COLORADO ELOPEMENT GUIDEHow to Elope in Ouray, Colorado
Jeep roads, waterfalls, hot springs, and a town that looks like the Alps. Everything you need to elope in Ouray, from someone who spent four years exploring it every weekend.
Ouray, aka the “Switzerland of America” (there’s a legit sign and everything), is a town straight out of an old Hollywood movie. You are tucked into the canyon in the mountains so the mountains surround you, and the whole town is basically one long street.
Andddd there are hot springs.
The mining roads are my favorite part because you can rent a Jeep in town and drive straight up. Halfway up you kinda say to yourself “Wait, we’re allowed to drive this with no experience?” But yep. And then you get to places that look like you should’ve had to hike 6 miles to get there but nope! Just a bouncy ride.
Ouray is also far enough away from Denver that you don’t get people coming for day trips. It’s mostly locals. And Texans.
SO. If you’re trying to figure out when the roads open, which ones actually need 4x4, where you can say your vows, and what it’s like when it snows in July, keep reading.
What Makes an Ouray Elopement Different
You drive to the view instead of hiking to it
Ouray is basically built for people who want the mountain views without spending half their wedding day walking uphill.
Old mining roads climb straight into the mountains, which means places like Yankee Boy Basin and Imogene Pass can get you into some seriously high alpine scenery without a six-mile hike to get there.
Some roads are pretty mellow. Some want a little more clearance. Some really do want a 4x4. You can rent a Jeep right in town, pile in with your dog, your snacks, and whatever else you brought along, and head up into the mountains. (I've got a whole guide to planning a 4x4 wedding if that's the plan.)
And when you're done? Come back down and soak in a hot spring. Seems fair.
You probably don't need a permit
A lot of the land around Ouray is Uncompahgre National Forest, and for a small ceremony with no chairs, arches, decorations, or other setup, you generally don't need a special use permit.
Which is nice.
You can find a spot, say your vows, and spend the rest of the day exploring without adding another giant paperwork project to the wedding.
There are exceptions, of course. Hotels and private venues have their own rules, and wilderness areas have different group-size restrictions. I'll help you figure out what applies to your particular plan before you show up.
When to Elope in Ouray
Ouray has four very different seasons, and they each come with their own set of tradeoffs. Two are my favorites, one is great if you're flexible, and one is mostly mud.
Wildflower Season
Late June to AugustThe high passes open up, the basins turn green, and Yankee Boy in July is basically a wildflower field with a road through it.
Afternoon storms are pretty predictable up here, so morning vows are usually the move.
Fall Color
September to Early OctoberGold aspens in every direction, crisp mornings, and highs in the 50s and 60s. Probably my favorite time of year in Ouray.
Peak color is usually the last week of September through the first week of October, right before the 4x4 roads start closing.
Snowy Winter
November to MarchQuiet, cozy, and frozen waterfalls everywhere. Red Mountain Pass stays plowed, so the overlooks along the highway make a seriously good snowy backdrop.
Big storms can close the highway, so winter always comes with a plan B (and here's how to stay warm during a winter elopement).
Mud Season
April to Early JuneI'll be honest, this is my least favorite. Things are brown and gray, most of the 4x4 passes are still closed, and it can be sunny and 60 one day and a blizzard the next.
If you're flexible, I'd wait until late June.
Where to Elope in Ouray
These are sorted by how much effort it takes to get there, not by how pretty they are. Because honestly, that's usually the more useful question.
Want to basically park and walk ten feet? Start here.
Bringing Grandma, your parents, or a whole group? Start with the venues.
Drive Up (or Close to It)
For when you want the mountain views without turning your wedding into a hiking trip.
Yankee Boy Basin
Some clearance to the lower basin, 4WD for the top. Usually late June to October.
This is the one everyone pictures when they think of Ouray. Old mine ruins, Twin Falls right off the road, and in July, wildflowers everywhere. It's popular for a reason, so we go early.
Imogene Pass
4WD required. Usually July to September.
At 13,114 feet, it's one of the highest roads you can drive in Colorado, connecting Ouray to Telluride. It's long, rough, and slow, so plan on making a whole day of it.
Corkscrew Pass
4WD required. Usually July to September.
Red and orange mountains, wide-open meadows, and switchbacks that live up to the name. One of my couples brought their whole group up here and said their vows in a light rain.
Red Mountain Pass
Any car, it's paved. Year-round, plowed in winter.
The top of the Million Dollar Highway, with red and orange peaks all around. The highway stays plowed, so it's one of the places I send winter couples.
Cascade Falls
Any car. Short walk from the edge of town.
A lot more waterfall than the walk suggests. It's roaring in spring, and by fall it calms down enough that you can actually stand closer to it.
Mount Abrams Overlook
Any car. A short walk on the Ouray Perimeter Trail.
We hop on the Perimeter Trail for a short section, find a good overlook, and soak it all in. And no, you are not hiking six miles in wedding clothes.
Venues for More Guests or a Reception
If you have more than 10-15 guests, or want somewhere to celebrate after, these are worth a look. (And if you're still figuring out the party part, here's how to have a reception after eloping.)
- Gold Mountain Ranch an indoor/outdoor space in Ouray, Colorado with the most insane overlook into town
- Beaumont Hotel an indoor/outdoor space in Ouray, Colorado with a gorgeous outdoor patio space
- The Western Hotel an 1891 hotel in Ouray, Colorado you can book out for your whole group, with the Cougar Bar & Grill right inside
- Hotel Imogene, an indoor and outdoor rooftop hotel and bar in Ouray, Colorado, the inside is the most photogenic space
- Red Mountain Alpine Lodge a backcountry lodge up on Red Mountain Pass, a short walk off the highway, with a meadow for your ceremony and room for about 20 to stay
- Top of the Pines an outdoor space in Ridgway, Colorado with insane mountain views
- Chipeta Solar Springs Resort a bougie outdoor mountain view location in Ridgway, Colorado
Some of my favorite spots around Ouray aren't on any public list, including this one.
Every couple gets a custom Google Map with pins for the spots I keep off the internet, plus a location guide with sample days, things to do, and way more places than I could possibly fit on this page. See a preview on my pricing page.
Permits, Marriage License, and Getting There
There are really only three things you need to sort out before the day: permits, your marriage license, and getting yourselves to Ouray.
None of them are particularly complicated. One of them has a deadline.
Permits
Most of the land around Ouray is Uncompahgre National Forest and for most locations, the general rule is pretty simple: keep it small, don't set up a bunch of stuff, and leave the place exactly how you found it.
Hotels and venues, like the Beaumont and Hotel Imogene, have their own booking and event rules.
Marriage license
Colorado allows self-solemnization, which means you don't need an officiant or witnesses. Just you two. You do need a marriage license, though.
In Ouray, you can get one through the County Clerk and Recorder. Apply online or in person, then you both go in together to pick it up, Monday through Thursday, 9 to 4. It's good for 35 days, so pick it up a few days before your ceremony. It's $30. Bring a valid ID for each of you, and then you have 63 days after the ceremony to return the completed license. You can also mail it back.
One useful Colorado thing to know: you can get your marriage license from any county in the state. It doesn't have to be the county where you're getting married. But it does need to be returned to the county that issued it.
And double check the county website before you go. Office hours, application requirements, and fees can change!
Getting there
Fly in. Montrose (MTJ) is about an hour away and is usually the easiest airport. Grand Junction (GJT) is about two hours, and Durango (DRO) is about two and a half.
Drive from Denver. It's a six hour drive, so I'd treat the drive as part of the trip rather than trying to squeeze it in around everything else.
If you're renting a car and want to get up into the mountains, check that your rental agreement lets you drive on dirt roads (a lot of them don't), and pay attention to the vehicle requirements for the locations you're planning to visit. Not every road around Ouray is a "let's take the rental sedan" situation.
And then there's the Million Dollar Highway. It's scenic as hell, but it's also a mountain highway with steep drop-offs and sections without guardrails. Take your time, especially if you're not used to driving mountain roads. In winter, the road can also close for avalanche work after big storms.
The process with our elopement was so easy with her help. Kimberly was very helpful with a list of florists and bakers, also how to get a marriage license.
Vertina
Things to Do in Ouray During Your Elopement
You said your vows. Took some photos. Now what?
Soak at Ouray Hot Springs
The big public hot springs right in town, with the mountains all around you.
Or go to Orvis Hot Springs
Just up the road near Ridgway and clothing optional. Walking around naked at a hot spring feels sooooo Colorado.
Rent a Jeep
Take it up Yankee Boy or Corkscrew, or make a whole day of the Alpine Loop over to Lake City. Stop whenever you want, eat snacks in the car, keep going.
Drive the Million Dollar Highway
Head over Red Mountain Pass toward Silverton. No guardrails. Take your time.
Take Imogene Pass to Telluride
If you're up for a full 4x4 day, drive over Imogene and come down into Telluride. Bring snacks. So many snacks.
Watch people climb the Ice Park
In winter, they farm ice down the walls of the gorge and then people climb it for fun. You can just stand there and watch.
Grab a beer on the Ouray Brewing roof
The bar stools are old ski lift chairs, which obviously means you need the photo.
Have a drink at the Beaumont
An 1880s hotel right on Main Street. Kinda feels like stepping onto the Titanic.
Walk to Box Canyon Falls
A short walk along a steel walkway into the canyon, with the waterfall thundering at the end.
Hike to Cascade Falls
Short, right off the edge of town, and way more waterfall than you'd expect.
Tour the Bachelor-Syracuse Mine
You ride a little train straight into an old mine. Very Ouray.
Visit the Ouray Alchemist Museum
Old apothecary bottles, medical stuff, and a whole lot of weird history. I love it.
Hit the sled hill or the ice rink
Winter only, right in town, and the sled hill is free.
Stargaze from a hot tub
Stay there until one of you finally admits you're freezing.
Where to Stay in Ouray
If you want to stay right in town, the hotels from the venue list are all great: The Western, the Beaumont, and Hotel Imogene.
If you'd rather wake up in the mountains, these are the cabins and huts I'd look at. They aren't event venues, so check with your host before you book. If you're planning an actual ceremony or party there, get permission in writing so there are no surprises later.
- Addie S Cabin a cabin right on Red Mountain Pass, between Ouray and Silverton
- OPUS Hut an off-grid hut just below Ophir Pass at 11,765 feet that sleeps 20, with wildflower meadows right out the door
- The Artist's Cabin a rustic glam cabin on Red Mountain Pass, between Ouray and Silverton
A Sunrise and Sunset Ouray Elopement Day
A full day in July, split between sunrise and sunset, with a break in the middle. Full-day coverage is up to 10 hours, so there’s room to add more. All drive times and stops stay flexible based on light, road conditions, and how the morning is unfolding.
Sunrise
Finish getting ready and head up to the first spot.
- 4:30 AM
Arrive and get dressed on opposite sides of the car.
- 5:00 AM
A first look at each other in wedding clothes during alpenglow.
- 5:30 AM
Ceremony. This is the best part of the day, so don't feel like you need to rush! Afterward, we sign your marriage license (paw print included, if your dog came).
- 5:45 AM
Sunrise. Watch the sun come up over the basin.
- 6:00 AM
Make coffee right there, wrap up in a blanket, and soak it all in.
- 6:30 AM
Load back up and head to a second spot.
- 7:00 AM
Breakfast picnic with a view, plus a champagne toast if you want (never too early for mimosas).
- 7:45 AM
Take the long way down, stopping whenever something looks good: a waterfall to wade in, a wildflower field, another road to explore.
- 8:45 AM
Back in town.
Midday break. Back in town for breakfast, a nap, or a hot spring soak.
Sunset
- 5:30 PM
Head out toward an alpine lake, music on.
- 6:00 PM
Arrive, have a snack, drink some water. I'll grab detail photos of your rings and vow books.
- 6:30 PM
Picnic and charcuterie by the lake, and playing in the water with your dog.
- 7:00 PM
Read letters from your people.
- 7:30 PM
A water crossing, or paddle out on the lake.
- 8:00 PM
Photos along the shore as the light gets warm.
- 8:30 PM
Sunset. Champagne at the water's edge.
- 8:55 PM
Blue hour, with photos by lantern light or dancing in front of your car's headlights.
- 9:30 PM
Star photos, then head down for dinner and a hot tub.
What to Pack for Your Ouray Elopement
The annoying thing about Colorado mountain weather is that it can be warm and sunny in town and snowing at the top of a pass you can literally see from Main Street.
So yes, I am an overpacker. And on an elopement day, I fully support you becoming one too.
The important stuff
- Marriage license and a pen
- Rings
- Your vows, preferably written on actual paper, a card, or in a journal
- Downloaded maps. Cell service disappears pretty quickly once you leave town
- Downloaded playlist for the same reason
- Portable charger
- A full tank of gas
- Snowshoes or microspikes if we're heading somewhere snowy
- Small first aid kit if we're going farther off the beaten path
- Wet wipes, especially if a dusty 4WD road is involved
- Backpack if we're doing any walking or hiking
The Colorado mountain stuff
- Layers you can add and remove
- Rain jacket
- Warm jacket, even in summer
- Good socks
- Shoes you can actually walk in
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Water. More than you think you need, since town sits at 7,800 feet and the passes go a lot higher
- Snacks. Also more than you think you need
You don't have to spend your vows in hiking boots, either. Wear the practical shoes to get there and throw the cute ones in your backpack.
And if you're looking at this list thinking am I seriously supposed to bring all of this to my wedding? Don't worry. I bring an emergency kit too.
Real Ouray Elopements
Four actual elopement days around Ouray, with snow, rain, 4x4 roads, and one very well timed fox.
Frequently Asked Questions About Eloping in Ouray
Do you need a permit to elope in Ouray?
For most small elopements on public land, no. Much of the land around Ouray is Uncompahgre National Forest, and a small ceremony with no setup generally doesn't require a special use permit.
Venues and hotels have their own booking rules, and wilderness areas have separate group-size restrictions, so it depends on exactly where you're going.
Do I need an officiant to get married in Ouray?
Nope. Colorado allows self-solemnization, which means no officiant and no witnesses.
Just the two of you and a marriage license.
How much does it cost to elope in Ouray?
It depends almost entirely on what you want the rest of the day to look like.
You don't need to rent a venue to get married here, so your costs can be as simple as your marriage license, somewhere to stay, food, and whatever vendors you want to bring along.
Photography with me includes planning help, location scouting, and travel anywhere in Colorado.
Is Ouray dog friendly?
Very much yes :)
Dogs are allowed in a lot of the places around Ouray, although individual trails and properties have their own rules. Box Canyon Falls, for example, doesn't allow them.
If you want a dog friendly place to stay, Twin Peaks Lodge & Hot Springs welcomes dogs and has its own hot spring for guests.
Bring treats. I'll need them.
How do I get a marriage license in Ouray?
Through the Ouray County Clerk and Recorder.
You can apply online or in person, then you both pick it up in person within 35 days of your ceremony (that's how long it's good for). It's $30, and you have 63 days after the ceremony to return it.
Check the county website before you go for current hours and requirements.
Can you elope in Ouray in the winter?
Yep. You just need a slightly different plan.
The high 4x4 basins aren't accessible the same way they are in summer, but there are still snowy locations around Red Mountain Pass, plus places closer to town.
Big storms can also close roads for avalanche work, so winter elopements always get a backup plan.
Wondering when to go, what to wear, or how to get here? Those are covered up in when to elope, what to pack, and permits and getting there.
Hi, I'm Kimberly
Most couples I talk to aren't worried about the photos. They're worried about picking the wrong month, choosing the wrong spot, or finding out at 7am that the road they planned on taking closed last week.
I've been photographing elopements and weddings out here since 2016, so I know the roads, the weather, the permits, and all the little things that are very easy to miss when you're planning this from another state.
One couple messaged me the week before Christmas asking if I was free the following weekend.
Seven days later, we were snowshoeing through three feet of snow to an overlook above Ouray with Mount Abrams behind them, and I was handing them letters from their families that I'd been secretly holding onto.
So, you do not need to have all of this figured out before you email me.
Ready to Plan your Ouray Elopement?
Jeep up into the mountains. Say your vows somewhere stupid pretty. Come back down and soak in a hot spring.
Pretty great wedding day, if you ask me.
If you're thinking about Ouray, fill out my contact form and tell me what you know so far. The month you're considering, who's coming, whether your dog is obviously also coming. You do not need a location picked or a timeline figured out.
That's the stuff we'll figure out together.
Fill out the contact form below!
A dreamy, rainy, and foggy summer intimate wedding at Ridgway State Park and around Ouray, Colorado.