San Juan Mountains Elopement Guide (Updated for 2024)
The San Juan Mountains are nestled in the southwest corner of Colorado and it is, in my opinion, the most beautiful and least crowded place in Colorado — making it the perfect backdrop for a gorgeous and intimate San Juan Mountains elopement.
So many people skip over this area in favor of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado Springs, Breckenridge, or other areas closer to Denver. Many people who live in Colorado have never visited or even heard of the San Juans, which is lucky for you, because that makes it the best place in Colorado to elope!
Whatever extra driving time it might take to get here makes it all the more worth the trek when you get to take in the craggy peaks of the pristine mountains that surround this paradise. If you’re considering getting married in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, here’s everything you need to know!
Table of Contents
Why elope in the San Juan mountains?
Where are the San Juan mountains?
How to get to the San Juan mountains
Towns in the San Juan mountains
Best time of year to elope in the San Juans
Activities in the San Juan mountains
Elopement locations in the San Juan mountains
Wedding venues in the San Juan mountains
Jeeping trails
Hiking trails
Locations that don’t require a hike or Jeep rental
Accommodations in the San Juan mountains
Why Elope In The San Juan Mountains?
No Permits Needed
Generally speaking, most elopement locations in the San Juan mountains don’t need any permits or reservations for a small elopement of 15 people or less, which makes planning your elopement much more simple. All national and state parks in Colorado as well as many areas closer to Denver require some sort of special use permit or reservation of some kind.
Stunning Accommodations
The most beautiful cabins and hotels with the most amazing views are nestled in every little town in the San Juans, which just adds to the overall experience of the day. Being able to wake up with your love in a secluded mountain chalet nestled at the base of a mountain peak is a perfect way to start your elopement day.
Or maybe spending your evening in a chic hotel with an excellent bar run by climbers and snowboarders, walking down the block to an old saloon in an old mining building. Every town has its own charm and beautiful stays that can accommodate your taste.
San Juan Mountains Hiking & Jeeping Trails Are Endless
Because of the mining culture in these towns in the 1800s, there are tons of trails old miners used to use to get into the mountains, which are now used as Jeeping and off-roading trails by people today. These trails will lead you to jaw-dropping mountain views, next to red iron mountains, and past marmots that squeak as you pass by.
Additionally, the San Juans are home to some of the brightest, bluest alpine lakes in all of Colorado. There are several trails that will lead you to water that looks like it’s straight out of the Caribbean.
No Crowds
Unlike locations like Rocky Mountain National Park, Maroon Bells, or Garden of the Gods, there are basically no crowds in elopement spots in the San Juans. Sometimes Jeeping trails can be a little busy during the day, but most people come down before dinner and have to return rentals before 5pm.
Even popular hiking trails are still pretty secluded compared to anything within a 3 hour radius of Denver. I’ve never seen more than a handful of people at any of my favorite spots to shoot.
Tons of Adventure Elopement Activities
There are so many different activities to do in the area from hiking, jeeping and off-roading, to ice climbing or climbing a via ferrata. Whether it’s something you want to incorporate into your elopement or just something you want to take part in for your honeymoon afterwards, the San Juans just have so much to explore and so much to do.
The Most Stunning Places To Get Married In The Colorado Mountains
This is a personal opinion, but I think the San Juan Mountains are the most beautiful mountains in all of Colorado. Ouray is called “The Switzerland of America” because the mountains in the area are just so steep and green, just like the Alps.
There are wildflowers in the summer, gatorade blue alpine lakes, hot springs, hidden waterfalls, and stunning golden colors in the fall. It’s just a stunning hidden gem that beats every other place in Colorado by a wide margin in terms of beauty and the vast amount of trails you can explore.
Where Are The San Juan Mountains?
How To Get To The San Juan Mountains
To get to the San Juans, you can either:
Fly to Denver and drive the 6(ish) hours to one of the below towns to get there, which is definitely the longest route, but as someone who’s made this drive many times, it’s stunning and lets you see much of the most beautiful parts of the state if that’s something you’ve never done before. Local tip: Take the route that goes through Gunnison instead of the route that takes you through Grand Junction — it’s prettier in my opinion and you spend less time on I70.
The second option is to fly into Montrose. It’s a small regional airport, so sometimes this can be a little bit more expensive, but in my experience, the prices haven’t been wildly different from flying into Denver. Prices will vary on the time of year and when you book. Montrose is just outside of Ridgway and about an hour from Telluride.
The third option is to fly into Durango. Durango is also a little regional airport to the south of the San Juans, about an hour from Silverton. I’d recommend Montrose over Durango because Durango is the most expensive option usually, but this is another option if the other two don’t work out.
Towns in the San Juans
Telluride- $$$$
Telluride is the nicest of all the towns and therefore, the most expensive. Probably the most beautiful town in all of the United States, Telluride is nestled in a box canyon with matching storybook mining architecture houses, two stunning waterfalls right in town, a via ferrata, a ski resort, and nicer, upscale restaurants and cute little boutiques.
Ouray- $$-$$$
Ouray is the more affordable option to Telluride, a little less lush forest right in town, but still features a waterfall right in town as well as a via ferrata.
More people come to Ouray for adventure, so the town is filled with people getting off from a full day of riding around the mountains in the Jeeps and side by sides. The restaurants and accommodations are less upscale and embrace more of an Old West feel.
Silverton- $$-$$$
Silverton is usually the town I opt for with my built-out van. Silverton is quieter and less touristy than Ouray and Telluride and is mostly populated by more hardcore ski bums and climbing dirt bags and the like. There are fewer restaurants and shops, but still some cute places to stay in the area.
Ridgway- $$
Ridgway is a little more affordable, but a little farther from most of the locations in Ouray and Telluride. This is a good option if you’d like somewhere quieter and less touristy than Ouray, but still want to be close to the locations in the Ouray area.
Dunton- $$$-$$$$
Dunton doesn’t have too much in the town itself except for Dunton Hot Springs, which is a beautiful place to stay as well as a stunning wedding venue. Rooms there give you your own personal hot springs in the room. Dunton is also home to Colorado’s only geyser, which is a fun little thing to check out if you’re in town.
Lake City- $$-$$$
Lake City is a quaint town that still hasn’t been overrun with tourists, but likely won’t stay that way forever. Lake City has more affordable accommodations and is closer to Silverton than anywhere else. I wouldn’t stay here if you want to elope in Ouray or Telluride as the driving time will take too long to get to. If you’re eyeing places closer to Silverton, Lake City is another good option for accommodation in the area.
Best Time Of Year To Elope In The San Juans
Summer: Late June-August
Summer is always my favorite time. I love the green mountains, the wildflowers, the warm weather. The only drawback of summer is the weather, which can be unpredictable and stormy in the afternoons.
Most times, if you just wait a little, the storm will pass, but occasionally, there will be torrential downpour/hail/lightning that will make hiking or jeeping at high elevations unsafe, so that’s something to keep in mind for your date.
Fall: September-early October
The weather in fall is usually much more predictably sunny than in summer, and if you plan your dates right, you can catch the aspens turning gold. Fall is also a good time for waterfalls because the snow runoff from the summer has slowed down.
The best time to schedule for leaf peeping is a narrow window in the last week of September and the first week of October. In the first couple of weeks of September, trees will still be green, and after the first week or two of October, the leaves will be gone. Access to some roads and trails will be closed after the first couple of weeks in October.
Winter: November-March
In winter, most unpaved roads and trails will all be closed and inaccessible, limiting which locations are possible for an elopement. If you like skiing and snowboarding, though, that’s when the slopes will be open.
January and February are the most reliably snowy months if you’re looking for a winter wonderland, but snow is unpredictable, and it melts off trees and patches of the ground quickly, since Colorado is so sunny and dry.
March is usually when Colorado gets the most snow, but spring snow is very off and on — blizzarding one day, and completely warm and sunny the following week after. Predicting when it will actually look like a winter landscape can be difficult.
Spring: April-early June
To be perfectly honest, I just don’t recommend springtime in Colorado. It can still blizzard out of the middle of nowhere after warm sunny days, there are still patches of snow on the ground, making everything muddy, and nothing is green or has bloomed yet. Very few to no trails or off-roading is open yet due to snow and mud.
Fewer people visit during this time but that also means many businesses are closed down or have limited hours. I’d suggest fall if you’re trying to beat the high season but still want accessibility and good weather.
Wedding Activities In The San Juan Mountains
Hiking
As I’ve already mentioned over and over, hiking in the San Juan mountains is supreme, with access to stunning lakes, wildflowers, and rugged peaks. I will say, there are not many trails in the area that are very easy because the mountains are so steep. Most trails are 5-8 miles round trip with steep elevation gain, but they’re totally worth it with the destinations at the end!
Jeeping/Off-Roading
If you don’t fancy getting sweaty, renting a Jeep or other off-roading vehicle and driving up a bumpy, rough, road to some of the most breathtaking views is a good alternative. There are tons of trails, with Ouray being at the center of most of them.
Via Ferrata
If you’ve never heard of a via ferrata, it’s sort of like an obstacle course mixed with rock climbing. There’s one in both Telluride as well as Ouray. It’s a workout, but less so than either hiking or rock climbing.
Skiing/Snowboarding
Telluride is the only town with a ski resort, and Purgatory Resort is just outside of Durango on the way to Silverton. There’s also a ski hill in Ouray and Silverton, but they aren’t resorts — they’re more for the die-hard ski bums that live and work throughout the year in the towns.
Horseback riding
Another good option if you don’t want to sweat on your elopement day is horseback riding. Telluride Wranglers offers horseback rides on some of the most stunning trails around Telluride, like Lizard Head Loop, as well as sleigh rides during the winter.
Ice climbing
This is only available in the winter, but both Telluride and Ouray are home to several large waterfalls that are perfect for climbing when they freeze over. Ouray even has an ice park with a climbing competition in January.
Music Festivals
Telluride has a bluegrass festival every year in June which is a fun time for anyone who likes bluegrass. If you want to avoid the crowds this festival draws, however, keep that in mind while choosing the date for your elopement.
Where To Elope In The San Juan Mountains
My Favorite San Juan Mountains Elopement Locations in Colorado
If you’re having a wedding of more than 15 people, you need to reserve a wedding venue in the San Juan Mountains. If you’d like to see a full list of various venues for elopements and micro weddings all over Colorado, check out my 100+ Small Wedding Venues in Colorado blog.
Jeeping Trails
Yankee Boy Basin
Governor Basin
American Basin
Corkscrew Gulch
California Gulch
Secret basin with blue lakes (I only tell my clients where this is)
Hiking Trails
Island & Ice Lake
Blue Lakes
American Basin/Sloan Lake
Columbine Lake
Hope Lake
Lizard Head
Cornet Creek Falls
Lower Bridal Veil Falls
Secret basin with blue lakes
Locations That Don’t Require A Hike Or Jeep RentalVelocity Basin
Bridal Veil Falls
Secret waterfallls
Million Dollar Highway
Owl Creek Pass
Molas Lakes
Clear Lake
Wedding Accommodations In The San Juan Mountains
Need A Photographer For Your San Juan Mountains Elopement?
As someone who was born and raised in Colorado, I’m super familiar with all the nooks and crannies in the San Juan Mountains, and I’d love to show you all around my favorite spot in the whole state! Reach out to me, and we can plan something epic.
