Ultimate Elopement Guide

Colorado offers magic year-round, but the best time for your elopement depends on the vibe you’re after

January-Coldest month out of the year but not as crowded.  It's pretty dry which is great but again, it's cold!  Travel can get iffy depending on the road conditions.  I-70 can get a lot of traffic if the conditions aren't great.The sun rises a bit later and sets earlier so keep that in mind if you're wanting a sunrise elopement (hooray for a bit of extra sleep).  Alpine lakes are frozen which always looks awesome. 

February-Still pretty chilly but we usually get a little more snow and less sun.  Gives off a bit of snowy PNW vibes.  It's a bit easier to elope any time of day as the sun is filtered by any cloudy skies.

March- Spring break is here!  This is also primo blizzard time along with the lovely avalanches and warnings.  I'd avoid anything that has to do with i-70 and stick to Colorado Springs, Boulder or RMNP.

April-You'd think spring right?  Well, Colorado is definitely an exception! We can still get snow and crazy weather at any time so don't pull out those shorts just yet.  It could rain, tomorrow it could snow, and the next day you'll bask in a warm sunshine day. This is a very unpredictable month. High altitude areas will definitely still have snow and anything lower will probably have mud.  Lakes will still be frozen if they are high up there too.

May- General gardener's rule of thumb here.  Don't plant anything until after Mother's Day because it could still snow!  Bits of greenery and buds will be popping out but there will still be snow at high altitudes and many mountain passes will still be closed until after Memorial Day. 

June-Finally everything is blooming, the trees have green leaves and the grass doesn't look like wheat fields as much!  It starts to rain more now with afternoon storms but the wildflowers will start peeking out, and the waterfalls and rivers will be pretty full from all of the snow melt.  The temperature is comfortable but keep in mind high altitudes will still have some snow and mornings will still be chilly.

July- Hello summer!  It's warm/hot, wildflowers are abundant and most mountain passes and trails are open!  It's a bit busier so hiking and 4x4 roads might be where you'll want to head if you want some privacy.  We still have a ton of afternoon thunderstorms so if hiking is your plan you need to do so early morning and get back down by noon to avoid a crazy thunderstorm.  They usually pass quickly but you do NOT want to be above treeline if there's any lighting (which there usually is). I definitely recommend weekdays vs weekends due to peak tourism season.

August-Best time of year for comfortable summer temperatures. It's pretty dry and not as many afternoon storms too!

September-Amazing if you want fall foliage (depending on when the fall colors peak out of course.  The higher in the altitude the earlier the leaves start changing.   The weather is awesome this time of year and everything is starting to turn golden.  Towards the end of September is your best bet if you want higher locations.  The lower you go, like Colorado Springs, I'd wait until the 1st and 2nd week in October.  Now, if we get any crazy snow or wild wind storms this will diminish the amount of fall foliage of course but fingers crossed!

October-I love October for the fall foliage! But be prepared for cooler temps and wind at times.  It might snow at some point but it usually melts pretty quick.  Some of the passes start to close this time of year so keep that in mind. 

November-Officiallly the start to winter but the snow comes and goes.  Everything is starting to lose all of its color and look dormant/dead.  Temps are usually not too cold but cold fronts can still come and go so be prepared.  Trails will start seeing snow, especially the higher you go but there's shouldn't be any post-holing just yet! 

December- Definitely more snow this time f year.  It melts quickly at times but if we get snow storms it tends to stay longer.  Ski resorts are getting busier and once the holidays hit its full tourist season so keep that in mind if booking any rooms!