culture, and breathtaking landscapes, Denver is an awesome place to elope if you want to be close to MANY fun things to do, from hiking in the mountains to living it up in the city at night with your friends & fam. Check out the Mount Evans Scenic Byway for some o the best views in the state, and definitely explore the many delicious restaurants, beautiful gardens, and museums/zoos that the city has to offer.
Distance from airport (DEN): 30 min
Best Places to Elope in Central Colorado
Moving onto the most epic central Colorado elopement locations! If you’re eloping in central Colorado, we recommend flying into Denver International Airport (DEN) and driving a rental car to your elopement location. You could also fly into the Colorado Springs Airport (COS), but costs will likely be a bit higher. We’ll be using DEN as a reference for these central Colorado elopement locations!
The best time to visit central Colorado for the warmest weather, and the best opportunities for hiking, biking, water sports, etc. is from June to October. If you want to elope with fewer crowds around, the best time to elope would be from April to May and October to mid-December!
Colorado Springs
If you want to elope in more of a desert environment (did you even know Colorado had anything but mountains?!), then Colorado Springs is an incredible option! Located at the eastern foot of the Rockies, Colorado Springs is home to Garden of the Gods (which we’ll talk about more in a minute), unique biodiversity from the grasslands up into the mountains, and a wide array of outdoor activities such as climbing, horseback riding, biking, and hiking. It’s a really cool area to explore that’s pretty different from the more classically alpine, snowy, mountainous regions of Colorado!
Distance from airport (DEN): 1 hr 10 min
Garden of the Gods
Garden of the Gods is one of the coolest nature preserves in Colorado, and one that many people don’t even know about. This National Natural Landmark boasts the most breathtaking views, with the mountains in the distance and 300-foot red sandstone rock formations in the foreground. These massive rock formations are absolutely epic to see in person, and the park is totally free to enter, making it a great place to visit with your friends & family if you don’t want to pay any large entrance fees! It’s also a rad place to hike, climb, bike, and even take a segway or Jeep tour.
Distance from airport (DEN): 1 hr 10 min
Entrance fee: None
Permit required: Special Event Permit required only for groups of over 50 people
Best Places to Elope in Southern Colorado
Let’s head down to all the best southern Colorado elopement locations! While the closest major airport to southern Colorado is still Denver International Airport (DEN), there are a few regional airports that you can fly into to get closer to your elopement location. We recommend flying into Telluride Regional Airport (KTEX) for locations in southwest Colorado, and San Luis Valley Airport (ALS) for locations further east.
If you’re dreaming of an elopement full of outdoor adventure into the mountains, the best time to elope in southern Colorado is between June and October, whereas the least crowded time of year is typically between April to May and October to mid-December.
Ouray
Ouray is a great little mountain town to visit in southwest Colorado, nestled right in the San Juan Mountains. It was actually nicknamed the “Switzerland of America” thanks to its jaw-dropping mountain scenery, hot springs, and plentiful alpine activities to take part in. You’ll love Ouray if you love to ski, you want to be surrounded by rugged canyons, and you want to have a cute little downtown area to explore. We photographed Ali & Phil’s elopement a while back, and we explored a couple of stunning waterfalls in Ouray with them – check out the pics here!
Distance from airport (KTEX): 1 hr
Telluride
If you’re looking for a mountain town that’s gorgeous year-round, boasts incredible views with alpine lakes, wildflower meadows, & breathtaking waterfalls, and has endless trails for hiking and mountain biking, then you will LOVE Telluride. Located in the southwest corner of Colorado near the Utah border, Telluride is one of the most scenic mountain towns in the country, packed to the brim with opportunities for outdoor adventure and endless beautiful spots to explore. If you elope in Telluride in the summer, don’t miss out on the phenomenal hiking & biking opportunities, and if you elope in Telluride in the winter, be sure to take advantage of the epic skiing & snowboarding!
Distance from airport (KTEX): 15 min
For more info about how to elope in Telluride, be sure to check out our Full Telluride Elopement Guide!
Great Sand Dunes National Park
Once again, we’re about to surprise you with another desert elopement location in Colorado: Great Sand Dunes National Park! Home to the tallest dunes in North America, this national park makes for an absolutely epic setting for elopements, with massive rolling dunes, harsh sunlight & shadows, and incredible stargazing opportunities. The park spans over 30 miles and can be visited year-round, but we definitely recommend visiting when the sky will be clear + stars will be out, if you’re able to!
Distance from airport (ALS): 35 min
Entrance fee: $25
Permit required: Special Use Permit
Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park is a crazy cool park in southwest Colorado that features thousands of archaeological sites, well-preserved Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings, and scenic overlooks with views of the panoramic canyons. It’s a really unique park to visit, with a variety of fascinating rock carvings and historical features that you should definitely spend some time learning about. You literally get a peek at what the lives were like of the Ancestral Pueblo people who lived there 1400 years ago – what a freaking cool opportunity!
Closest major airport (KTEX): 1 hr 30 min
Entrance fee: $20-30
Permit required: Special Use Permit
Best Places to Elope in Western Colorado
And finally, here are the best elopement locations in western Colorado. There are two regional airports we’d recommend flying into for these western Colorado elopement locations: Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ) and Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport (GUC). If you want to enjoy the beautiful trails and high-elevation mountain passes that western Colorado has to offer, the best time for your elopement will be between June and October! If you’d rather visit when there are fewer crowds, we recommend eloping in western Colorado between November and April.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Located in western Colorado, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is pretty much Colorado’s version of the Grand Canyon: it’s an insanely steep & narrow canyon along the Gunnison River that offers some of the most epic scenery in the area. The dark canyon walls & vast scenery is pretty awe-inspiring, especially since the canyon has been carved & sculpted through granite for thousands of years. There are multiple overlooks throughout the park, each offer different vantage points that are absolutely worth visiting!
Distance from airport (MTJ): 25 min
Entrance fee: $30
Permit required: Special Use Permit
Crested Butte
Lastly, Crested Butte is another popular town in the Rocky Mountains that’s famous for its skiing, mountain biking, and gorgeous wildflower meadows that have even deemed it the “Wildflower Capital of Colorado.” The vibrant wildflowers spanning across the lush green subalpine meadows are a freaking breathtaking sight to see, which is why we recommend visiting in late June and July (wildflower season!). There are a ton of trails where you can see these wildflowers and enjoy the surrounding views, as well!
Distance from airport (GUC): 40 min
Colorado Elopement Photographer & Videographer
Now that you have a better idea of where you want to elope in Colorado, you’re going to need somebody to document the big day, right?
*Cue: us*
We’re T & Corey, a Colorado elopement photography & videography duo! Check out our Colorado elopement photography & videography packages here, and then we’d LOVE to chat with you about your elopement if you feel like we’d be a good fit to capture your day. Hit us up here so we can start planning your epic adventure together🤩
Ultimate Colorado Elopement Guide
If you’d like further help planning your Colorado elopement & want some tips when it comes to getting your marriage license, finding a place to stay, and how to get the correct permits, head over to our Ultimate Colorado Elopement Guide next!
