The Complete Guide to a San Juan Mountains Elopement

A bride and groom kiss one another while standing in a field during their elopement in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, behind them are yellow trees and snow covered mountains

For anyone that’s been following me for a bit, or who’s been keeping up with my past blogs, this topic may come as a bit of a surprise! Today we’re going over everything you need to know about eloping in the San Juan Mountains!! While the San Juan Mountains are a fair ways away from my usual Denver stomping grounds, the beauty of this mountain range speaks for itself. I fell SO in love with the San Juan Mountains that my fiancé and I are actually planning our own intimate elopement here! It’s for this reason, and because of the past elopements I’ve photographed here, that have led to this blog. I want as many people as possible to know about the San Juan Mountains and be able to experience them to the fullest for their elopements!!

A photo of the landscape of the San Juan Mountains in Colorado during the fall when the trees are changing colors

The Legalities

First before we dig into the San Juan Mountains, and how to plan your elopement within them, we of course need to go over the legalities. This part may not be as exciting as the rest, but trust me it is JUST as important! Lucky for you the laws for eloping in Colorado are pretty straightforward!!

You can get your Colorado marriage license either in person or online, each will require you to make an appointment. In order to receive your marriage license you’ll need to bring a valid form of ID to your appointment such as your driver's license, state ID, military ID, or passport. There is a $30 fee you’ll pay in order to receive your marriage license. Once paid there is no waiting period and your marriage license will be valid for the next 35 days. The license then must be returned within 63 days of the marriage ceremony.

The last bit we need to cover for legalities is self solemnization! Colorado allows couples to self solemnize, meaning there’s no need for witnesses or an officiant for your ceremony to be legal. This makes it incredibly simple to elope in Colorado! As an added bonus you can even have your dog sign as your witness making it an even more fun and personal experience!! That covers the legalities though, so let's take a look at the specifics of planning your elopement in the San Juan Mountains.

An LGBTQ couple embrace one another while standing in a field in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado during their elopement, behind them are yellow trees and snow covered mountains

Eloping in the San Juan Mountains

When to Elope

The beauty of eloping in the San Juan Mountains, like much of Colorado, is that it is scenic and breathtaking year round! Each season has its own draws to it, which you can read more about in this blog post I wrote recently. I’ll summarize it quickly for you here though!

Summer

Has the most consistent and warmest weather of any time of the year. You’re also treated to the wildflowers blooming in the summer which is particularly insane in the San Juan Mountains! Summer also means the trails are the easiest to access, but it is also one of the busier seasons in terms of tourism.

Fall

The fall is peak wedding and elopement season in Colorado, and that holds true for the San Juan Mountains as well. The fall colors of Colorado are beautiful beyond compare, and are a draw for tourists year after year. Having your elopement during the fall is a one of a kind experience, but will require some planning if you hope to catch the fall colors at their peak. With how large the San Juan mountain range is, the fall colors are at their peak at different points throughout the season, so be sure to talk with your photographer when planning to make sure you schedule your date for the right moment!

Winter

The San Juan Mountains are jaw dropping in the winter! The snowfall gives the mountain range a sense of magic and wonder to it that’s hard to beat. There’s also plenty of skiing opportunities for those looking for things to do after their elopement. The main thing to be on the watch for is extreme weather as it can make some of the hiking paths and trails inaccessible.

Spring

Finally we have spring which is a solid time of year for an elopement in the San Juan Mountains. There’s likely still to be a good amount of snow in the spring, especially towards the beginning. That being said, late spring or a lighter snowfall in the winter means you get to experience the beauty of the mountains as they come back to life for the year!

A bride and groom kiss while standing on a rock in the middle of a field during their elopement in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, the sun is setting and behind them are yellow trees and snow covered mountains

Where to Elope

With the San Juan Mountains being as vast as they are, how exactly do you choose WHERE to have your elopement at? This is a part of the planning process where a lot of couples, especially those that aren’t from Colorado, can get overwhelmed! It’s one of the main reasons why I recommend booking a photographer like myself that is local to the area and can help guide you!

Having someone with firsthand knowledge and experience to guide you through the process from start to finish is HUGE for your sanity!! I’ll be able to point you in the right direction, the main thing you’ll want to think about as you plan your elopement location is the experience you’re looking to have. Are you looking to go on an adventure together, or do you want something that’s a bit more accessible? Either way there are PLENTY of options throughout the San Juan Mountains, let’s check out a few of them!!

Hiking Trails

There’s practically endless hiking trails throughout the San Juan Mountains for you to choose from for your elopement, each with stunning scenery and views for you to enjoy! The hikes themselves vary greatly in their difficulty and distance, so be sure to talk with your photographer before choosing your location to make sure you choose a spot that fits your skill level! A few of my favorites include:

Ice Lake and Island Lake

Close to the town of Silverton are Ice Lake and Island Lake. These lakes are very near to one another, so hitting them both on an elopement hike is not only doable, but an amazing experience! The hike itself is on the longer side if you’re looking to hit both lakes, sitting at just under 7 miles long as a loop route. The views are SO worth it though!!

Blue Lake(s )

The Blue Lakes can be found near Telluride, though you can also get here from Ridgway and Ouray if you’re fine with adding some drive time into your day! There are three Blue Lakes, lower, middle, and upper, which gives you some options in terms of what your hike can look like! If you’re up for it, hitting all three is a magical experience, and sits just under 9 miles for an out and back hike. On the other hand, if you’re looking to keep things on the simpler side it’s only a 3 mile hike to reach lower blue lake!

A bride and groom embrace and touch foreheads together while standing on a cliff looking out over a lake and the San Juan Mountains of Colorado during their elopement

4x4 Trails

A big draw of the San Juan Mountains in addition to the vast array of hiking trails are the jeeping/4x4 trails that you can also find scattered throughout the mountain range! The off-roading scene is HUGE in Colorado, so even if you don’t have a rig of your own you are able to rent one if you’d like to go this route! Just like the hiking trails, some off-road trails are easier to navigate and handle than others, so talk with your photographer to make sure you choose one that’s more fun than stressful for you!! Here are a couple of my favs:

Yankee Boy Basin

First up we have Yankee Boy Basin, which can be found near the town of Ouray! Yankee Boy Basin is a fantastic option for couples looking to get the 4x4 elopement experience without things being too challenging. The trail is on the more beginner friendly side of things, and is one of the more popular because of it. It still remains as an absolutely epic elopement location though thanks to the stunning views of mountains, wildflowers, and even some nearby waterfalls!

Governor Basin

Not far from Yankee Boy Basin is another 4x4 trail that I absolutely adore, Governor Basin! This trail deals with some pretty extreme elevation, so make sure you prepare yourself both physically and mentally for the challenge!! That being said, the views of the mountains here are gorgeous beyond compare, which is hard to say in a place as incredible as the San Juan Mountains!

The landscape of the San Juan Mountains in Colorado colored pink and purple from the sunset

Something Accessible

The beauty of the San Juan Mountains, and Colorado itself, is that there is something here for every elopement! If you want to get out there and experience the adventure to the fullest, as you can see above you can easily do so. With that said though, you can just as easily find a location for your elopement ceremony that both gives you similar incredible views while also being much easier to access! Whether it’s a local Airbnb with a stunning view of the mountains, eloping in one of the charming towns you can find throughout the mountain range, or an easy to access location like Trout Lake!

What’s Right for You

Ultimately the decision of where to have your elopement in the San Juan Mountains will come down to what is right for you, as there’s no one correct answer! This is why it is SO important, and why I keep mentioning this, that you book with a local photographer who knows the area! I’ll be able to help guide you to choosing a location that fits your vision, the adventure you’re looking for, and your experience level so that you can enjoy your elopement to the fullest!!

2 photos side by side of a bride and groom in the middle of the street of a small Colorado town in the mountains

Guests of an elopement all raise their glasses together for a toast with the bride and groom

Solitude is Bliss

Though the San Juan Mountains are incredibly popular throughout the year, the sheer amount of locations suitable for an elopement make it so that basically no matter where you want to have your ceremony you can do so with almost complete solitude! For some of the most popular locations this can mean heading out early to beat the rush, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing either. Sunrise elopements are some of my absolute FAVS and add an extra level of magic to the experience!!

A bride and groom kiss in a birch forest during their elopement in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado

Bring Your Fur Babies With

An upside that most trails throughout the San Juan Mountains have over a location like Rocky Mountain National Park is that they allow pets to be on them, some even off leash. I do personally recommend keeping your pets on leash as we are out in the wilderness, and there is wildlife all around, but having them there at your side can make your elopement just that much more special!

A couple stand in a clearing with their dog during their elopement in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado while the sun sets on the mountains behind them

2 photos side by side, the left is of a dog on a leash looking at the camera, the right is of the couple that own the dog about to kiss during their elopement in the mountains of Colorado

Leave No Trace

No matter where you decide to have your elopement, whether it’s in the San Juan Mountains or elsewhere, it is SO important that you follow the rules of Leave No Trace. Leave No Trace is a set of guidelines put in place to help keep the beauty of Colorado, and ultimately nature as a whole, intact for all to enjoy. I’ve written a whole blog covering the ins and outs of Leave No Trace that you should check out as well! Ultimately though it’s all about treating the earth with the love, dignity, and respect it deserves!!

A bride reads her vows while the groom and guests of their intimate elopement watch during their ceremony in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado

2 photos side by side of a couple celebrating their elopement in the mountains of Colorado by popping a bottle of champagne and eating cake

Vendors You’ll Need

One aspect that I absolutely adore when it comes to elopements is the freedom they provide in terms of what your wedding day can look like! This extends to the vendors needed for your day as well!! With an elopement you can make your day as simple or as intricate as you want. I do of course recommend a photographer to capture your elopement day so that you’re able to relive it for years and years to come. Having a local photographer (such as yours truly), for your elopement in the San Juan Mountains is invaluable as we’re able to help with things such as location scouting, planning, and vendor recommendations! Speaking of other vendors, here are some common vendors an elopement might include:

Florist
Hiking Guide (if applicable)
Videographer
Hair and Makeup Artist

Some less common vendors that can be great additions to an elopement for the right couple are:

Catering
Venue (rent out an intimate space for the two of you to celebrate with your families)
Rental Company

A lake in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado with snow covered mountains looming overhead

Planning The Logistics

Once you have the actual location of your elopement in the San Juan Mountains planned out it’s time to get your other logistics in order! Where should you stay? And how do you get to the San Juan Mountains?

Where to Stay

The San Juan Mountains cover a HUGE area, so deciding on where to make your basecamp depends on a couple of things. First you’ll want to take into account where your elopement ceremony will take place. Ideally we want to minimize drive time for your elopement so that you can focus on enjoying the experience this one of a kind celebration brings! You’ll also want to factor in the activities there are for you to enjoy outside of your elopement. Ideally you’ll be spending the majority of your time enjoying yourselves, and the bare minimum traveling! Some lovely towns that I recommend for your basecamp include Ouray, Ridgway, Silverton, Telluride, Durango, Montrose!

Travel

You’ll need to plan in a bit of travel time for the start of your elopement festivities in the San Juan Mountains. For those traveling from out of state you can still fly into Denver, though the travel will be further so I recommend flying into a regional airport if you’re able to! That being said, it can still be a trek to get from a regional airport to your home base, so plan in some time accordingly!!

A bride and groom kiss while facing out towards a lake and the mountains in the distance during their elopement in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado

A mountain range in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado in the fall

What to do Outside of Your Elopement

Your elopement is the main event of your travels of course, but there is SO much to experience in and around the San Juan Mountains! There’s really something for everyone!! If you’re into Jeeping or off-roading there are plenty of trails to explore throughout the mountains, some of which we've already covered. There’s of course options for hiking, backpacking, and mountain biking, and you can even go paddle boarding! Explore some of the cute towns you can find throughout the area and their unique attractions, such as the hot springs in Ouray or the free gondola in Telluride. Finally there are a ton of great restaurants to try throughout the area. My top three are Brown Dog Pizza in Telluride, Brickhouse 737 in Ouray, and True Grit Café in Ridgway!

2 photos side by side, the left is a portrait photo of the groom and the right is a portrait photo of the bride, both are in the San Juan Mountains

A Micro Wedding is an Option Too!

The San Juan Mountains aren’t just for elopements though! I know a priority for a lot of couples is being able to experience their wedding day with a small group of friends and family as a part of their day. For any couple that feels this way, intimate weddings and micro weddings are also an option in the San Juan Mountains! Venues like Gold Mountain Ranch can be found throughout the area and are fantastic options for these smaller weddings!

There’s more planning involved with these as you’ll need a venue, more vendors, more logistics planning for your guests, but all of these are things that your photographer (me!), can help guide you through! As a local of Colorado and someone who loves the San Juan Mountains I am ALL for helping my couples plan out their dream wedding experience in this incredible mountain range!

2 photos side by side of a bride and groom on their elopement day, in the left photo they're cutting a cake together and in the right they are kissing while holding sparklers

I’m sure by now you are starting to get an idea of just HOW much I love the San Juan Mountains, and how amazing an elopement here can be! If you’re looking to plan your own elopement somewhere in this incredible mountain range I would love to be a part of it. Send me an inquiry so we can reserve your date today and start planning this adventure together!!