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Utah is such a wonderful state. Because there is beauty everywhere you turn and it is perfect for the adventurous souls! Now, I recognize that I may be a tad bit biased! I live in Utah now, but I have lived in many other states. (such as NJ, NY, CT, VA, MI, AL and GA.) And they are all beautiful in their own way! But Utah is really special because it’s so diverse in its amazing landscape. There’s everything from snow capped mountains, alpine lakes, salt flats, high deserts, red rock, arches, canyons, and the list goes on! There is so much to see, and there is no shortage of places to elope in Utah.
So Depending on What You Love or Want to Explore There Are a Lot of Options of Places You Can Elope in Utah. (Or Just Take Rad Photos in!)
Here are a few of my favorites.
1. Red Rock!
Moab is the place to go for some beautiful red rocks! And Moab Utah includes so much. Obviously, there are the iconic Arches, Zion, and Canyonlands National Parks and Dead Horse Point State Park.
But there is also so much to see outside the parks. (Off road Jeep Adventure anyone?!?) For the adventurous there is whitewater rafting, off road adventures, zip lining, rock climbing, or horseback riding. And if you want a more relaxed experience in Moab Utah you can go on scenic drives, museums, spas, art galleries, and so much more.
So depending on what you want your time in Moab to feel like, you have no shortage of options! It’s just a matter of how much you can fit into your trip.
2. If you are looking for some sweet mountains and/or alpine lakes:
If you love the mountains and you want them to be prevalent on you elopement day, or maybe you want to hike to beautiful locations, then these are for you! (This also gives you the highest chance of finding secluded areas!)
Some favorites of mine to elope in Utah are High Uintas Wilderness or Unita-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.
High Uintas Wilderness is located in northeastern Utah. (Within parts of Ashley National Forest and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest) It’s 456,705 acres and it stretches nearly 60 miles east to west. This national forest is such a beautiful area! There are hundreds of glacier-formed lakes that reflect the blue skies and there are some of Utah’s highest peaks in clear (and very cold) water. It’s truly a must-see in Utah!
The Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest is 2,169,596 acres big! There is so much scenic beauty in this forest and truly unlimited things to do throughout the year. Everything from skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling in the winter. Or if you don’t like the cold, there is also hiking, mountain biking, camping, fishing, swimming, horseback riding and more.
3. For something a bit different:
If you want some truly unique elopement pictures, and a unique elopement experience these next two locations might be for you!
Bonneville Salt Flats or Antelope Island.
The Bonneville Salt Flats have gained so much popularity as an elopement location, and with good reason! The white of the landscape makes it a blank canvas for your elopement so the focus of the photos on you. Besides, the beauty just hits different! Especially the glittery salt when the sun hits it just right at sunrise or sunset. If you want to see an example of an elopement day at the Salt Flats, check out Haley and Colton’s elopement!
Antelope Island is a beautiful state park in Utah. The snow capped mountains in the background makes it feel so different to the Salt Flats. And the island is so big that it makes you feel small. Pro tip: if you go to Antelope island, make sure to watch the sun set over the Great Salt Lake! There are amazing landscapes, lots of adventures, and wildlife at Antelope Island for you to encounter for your elopement.
Keep in mind that for both of these locations the season can really make a difference! So make sure to do some research before hand. (I might have a blog or two about it!)
4. Want a snowy winter wonderland? … We can surely do that too!
Utah has some of the best Skiing and Snowboarding around, making the winter scapes absolutely amazing. There’s no shortage of locations for winter elopements in the state of Utah, so it all depends on the level of adventure you want for your elopement day.
If you want the snow background but you aren’t wanting to trek through snow, rent an Airbnb with a beautiful view or elope at a ski resort!
And if you want a truly adventurous winter elopement at an iconic spot in Utah (such as a national park or forest) just be sure to do your research on that specific location in the winter time. Some locations (like the Salt Flats and trails at some National Parks) can’t be safely accessed in snowy conditions! Just be sure to go over the details with enough time and when in doubt, ask your elopement photographer!
5. Oh you like sand… we can do that too!
Utah also has two state parks with with beautiful sand dunes. And those state parks are called Little Sahara and Coral Pink Sand Dunes.
Sand Dunes have a similar effect to the Salt Flats in the sense that it’s a blank canvas. So the focus point of the photos is on you! And if you’ve seen sand dunes elopements, you know how beautiful they are!
Golden hour hits different at the sand dunes and because of this, sunsets at both of these locations are just amazing! If you want to explore the sandy ridges on your elopement day, then keep these parks in mind! (Even if you’re just visiting and want to go to the sand dunes for fun, check them out at blue hour to be really blown away!)
6. Oh! And did I mention the stars?
If you want to elope in Utah, then you should definitely check out (and take pictures with) the stars! The Utah night sky is just so beautiful! There are 5 “Dark Sky” (places with no light pollution) locations in Utah.
I love astrophotography (hence the name in case you were wondering) so if you want to check out the stars… Well then I am your girl. One of my favorite things about this state is that most places in Utah have an amazing view of the stars. It just can’t be beat!
I love when couples want to get up super early for a sunrise ceremony, and we take some Milky Way shoots before!! They make for some unique and spectacular photos, and to the naked eye, the stars are even better. (I have a blog post on my love for astrophotography you can check out here!)
Some Honorable Mentions to Elope in Utah:
Some other locations I love so much are Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, the BLM Lands all over Southern Utah, and Park City, Utah.
