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.