Ridgway, Colorado Adventure Elopement in the Mountains

The little town of Ridgway, Colorado is nestled right at the base of some of the best mountains in the San Juan Range. I feel it is one of the most underrated areas in Colorado to elope. With a population of around 1,200, Ridgway is not a large town & when you actually visit it can seem even smaller. But don’t overlook this little gem of a town! There are nice places to stay at in the area, a bunch of my favorite restaurants are in Ridgway, & it’s close proximity to the mountains makes it such a great basecamp for exploring & adventures in western Colorado. Ridgway has so many things to do such as the summer music in the park, farmers market, craft fairs, outdoor dining, & of course all sorts of outdoor adventures!

Hiking Elopement in the Mountains Above Ridgway

Josh & Marley wanted an overall happy & relaxed day in the mountains doing all of their favorite activities while being surrounded by beautiful scenery. They told me that they wanted to explore someplace new in Colorado & were really hoping for mountain views, a high alpine environment, an aspen tree forest, a lake or a waterfall, & wildflowers. Well, Western Colorado delivered on ALL of these things! We had a very early start & met up around 2am to start our off-roading journey up in the dark & then we still had a ways to hike under the stars. We took some star photos along the hike & just as we were reaching the top around blue hour, they helped each other get ready on top of the mountain pass.

We started with some detail photos & relaxed portraits right at sunrise with the alpenglow on the mountains. We just had to show off that dress in the mountains! Afterward they had a ceremony with just the two of them where they exchanged rings & read vows before their hike back down. This remote location in western Colorado is full of so much beauty. Their dog Levi had passed away & they were going to include him in their elopement, so we did a photo of them holding his collar in their wedding attire in tribute of him.

Off-Roading & Relaxing Around Silver Jack

After the hiking portion of their elopement, Marley & Josh headed out on a bit of an off-roading adventure to explore some meadows & aspen groves. Afterwards it was time to cool off! They took their truck down to the lake, relaxed on the shores, ate some food & champagne, & went fishing & paddle boarding to end their day. You don’t have to spend your whole elopement day in wedding clothes! Do something fun & include things in your day that you’ll really enjoy just like these two did!