Best Locations for Colorado Elopements at Sunset
Sunset Engagement sessions anytime of year in these locations
I love me a good Sunset. Or sunrise….but let’s be honest…mornings aren’t as easy ;). Frolicking all around the Colorado mountains for Adventure Elopements, Engagement sessions, Weddings (and Families!), I have been treated to many gorgeous evenings! As a photographer, light is everything…and when. you start to see the soft glowy (or harsh— but colorful!) light of sunset emerge….I actually start giggling and making weird noises and jump around like a little ninja trying to get all the angles within the 10 minutes (max!) that we have! I like to joke that I have actually become somewhat of a Weather-woman as well as photographer— and kinda pride myself on knowing how much time we have, what the light is going to do, and what is going to happen based on clouds, etc….so if you are in a session with me…and I tell you to “run!”…that means we have like 3 minutes of cool light…so get movin! ;)
Choosing whether to have a photo session at Sunrise or Sunset can totally depend on your location. I take great care in recommending locations for my clients that are conducive to what time of day they prefer, or choosing the time of day best for the ocation they have already chosen! A few iconic locations in our beautiful state are actually better at Sunrise— and it is definitely worth getting up for— Maroon Bells, or Dream Lake, for example. However, you can of course photograph any location at sunset as well….just depends on the look you are going for!
Whether it is just a touch of hazy diffused sunset glow (more soft), or a vibrant and distinct color….it can depend on many factors! Alpenglow is something I always cross my fingers for— and is known as the phenomenon is an optical phenomenon that appears as a horizontal reddish glow near the horizon opposite to the Sun when the solar disk is just below the horizon. (Wikipedia official definition!). Basically, the cool colors you see on the mountain sides just before Sunrise, or just after Sunset! There is a lot of Atmospheric stuff (particulates, ice crystals, etc) that determines the glow as well….so unfortunately you are not guaranteed a gorgeous Alpenglow everyday— but on a non-overcast day- you can typically catch something! Now, a perfectly clear blue sky (We call that a Colorado Blue-bird day!) can actually give you Alpenglow— but without any clouds, you’re not going to get those cool beautiful Sunset clouds— which I love!! So, if you are at your session, and it’s partially cloudy— that’s actually great— because we could get some killer color in the Clouds! Regardless, Colorado weather is known for being fickle— and we joke here that if you don’t like the weather….just wait 5 minutes! My advice is always to roll with it— and trust me— and often times we are rewarded with some really cool color, clouds, weather, or sometimes even Rainbows ;)
So in honor of Colorado’s sunsets and weird weather, and one of my favorite things to witness and photograph, here is a small collection of a few photos from some of my favorite Colorado Sunset Elopement and Engagement locations! And by FAR not all the amazing areas! I can always recommend more! I primarily specialize and frequent the Front Range of Colorado, through Eagle County, so that is what I am showcasing here….but there are boundless options through the whole state!
We’ll start here with Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park area. I shoot here a large portion of my business….and there’s no wondering why! There are many locations just within the Park that offer amazing backdrops— but when you can time it with access to Trail Ridge Road (typically end of May-early October), you are in fro a potential top-of-the-world feeling treat! If not, no worries though— still plenty of amazing options (see ANY of the Winter scenes!). Dream Lake is a popular option as well— it is open year round with a short hike (it can be very cold, windy, and you will need some spikes though! ;). Sprague Lake is a very easy access winner as well anytime of year, and can be a great add-on to other locations in the park for variety if we are not able to access Trail Ridge Road.
(Don’t forget to LNT (Leave no Trace), and I will help you with the most current Permit requirements for RMNP!)
Let’s head a little south to Summit County area! This is the other area that occupies a lot of my time— and is an awesome option in general for so many locations!! The thing to consider when looking at Summit County is traffic. Summit is right at the heart of multiple Ski resorts— so it’s perfect if you want that Winter look— but you also need to be strategic about timing and the day of the week so that you don’t end up in hours of Ski traffic! Same goes for the peak Fall Color weekends— it’s a gorgeous locations and I recommend it— but I will always recommend doing sessions on a weekday versus weekend. Summit includes Silverthorne/Dillon/Frisco, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain area— and my favorite being the Loveland Pass area.
Of course there are a ba-jillion places in Colorado to select for awesome sunsets! Literally any mountain range, top of any mountain, roadside Pass, Ski resort, or iconic spots….you can’t go wrong! Here are a few more snaps from random locations— Winter Park, Steamboat area, Buena Vista, Kenosha, Boulder area, Vail/Beaver Creek, Evergreen area, Fort Collins, and even Denver! Again, if you have a specific location in mind, I can always help determine the best spots around there, and timing, to get the best potential for colors possible! If you are open to whatever location— I can 1000% help there as well, and we will pick an amazing location together!
