Living in Denver, offers many perks, including beautiful hiking trails for a Colorado elopement wedding nearby. On the other hand, hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park are about two hours away and require advancing planning (e.g., day or annual pass and a timed entry reservation). The drive and extra efforts are certainly worth it, though! The hikes give you access to some of the most beautiful landscapes in Colorado. Here’s the first of a series of Rocky Mountain National Park hikes that I’ve recently recommended to my wedding couples in Colorado as options for a wedding ceremony elopement. I’ve included a review from a past visit and my notes.
Sometimes the most secluded, off-the-beaten path, locations provide the most ideal scenery for an elopement wedding in Colorado.
Time of Year: Late June.
Weather: 55 degrees and sunny at 9:48 am, cloud cover for most of the hike until 1:15.
Cover: 75% covered.
Time: 9:48 am - 1:15 pm.
Distance: 5.5 Miles total (Loop: Nymph Lake Trail to Haiyaha Cutoff Trail (out and back to Lake Haiyaha) to Fire Trail to Glaciar Gorge Trail to the Bear Lake parking lot.
Traffic: High until we reached Lake Haiyaha (low).
Parking: Tons of parking....but no spots (except 1 lucky spot that opened). The shuttle halfway may be the only option (there were lines by 9:15).
Equipment: Hiking boots.
Terrain: Well-marked trail with plenty of rocks to step on and plenty of beautiful views until Lake Haiyaha. We didn't take the turnoff to Dream Lake. Big boulders to climb around Lake Haiyaha. Mostly a covered decline from there via Fire Trail.
Difficulty: Moderate (decent cardio baseline for the initial incline to 10k).
Colorado Wedding Officiant Notes: Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) offers many scenic backdrops for a Colorado Wedding Elopement. Many of the most beautiful trails begin in the Bear Lake parking lot and lead you to incredible lakes, including Dream Lake. While these trails tend to be very popular during the summer, they can also lead you to quiet spots like Lake Haiyaha. My photos of the varying landscapes at 10,000 feet and above took place on a wet and foggy day. Nevertheless, the weather provided a mystic serenity often lost in a bright landscape. For clear views and sun, hikes in RMNP before 11 am is most ideal during the summer. Typically, clouds and rain permeate the sky daily from 11 am until 3/4 pm. In the fall, the incredible colors of the trees might provide the painted landscape you’re looking for, but remember that Trail Ridge Road (the road through RMNP) may be closed because of winter conditions at higher elevations. Assume that you won’t have access to the road from late fall until mid to late spring.
Rocky Mountain National Park offers endless options for elopement ceremonies. Timing of the year is important and a pass and reservation is required, though.
Lake Haiyaha offers an incredible setting on a sunny and foggy day for a wedding ceremony.
Once you climb above 10,000 feet in RMNP, your Colorado elopement wedding ceremony will have a scenic backdrop unmatched.
