Congratulations you fine folks, you’re engaged!! Now, let’s see that ring. And those big grins. And some amazing scenery – right? If you’re looking at getting your engagement photos in Colorado, the next big question is – WHERE? I am lucky enough to be based in this beautiful state, with so many amazing engagement location options to make your mountain engagement photos swoon-worthy in every season. Truly, there are too many options, which can make it hard to choose! So here are my top eight lesser known spots on where to shoot your engagement photos in Colorado. Bonus – any of these locations would work for a memorable proposal or elopement as well!
In the world of wedding & engagement photographers, many shooters choose to keep “their” locations private. I put “their” in quotes because.. for the love of cats, nobody owns them! I’m tired of the exclusivity and caginess around guarding areas that are open to everyone. You found a great spot to shoot, great – but that doesn’t give you any rights to it. I don’t care if other photographers use this blog post to find photo locations – I don’t own them. My shooting style, lighting, creativity and editing set me apart and that’s the secret sauce to get amazing Colorado mountain engagement photos – not the location. In fact I’d love to see more people getting out and enjoying all that Colorado has to offer in these gorgeous places! Soapbox moment over.
#1. Juniper Pass Engagement Photos
This incredible location is on the way up to Mt. Evans, which is home to many great engagement locations. Echo Lake, Summit Lake, and the summit of Mt Evans are all commonly used and for good reason – they’re amazing! Juniper pass is similarly epic and you can even see the peak of Mt. Evans in the background. This engagement photo location is great in every season, because the walk from the parking area to the good spots is SO short. There’s shade and sunshine, woods and cliffs, views for days and of course- mountains – all just one hour’s drive from Denver. See a Juniper Pass Engagement Shoot here.
#2. Paint Mines Engagement Photos
If you want something totally different from all your friends, you should absolutely consider shooting your Engagement photos at the Paint Mines in Calhan, Colorado. It’s a long, boring drive to get out there, and when you do you’ll probably wonder where the good part is, as the parking lot is brown town. But I promise you – this incredible engagement session location is packed with color. White, pink, orange, and yellow formations tower above you as you walk through this sunken, otherworldly canyon. The possibilities here are just endless! See a complete Paint Mines engagement session.
#3. Officer’s Gulch Engagement Photos
Summit County is one of my favorite places for engagement photos with mountain views. Officer’s gulch is easy to access, not too busy, and has it all – a beautiful lake nestled right up against the steep cliff of Tenmile peak. We can explore the shoreline or walk in the woods and aspens can be found here in the fall! A small rocky peninsula set out into the lake gives some of the best views in this stunning location for Colorado engagement photos. See a complete Officer’s Gulch engagement session.
#4. St. Mary’s Glacier Engagement Photos
Yes, this location involves a hike. But for those outdoorsy couples who love the alpine feeling and the sounds of nature all around them, St. Mary’s glacier is a great location for your engagement photos. Pay the parking fee, it’s not much – then head up the rocky trail to a gorgeous glacial lake. This location is great in the morning when the light hits the mountains in the background. The lake’s stillness is beautiful for reflection photos, the hike up is refreshing but not too strenuous with mixed sun and shade. Late summer is the best time to do engagement photos at St. Mary’s Glacier. See a full St Mary’s Glacier Engagement Session.
5. Guanella Pass Engagement Photos
This is where I chose to have my own engagement photos, so that says a lot about how incredible this location is! The ragged sharp peak of Mt. Beirstadt towers over the summit area and is especially beautiful at sunset when the alpineglow washes over the mountain. If you’re a couple always out hiking and soaking up everything outdoorsy our state has to offer, adventurous engagement photos at Guanella Pass will be the perfect place to tell the story of what you enjoy doing together. One trail beside the wide and shallow Geneva creek offers a shady path – great for hiking engagement photos. There’s even two waterfalls in the area if you know where to look. Lower on the pass, you can snag beautiful Colorado engagement photos beside the lake, and bighorn sheep are common. With the mountainsides covered in aspens, this area is wonderful in summer- but If you want fall engagement photos in Colorado, Guanella Pass should be at the top of your list. With all this location has to offer, it’s obvious why this makes the list of my best places to have your engagement photos in Colorado! See an entire Guanella Pass Engagement session here.
6. Clear Creek Canyon Engagement Photos
Clear Creek Canyon is one of the best engagement session locations close to Denver with great views. The road is long and winding, and it’s sometimes difficult to stop on the narrow shoulders – and knowing where to stop is the bigger challenge! But don’t worry, I know all the best spots for steep rock walls, green trails, river views, towering cliffs, and even a huge red rock wall that will make you feel like you’re in a desert oasis! This seldom used area is filled with cool places to shoot your Denver engagement photos, and will be great in every season! The powerful spring waters of Clear Creek carved this deep canyon and the river runs right into Downtown Golden, which can be crowded with not just people, strollers and families and let’s be honest – mosquitoes. Escape upstream for a little more adventure and you’ll be rewarded with beautiful Colorado engagement photos in a unique spot, where you can have fun with your fiance, get killer photos, and be back in Denver in time for dinner! See clear creek canyon engagement photos here.
7. Roxborough State Park Engagement Photos
Another great all-season engagement session location in Colorado is Roxborough in Littleton. It’s so beautiful and accessible, I could shoot engagement photos at Roxborough State Park every day! If you like the look of Red Rocks, this is a better option for engagement photos than the iconic amphitheater, with more shade, no concert schedule, much fewer crowds – unless you really want people sweating and stretching and burpee-ing in your backgrounds.. then let’s head to red rocks! 😉 There are many short hikes in the park to explore with your fiance, and one of my favorite trails leads to the majestic panoramic view of the red fin formations right up against the foothills. If you like the idea of hiking engagement photos and unique red rock backgrounds, you’ll definitely want to consider shooting your Denver engagement photos at Roxborough. Just make sure to stay on the trail or the deer will get ya! See a Roxborough State Park Engagement Session here.
8. Loveland Pass Engagement Photos
This 12,000′ mountain pass has one of the most epic mountain views in all of Colorado. You can and should drive right up to the summit, and you can and should also explore the trails on either side of the road for the best views overlooking Arapahoe basin, Sniktau and Grizzly peaks. In the summer, you can catch wildflowers blooming on the alpine soil, and this area is one of the few mountain passes that is accessible in winter as well. It can be windy and stormy up on the pass with unpredictable weather, so you’ll have to be an adventurous, off-road, stoked-for-wind-blown-hair kind of couple to rock a Loveland Pass engagement session. Sunrise and sunset are spectacular here for a hiking engagement in Colorado – or a winter ski or snowboard engagement shoot!
