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):