Hiking elopements have gone through a steep increase in interest since I photographed my first one in 2017—especially here in Colorado, where you can marry yourselves without needing an officiant or witnesses to join you on the trails.
If the idea of spending your wedding day in the mountains sounds like your idea of a good time, keep reading for my best tips on how to plan your hiking elopement, how to have the best time out there, and photo inspiration from some of the hundreds of miles I’ve hiked with my eloping couples.
Should we hike for our elopement?
I think it’s important to start by asking yourselves why you want to hike for your elopement. Do you already love hiking together in your daily lives, or when you’re on vacation? Is hitting the trails your favorite way to explore a new place, or get your weekend workout in? Do you love the idea of trying something new that’s a bit outside of your comfort zone on your wedding day?
Because you don’t have to hike to elope. If you love the epic mountain views, but hate the idea of getting sweaty, risking being caught outside in the rain, or having your dress pick up twigs and leaves from the trail, a hiking elopement might not be the best choice for you. Your elopement should be a reflection of who you are and what you love, both individually and as a couple, and if you don’t actually enjoy hiking there are so many better ways to spend the day.
But if you’re stoked about getting outside on your wedding day, spending the day together in the mountains, and challenging yourselves a bit so that you can enjoy the reward of reaching your destination (and getting married there!), a hiking elopement might be perfect for you.
How to plan a hiking elopement
I already have guides on how to plan your elopement, the best places to elope in Colorado, a month-by-month breakdown of the best times to elope, and how much time you need with your photographer, so I won’t rehash all of those here. But hiking elopements come with their own unique sets of challenges that you need to think about when planning the day.
Find a local photographer who hikes
I’m probably biased as an elopement photographer myself, but I think it’s important to start by finding the right photographer for your big day.
Narrow it down to the state or area you’re most interested in, then look for photographers who are local to that area. And the longer of a hike you want, the more important it is that your photographer is an experienced hiker and can keep up with you.
Decide on a hiking trail
You might already have a trail in mind, or you might need your photographer to create a personalized location guide for what you want from the day.
It’s important to be honest with yourselves about how much effort you want to put into reaching your destination, so that you can choose a trail with the right milage and elevation gain. Most of the hiking elopements I photograph are between 3-5 miles—long enough to get into the backcountry and away from people, but short enough that you’re not exhausted by the end.
The hardest trail I’ve done for work was 9 miles with 2,200ft of elevation gain (and you can see those photos here), but there are of course shorter options if you want to keep things easy. (Longest day hike in my free time? The 17-mile Skyline Traverse in Boulder that summits five peaks with 5,500ft of elevation gain.)
Don’t underestimate the added effort of hiking at high elevations if you’re coming to Colorado from a lower state. You might easily run 10 miles at sea level, but find yourself breathing heavily after the first mile of hiking at 12,000ft.
Gear up
I have a separate post on my recommended gear for adventure elopements that includes a full packing list, but there are a handful of items everyone should always bring on hiking elopements.
- Backpacks (don’t try to carry your stuff in tote bags!)
- Water (hydration reservoir > water bottle)
- Snacks
- Warm and/or rainproof layers
- Navigation (available offline on your phone)
What to wear for a hiking elopement
Shopping for wedding attire hits differently when you know you’ll be hiking in it. Choose something that allows for full range of movement, and that you’ll be comfortable wearing for hours of activity. Can you sit down on the ground and get back up again? Can you lift your legs high enough to climb up on a big rock? Will the fabric wrinkle in the dress bag when hanging from your backpack? Can you fit leggings or a baselayer under your clothes if it’s cold?
Plan on bringing at least one extra layer, like a rain jacket or puffy coat depending on the season, and make it something that you don’t mind appearing in a few of your photos. And please, please, please—break in your shoes before your elopement, and wear good wool socks that will keep your feet warm and dry.
Best time of day for a hiking elopement
While I have a bigger post on the difference between sunrise, midday, and sunset when it comes to your photos, hiking elopements are again different. Here in Colorado, it’s a known rule among hikers that you want to be back below treeline (or at the very least off the summit) before noon, because afternoon thunderstorms are common from June through August.
If you want to avoid bad weather, sunrise is the way to go. It’s incredibly rare to see rain in the mornings here, and while it’s always a bit colder before the sun gets up, I think it’s worth it to avoid being caught in rain showers (or worse, hail) when storms roll in later in the day. It’s not as much of a concern if your chosen trail is lower in elevation, like hiking to an alpine lake rather than summiting a fourteener, since lightning strikes are more common above treeline, but the weather can change in the matter of minutes.
Now I still photograph hiking elopements at sunset too, because getting up at 3am to start hair and makeup, or driving to the trailhead in the dark, just doesn’t sound fun to everyone—and that’s okay! September and October are great months for sunset hiking elopements, when the risk of thunderstorms has mostly passed for the season. And we can of course also pack rain jackets and umbrellas and just go for it in summer!
Hiking in the dark
Hiking in the dark might sound intimidating if you’re not used to it, but it’s seriously my favorite thing to photograph! Whether we’re starting in the dark to catch sunrise in the mountains, or staying out after dark to enjoy a late sunset in summer, I think there’s a special kind of magic in being outside in the wilderness without anyone else around, hearing the wind in the trees and the chirping of birds, and seeing the first light of the day start to wake up the landscape all around us.
Should we hike in our wedding attire?
This is one of the most common questions I get from couples, and the answer is that it depends on what you want!
Some of my couples choose to get dressed at their lodging before heading out, and hike in their wedding attire the whole day. This is great when you want getting ready photos, if you’re not too stoked about changing out in the wilderness, or you don’t want to carry your attire with you on the hike. It also means we can get more photos in different locations, because there are always beautiful spots along the trail and not just at our main destination.
On the other hand, if we’re meeting at the trailhead before sunrise and hiking up in the dark, it might make more sense to dress in normal clothes for the hike up, and change into your wedding attire when we arrive at either our final destination or another pretty location where it’s light enough to actually see what you’re wearing. You can either help each other get dressed, or get dressed separately and do a first look! If you go this route, make sure you think about what you’re wearing on the way up too because I’ll still be taking photos along the trail.
Leave No Trace elopements
As a certified Leave No Trace aware photographer, I want to cover some of the most important things to think about when planning a hiking elopement so that we can practice the 7 Leave No Trace principles.
Some things feel obvious, like always packing out your trash and leaving nothing behind. (This also includes using wag bags or kula cloths if you have to go while outside.) Rose petals, confetti, and any decorations that could get left behind do not belong in the wilderness.
Others, like staying on the trail even when the trail is muddy, wet, or covered in snow, is less obvious for people who are newer to hiking. Taking shortcuts and walking off the side of the trail can create new “social trails” or expand the main trail, which again can damage vegetation around the trail and lead to erosion. Whether you’re putting down a picnic blanket or choosing a spot for your ceremony, try to stay on durable surfaces like rock and dirt, and avoid fragile vegetation.
Another important one is being considerate of both wildlife and other hikers. I often come across moose on the trails here in Colorado, and while seeing them from a distance is super cool, they can be aggressive (and they run faster than you). Give wildlife plenty of space! That also goes for cute little critters like chipmunks, pika, and marmots, who’ll eat the snacks right out of your backpack if given the opportunity.
And while you might feel like the most important people on the trail when it’s your wedding day, remember that everyone else came for the same epic hiking experience as you, and have every right to be there!
And there you have it! If you’re doing all this research, you might be ready to contact your favorite photographer(s) to ask more questions about your hiking elopement. If you think we’d be a good fit, you should check out my elopement packages, then reach out to schedule a video call so we can talk more about what you’re planning and how I can help.
