How to Elope in Crested Butte

One of those magic places

that is just a little bit out of the way, but all the way worth it. Crested Butte is a mountain town tucked away in the Elk Mountains of South West Colorado. Known for it’s epic mountain biking trails, fly fishing and some fairly delightful ski runs, Crested Butte is one of those places that attracts all sorts of outdoor loving crowds- and for good reason.

So when K+N decided that this was where they wanted to elope, I did not hesitate to let out a little yelp. Crested Butte is one of those places that is just far enough away from Denver to make it a bit of a haul (about 4 hours) but absolutely worth it. The Elk Range is breathtaking, and driving into the valley where Crested Butte sits feels like you’re entering a wonderland. Rolling grasslands filled with cows and horses, surrounded on 3 sides of tremendous peaks- it’s something else entirely.

However Crested Butte, like many mountain towns in Colorado, is no longer a hidden gem. People flock to this area from all corners of the state to take in the scenery and enjoy a cocktail at the Dogwood Bar or nom some delicious tacos and burgers. Its popular, and therefore, busy.

In planning your elopement in Crested Butte, be sure to swing by Bramble and Broom to pickup some local flowers, and then trust me when I say that the National Forest options are ENDLESS. For K+N, we budgeted about 2 hours to drive from town to their ceremony location, which was only 14 miles away. Why did we budget 2 hours for this? So that we could pull over and stop just about anywhere we wanted to take some incredible photos of them.

If you’re more into a 4×4 option, I took an afternoon while out there to do some hiking and scoping out of locations for future elopements. There are lakes, mountain peaks, wildlife spotting and LOTS of beautiful Aspen trees to make your dreams of a mountain elopement come to life. Crested Butte is an elopement location for all seasons- so no matter what you’re looking for this’ll do just fine.

If privacy is a top priority, don’t fret. Crested Butte in the summer is connected to Aspen via a windy yet stunning dirt road. If driving up to 12,000 ft and saying your vows overlooking some of the most stunning mountains in all of Colorado is your jam, then Crested Butte is where you need to be!

Lastly, when you are considering Crested Butte as your elopement location, the odds of needing a AWD or 4WD car are strong. All major roads are paved and maintained, but again the weather can be precarious so having a trusty vehicle to get you around is great for peace of mind.

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