Maiah + Jared Elopement Locations
Hi, you two! Here’s a compilation of location options for your September 18th, 2026 elopement/intimate wedding. As we discussed, with your guest count around 24, your options are more limited for ceremony spots. We want to factor in parking for a handful of cars, room for that many people to move and stand around without negatively impacting the environmental, and ideally a place that can be reserved or at least will likely be open/unused by others at the chosen ceremony time.
On September 18th, 2026, sunset will be around 7:08 PM. A ceremony time of about 4:30 PM might be ideal. Photography coverage time being from about 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM. I lay this out to give you a better understanding of timing as you peruse some options!
Most options I’ve laid out are near Buena Vista/Salida. Anything farther afield (more than 2 hours and 15 minutes from Denver) would require an additional travel fee.
Twin Lakes
I think this is going to be your best option. This area is really beautiful, especially in late September. Because the recreation area is so large, you have your pick of spots and lots of parking nearby. You would need to contact the Forest Service to get any relevant permits as I believe having over 15 guests requires one.
Right off the water is an option. This specific location had a roundabout that allows for parking of maybe 5 or so cars. There’s also a parking lot within a 5 minute walk on a trail or the road. A set of steps leads down onto this rocky and sandy shore from the roundabout. I believe I also saw a set of outhouses nearby, just in case! Take a look below:
Phone photo taken October 3rd, 2025
There are also a handful of place that aren’t right on the water. Small spaces that overlook the shore and still give the view of the peaks in the distance. Spots near parking lots that involve taking a little trail not too far. Again, it would be a similar view as shown above, but just slightly different. Possibly this one here:
Phone photo taken October 3rd, 2025.
Essentially though, you have options right near the lake! This is great because you could send a few people to the ceremony spot ahead of everyone and if there’s already a group of people there, you can have them go to a second options and so on. So while you can’t reserve a location, you can have anyone who gets there early kind of set up some indication that it’s being used, if that makes sense.
All vehicles will need a day use parking permit when parking at Twin Lakes.
There’s also a meadow further into the small town of Twin Lakes. I photograph sessions here fairly often. It’s right beside the public parking area in town and there are bathrooms on site. The meadow is a bunch of tall grasses and there isn’t necessarily an area for that many people to stand without trampling the grasses, but as long as we stick to one spot for the full group, it shouldn’t cause much damage. People walk on this meadow a lot. And so do animals!
You can see a little more of this meadow and the Twin Lakes town (and Independence Pass, which is always a great addition to photos here) on this blog post.
Accommodation/Etc.
You can stay in Buena Vista or Salida or Twin Lakes or Leadville! Depends how far away you care to be from Twin Lakes. Some cool places to stay and eat:
The Surf Hotel and Residences (they also have a great restaurant and it does have a small event dining room that could maybe make a great place for dinner for you and your guests)
Cottonwood Pass
Just west of Buena Vista. If you think you and your guests are up for something particularly adventurous, Cottonwood Pass might be a good option. It’s 12,000 feet in elevation so it’s not for the faint of heart or anyone who might get altitude sickness. But just off the parking lot at the top of the pass, you can take some trails away from the road and get some privacy for a ceremony. It might be a little tough for so many people, but it could be a really cool option with amazing views.
There’s a tiny lake that offers a nice backdrop as well and isn’t far from the parking area. Again, this location isn’t reservable so there’s no guarantee parking will be available or there won’t be other people around. But there are about 30 or so parking spots so should be a good chance of being enough room for everyone (carpooling!)
Image taken from Google Maps
Emerald Lake
Between Leadville and Twin Lakes, Emerald Lake is essentially a smaller, more secluded option to Twin Lakes. Tucked into pine forest and at the end of a dirt road, there’s a small trail around the entire lake and picnic tables scattered throughout. There’s only one parking area and it is on the smaller side, so there’s the risk of it being full by a Friday afternoon in September. But wanted to show it as an option just in case it sparks your fancy. There would be a self-serve day use fee per each car.
Again, someone would likely come ahead to try and claim an area for the ceremony.
You can see and read more about it on AllTrails!
Image taken from Google Maps
Julia’s Deck
We’re getting far away from BV and the surrounding area! But I have some spots to mention that could work great for a larger group. Starting with Julia’s Deck just outside of Vail.
“This observation deck, also known as Julia's Deck, is accessed by an easy 1/8 mile accessible trail. It provides views of the Mount of the Holy Cross and is often reserved for wedding ceremonies. The small wooden deck has 3 benches for seating and can hold approximately 30 people. The parking area can hold up to 10 vehicles and has a vault toilet. Call the Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District to reserve a 2-3 hour time slot during the summer months.” — US Forest Service Website
A great option in the mountains, fully reservable so no stressing about whether it will be available or not. And of course Vail and the surrounding area is beautiful.
This location is off of Shrine Pass Road which is a really lovely with lots of places to gorgeous backdrops.
The deck was recently renovated so I believe it looks a little different than pictures you’ll find online, but it’ll give you the general idea.
Photo from Google
Sapphire Point Overlook
Another reservable ceremony location, this is an easily accessible spot off Dillon Reservoir in the Frisco/Dillon area. Sapphire Point is a popular spot. Reservations are available within 6 months of the event date. Essentially, you would want to get on your computer at exactly midnight on March 18th, I believe to get this reservation. It’s a $120 site fee.
It’s a space that has a nice overlook of the reservoir and is a very short, mere minutes walk from the parking lot.
Take a gander at the website linked above to read more logistical info about the place. And here are two photos from an intimate wedding I photographed here three years ago.
You can stay in Frisco, Dillon, Keystone, or Silverthorne. All towns that kind of blend into one another in the area around the reservoir. There are a lot of Airbnbs/Vrbos in the area. This area also has some of the most lovely and the earliest aspen tree leaves changing so by the time of September 18th, you could have some lovely yellow aspens all around to enjoy!
Frisco Adventure Park Overlook
Right nearby Sapphire Point Overlook is the Frisco Adventure Park. A short walk from a parking lot is this ceremony deck tucked into a forested area.
The Frisco Overlook is in The Frisco Adventure Park. This beautiful overlook site is also in the National Forest of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, and you’ll have the gorgeous Tenmile Mountain Range as your backdrop.
“The ceremony site is a rustic deck tucked into the trees on the peninsula. The deck is 16ft x 20ft with a railing along the back edge and an accessible ramp at the front. The site is surrounded by pines and aspen trees for a remote feel, while being less than 100 yards from the parking lot. Whether you’re looking for an intimate elopement site or a ceremony with 100 of your closest friends and family, this site can accommodate everyone!” — From their website
Images taken from the website
Top of the Pines
Top of the Pines is a venue near Ridgway, Colorado. While it can be used as a more traditional venue, my understanding is that you can also reserve just the meadow and if I’m reading the reservation calendar correctly, the meadow is available on September 18th of next year. Definitely a case of reaching out to the management and seeing what they have to say about availability and logistics if this does interest you!
Ridgway and the San Juan Mountains are a really gorgeous area of Colorado, probably one of my favorites outside of Twin Lakes! There’s so much beauty here and such a great place to explore.
Photo taken from Google Maps
Outside Inn
Headed back toward Salida with this one but it’s a more “traditional” wedding venue. Though still far from traditional! This is a really cool option if you’re looking to splurge. Outside Inn has been around for a few years but they only recently (like, this fall I believe) started hosting weddings. They have a bunch of very cool, very interesting cabins on this large property that feels like a summer camp. Up to 30 guests can stay on site, so perfect you all! And then they have their new wedding ceremony/reception spaces built.
I don’t know about their availability for your weekend but I wanted to showcase it because I just think it’s a really cool place with a lot of fun vibes!
Vrbo Route
Another option will be renting a large Vrbo! Vrbos specifically can be filtered for “allows events” when searching. Airbnb does not offer this feature. So if you wanted to ensure privacy and a place that will absolutely allow space for all of your guests, parking, etc., a vacation rental will be a great option. Some can fit a bunch of your guests as well on site which is a plus!
Here are some options I found that “allow events” (though you’d need to contact management to be sure):
Renee + Chris Elopement Locations near Evergreen, CO
Mount Falcon West Trailhead
About 16 minutes from the inn. A mix of pine trees, open meadow, and views of the surrounding foothills. It’s a very popular location and there are often 4 or 5 other photographers and their family/engagement/etc. shoots happening at once. But you can find little patches of privacy here and there, which we can be sure to do for your actual ceremony.
The photos below were taken in the spring so just note the grass will not be green like this:
Echo Lake Park, Juniper Pass, and nearby meadow
About 19 minutes to 45 minutes from the inn (depending on location). This is a lovely area near Mount Blue Sky that has a small overlook, a lake surrounded by pine trees, and a meadow and aspen grove all within a handful of miles drive of one another. So lots of variety for photos and a lot of room to explore. This session here was taken in the winter so a little more difficult to visualize but it’ll give you an idea of the lookout and the pine trees near the lake. Because it’s quite high in elevation, these spots can get pretty cool. The overlook especially can get very windy. It’s best to pick two out of three locations as all three would take a bit of time to get between. Juniper Pass (the overlook) is in the middle of the two so Echo Lake + Juniper Pass would be a good combo. Or the meadow + Juniper Pass.
Google Maps Location for meadow
Google Maps Location for Juniper Pass
Google Maps Location for Echo Lake
And then below is a photo taken in the nearby meadow and aspen grove (taken in late June so just beware, would not look green like this):
Beaver Brook Watershed East
About 16 minutes from the inn. There's also a hike I've yet to do in that same area mentioned above that leads to a reservoir overlook. I believe the hike to the overlook is about a mile, maybe less. It’s a combination of pine forest, meadow, and views of the reservoir. Here's a blog post that shows some images of how that looks: https://www.adventurable.com/adventure/beaver-brook-watershed
Again, I haven't actually done this hike but I’d be happy to do it beforehand to see how it looks and report back more info. Here’s a photo below from that blog post:
Image from adventurable.com
Loveland Pass
Located about 50+ minutes from the inn. I know it’s further! But I wanted to give you one option that’s more in the mountains. This is a great “bang for your buck” kind of place. It’s a mountain pass at almost 12,000 feet of elevation. Easy to get to with stunning views of the surrounding peaks. It also has two little lakes. It is a popular spot but there's a lot of space so it usually doesn't get too crowded. Of course, because of the altitude, it could be wild weather/windy/super cold in mid-October. But it’s a very beautiful spot if you’re feeling adventurous.
Below are some photos from a sunrise elopement in September:
Lair O’ The Bear
About 13 minutes from the inn. This park is less of a typical mountain park but still has some lovely nature. I’m mentioning it mostly because it has some kind of deciduous tree(s) that changes color around mid-October so could potentially be bright and colorful around the time of your elopement. There isn’t a ton of privacy because this is a popular place with easy accessibility, but we could find it I’m sure! Has a small creek running through, some meadow areas, and those trees I mentioned.
Photos from a mid-October engagement session:
Honorable Mentions
Staunton State Park: Parks pass and photography permit needed, potentially a special event permit as well. I would need to call the park office and get clarity on this. Does get busy on weekends but maybe by late afternoon, wouldn’t be too bad. Meadows, aspens, hills surrounding.
Elk Meadow Park: I’ve never photographed here and haven’t spent much time on the trails so can’t give too much info from experience. It’s essentially a big, meadowed area with pine trees, on a slope, right near town. Can look into if further if you’re intrigued.
Crested Butte Elopement Locations
These are a handful of location recommendations for your elopement! I kept in mind keeping hiking to a minimum, though I included a few options that are maybe more hiking-oriented than you envisioned but just to give you an idea of possibilities.
I can’t guarantee any single spot will be bursting with wildflowers on the date we pick but I as we talked about, I will scout locations the day before to ensure we find the best spot for that specific date. Therefore, we can establish a few options that you like best. I can check them out on the 6th to see how they’re looking and report back. If they don’t look up to snuff, I can hit up any other spots to see if they’d be better and we can adjust the plan accordingly. How does that sound?
You’ll also want to decide if you’d like to shoot for around sunrise or sunset. Sunrise will ensure a bit more privacy. And for the case of Emerald Lake, you’d get that lovely alpenglow on the peak. Sunset is of course a little easier to manage though for most people! Take some time to decide what you prefer. Sunrise, which will likely allow you a good amount of privacy but will of course make for a pretty early wake up call. Or sunset, which might be a little busier but won’t disrupt your day too much.
We could even pair a location or two with going into town for a few photos. Or if you do sunset, we could do some getting ready photos at your hotel/rental if you’d like. Options are endless!
Now onto the info!
Crested Butte Town Guide
There are essentially two main sections to Crested Butte. The first one is going to be the main town. It’s got a lovely little main street filled with lots of great restaurants and bars and colorful houses. This part of town is great for just walking around and enjoying the small mountain town feel. It’s a lovely place to stay, IF you can snag a hotel/rental. But it’s often pretty expensive and places are reserved pretty far in advance. Below, I’ll include a few options that, at the moment, look to be have vacancy.
The second part of Crested Butte is going to Mount Crested Butte, just a few minutes up the road from town. This is where the resort is along with a bunch of condos and aparthotels. There are a minimal number of restaurants/coffee shops here. There are a LOT of VRBOs and Airbnb rentals here. I won’t list any (okay I did list two) because there’s simply a ton to choose from. Just be careful of really high hidden fees on VRBO if you go that route!
Places to Eat/Drink:
(not a comprehensive guide, just some of my faves)
Hotels/Rentals to Stay in Town
Crested Butte Hostel (specifically their two separate flats/apartments)
Elopement Locations
Emerald Lake
This is the location I’ve photographed most often. And you can probably see why! It’s a beautiful, alpine lake surrounded by trees, peaks, and greenery. It’s not super lush with wildflowers in early July, but there are some! It is absolutely bursting with green though. But it does require driving on some 4x4 roads to reach this lake and if you’re at all nervous about that, I wouldn’t recommend it. Overall it isn’t too bad but there are a few tough to navigate holes/waterlogged areas and a few tight squeezes along cliffs. I’ve been able to do it on my own in a Jeep Cherokee but I do have a little experience with 4x4 roads just from all the backcountry scouting and hiking I do. Past clients have navigated the road in a Subaru Crosstrek and other clients rented a Jeep Wrangler in town. But anyway, it’s a lovely location if you’re up for the adventure! Here’s an elopement I photographed here in early August one year at sunrise.
And here’s a photo from a sunrise engagement session on July 11th of last year:
Lupine Trail
This is a random spot found along a hiking trail. If we time it right, we could be there when the lupine (these blue/purple flowers) are peaking. It’s essentially a beautiful meadow not too far from the road. It required a little walking/hiking (you can see it in one photo) but nothing too strenuous. It would pair well with another meadow or river spot along Road 734 or Peanut Lake. These photos were taken at/just before sunrise in the beginning of July a handful of years ago.
Notice the dirt road near the pond in the background. That’s essentially where you park, in a small dirt lot.
View from the opposite direction of the photo above this.
Paradise Basin
Another spot that requires 4x4 driving (it’s relatively close to Emerald Lake; about 15 minutes) but it’s truly just such a beautiful landscape! Again, this area isn’t bursting with wildflowers in early July but it’s so green and breathtaking. Picture just open, alpine meadow and views galore. There’s a little lake/pond too. It’s a good addition to Emerald Lake. Photos below are from the engagement session last July, in the morning.
Meridian Lake
This would be one of those spots that would require a little more hiking; but not a ton! It’s a long, narrow lake right near town. It’s hidden in a hill, sort of like a crater. It requires either about 1 mile of walking up a relatively easy, service road OR a short but pretty strenuous .25 mile uphill climb along along a smaller trail. I’ve only done the longer, easier walk so can’t speak to the shorter one. But I’d be happy to check it out to see if it would be feasible to if you’re interested/want to do this but don’t want to walk a mile. This spot might be best by itself OR could potentially be coupled with a meadow along Washington Gulch Road. You can see more about this location here: CLICK HERE
Here’s an image taken on my phone; taken in early August:
Washington Gulch Road
This is one of the most popular roads in Crested Butte. It leads away from town into the hills and then further into the mountains. It’s a dirt road, relatively easy to navigate but with a few dicey moments as you get further into the mountains. Again, would recommend a vehicle with 4x4 capabilities if you wanted to go further in. This is essentially a stretch of locations where we could get out a couple times depending on what we like. It’s mostly meadow for a handful of miles, with pull-offs for car camping so relatively easy to stop and take a few photos here and there. But then there’s a specific area I liked when I drove through a few years ago. It’s close to the start of the 403 Trailhead, so there’s a dirt parking lot to stop at. We could walk this trail a little bit—here’s what’s said about it: “It's a relatively easy start on local favorite 403, which sees a good number of mountain bikers in the summer. Wildflowers flourish all along this path as well.” And just generally explore the area!
Here’s an image I took of the area from my car:
Gothic Road
Another of the popular backcountry roads through Crested Butte and into the surrounding mountains. This road leads from town into Mount Crested Butte and then into the backcountry. Emerald Lake is off this road. But closer to town, there are a few hikes/pull-offs to enjoy some of the hillside. These spots are right near Mount Crested Butte and they’re super easy to get to, so they’ll likely be on the busier side. But they are usually lush with wildflowers. This could be paired with Emerald Lake.
One spot is a relatively easy hike. It’s starts at Snodgrass Trailhead/Teddy’s Trail. I’ve yet to do this hike but I’ve read good things. We wouldn’t need to do the entire hike, perhaps just .5 a mile or so to enjoy all the views? And the nice thing is, since it’s a hike, we can find different parts to stop at to get away from people if need be. Here’s what the web says about this trail:
“Follow the dirt road as it quickly ascends the hillside, providing wide vistas every look back. Wildflowers flourish here in the summertime. Pass a dilapidated cabin on your right side as you get closer to the aspens. Enjoy views of the Gothic valley as Teddy's wraps around hillsides draped with wildflowers.”
Here’s the webpage on this hike: CLICK HERE
Image taken from Travel Crested Butte
I think that’s a good place to start! Let me know what you think and if you have any questions about these locations, the town, or anything at all!
Wildflower Engagement Session Locations
These are a handful of location recommendations for your engagement session! I kept in mind keeping hiking to a minimum, though I included a few options that are maybe more hiking-oriented than you envisioned but just to give you an idea of possibilities.
I can’t guarantee any single spot will be bursting with wildflowers on the date we pick but I do scout locations (even locations I’ve been to many times) about a week or so before a shoot to make sure everything is good so I’ll keep you two abreast of conditions just before the shoot.
In the case of a place like Crested Butte, which is further away, I’ll include a few specific locations but I would be scouting them out the day before to see how the wildflower situation is and let you two know if we might want to adjust location plans. Does that makes sense? Everything is fairly close in CB so I don’t have a problem doing this!
Crested Butte
Emerald Lake
This actually seemed to have more wildflowers in August than it did in early July (though it was beautifully green all around and there were definitely some flowers!!) but it’s breathtaking either way. It does require driving on some 4x4 roads to reach this lake and if you’re at all nervous about that, I wouldn’t recommend it. I was able to do it on my own in a Jeep Cherokee and I’m no expert but I do have a little experience with 4x4 roads just from all the backcountry scouting and hiking I do. But anyway, it’s a lovely location if you’re up for the adventure! Here’s an elopement I photographed here in early August one year at sunrise:
And here is a phone photo from when I scouted the location in early July:
Emerald Lake in early July
Meadows close to town
I stumbled upon this spot while hiking in the area. This beautiful blanket of lupines were found off a random trail in a meadow not too far from town. They required a little walk from the dirt road (you can see it in one photo) but nothing too strenuous. These photos were taken at/just before sunrise in the beginning of July a handful of years ago.
Field of lupines
See the dirt road and a small pond in the distance
Paradise Divide Basin
Another spot that requires some 4x4 driving (it’s relatively close to Emerald Lake) but it’s truly just such a beautiful landscape! Again, this area wasn’t bursting with wildflowers last time I visited during early July but it was so green and breathtaking. Picture just open mountain meadows and views galore. There’s a little lake too. See some photos from my phone:
Closer to Denver (than CB at least!)
Guanella Pass
As much or as little hiking as you’d like, Guanella is pretty stunning just about wherever you go along the pass. This is alpine tundra environment, so the flowers are small but they’re beautiful. For something that wouldn’t require much hiking, the top of the pass would most likely be our destination. You’d get really great views of Mount Bierstadt and the surrounding mountains.
Here’s a shoot I did in September a few years back (so keep that in mind, it’s way more green in the summer) but it’ll give you an idea of the landscape.
And here are some phone photos from hikes I’ve done off Guanella Pass in the early summer (early to late July) to give you an idea of the color/flowers (though to be clear some of these are from hikes so the views themselves wouldn’t be the same unless you’re up for some hiking!):
Views of wildflowers from a hike off Guanella Pass in early July
Beginning of a hike off Guanella Pass in late July
Lower Cataract Lake north of Silverthorne
I’ve actually never been here but it’s been on my map for a couple years. I’ve heard good things about it. It sounds like though there’s a little bit of hiking around the lake there isn’t much elevation gain so it wouldn’t be a strenuous location. I don’t have much to share since I haven’t been but here’s an article about it.
If you have an Alltrails account you can look through photos from July of previous years and see it looks best in early/mid July.
Mayflower Gulch
This is one of those locations that is definitely a hike. It’s not a terribly long one (just under two miles to the location) but it can feel a bit strenuous as it is up hill (and a little steep) the entire way. And at a high elevation. I’d say it takes about 45 minutes to get up to this open meadow. It’s pretty amazing if you are up for it! You’re right up next to these beautiful jagged peaks and there’s a few old mining cabins. Best at sunrise I would say. It can still be snow covered in July so likely best in August. Here are some phone photos from an early August visit years ago:
Shrine Ridge OR Corral Creek
These are both trails off Vail Pass. They do require hiking. Shrine Ridge isn’t a terribly difficult hike; about 2.25 miles to the top. But it is known for its wildflowers! It’s a combination of pine forest and open meadows with an alpine tundra at the top that provides amazing views of the surrounding peaks. We wouldn’t necessarily have to go to the top, though I think the views are worth it. But there’s usually lots of lovely patches of wildflowers along the trail. Pretty much same goes for Corral Creek (hence why I’m putting them together). It would actually be less hiking than Shrine Ridge most likely as I’m thinking of one specific spot on this hike that comes to a meadow about half a mile or so from the trailhead. Here are some photos from past hikes I’ve completed at these locations:
Shrine Ridge in late June
Shrine Ridge in late June
Top of Shrine Ridge in early August
Corral Creek in late July
Corral Creek in late July
Front Range
Totally throwing you for a loop here with this one but I was just thinking about it this week and how excited I am for it to be green again so figured I’d include it just in case!
Flatirons Vista in Boulder
This is out of left field because this actually wouldn’t be the best option for July or August. It would be best in late May or early June. But it’s a lovely open area with pretty easy walking/hiking (nothing long) and has beautiful views of the Flatirons. And it’s so GREEEEN. Also gets a variety of beautiful wildflowers of all colors. Here are some photos from an early June hike at this trailhead:
