November 11, 2022
Your ultimate guide on figuring out where to elope in Grand Junction, Colorado
Curious on where to elope in Grand Junction, Colorado? Kudos to you, because you’ve come across a hidden gem in Colorado. I think that most people overlook this area of Colorado on their way to Instagrammable places like the Rocky Mountains or the San Juans. Grand Junction offers a landscape that looks out-of-this-world and is unlike other places in Colorado. With access to Colorado National Monument, Colorado’s wine country, and the state’s juiciest peaches, Grand Junction is an ideal place to plan your elopement.
When to elope in Grand Junction
One thing to mention before we get started. Grand Junction is located in a desert climate. Spring/fall is going to be the most comfortable time of year to elope in Grand Junction unless you want to center your day around sunrise. It gets HOT here in the summer.
Colorado National Monument
First on the list is Colorado National Monument. Colorado National Monument is a place you don’t want to miss regardless if you choose to elope in the park or not. If you’re in Grand Junction for your wedding, you must make a detour to this park. The desert landscape mixed with deep canyons herald epic views to exchange your vows. There are also plenty of short and long hiking trails to include as an activity on your elopement day.
- Books Cliff View: A quick 2 minute walk from the parking lot. Gorgeous views of Monument Canyon. An ideal spot for a ceremony.
- Otto’s Trail—.7 mile roundtrip walk that takes you to some deep views of Monument Canyon. Near Independence Monument Viewpoint but much less crowded.
- Monument Canyon Loop Trail—4.5 mile round trip hike that takes you down Monument Canyon.
- Balanced Rock Overlook—A great place to stop to get a good view of the Balanced Rock.
- Wedding Canyon—If you’re getting married in Colorado National Monument it almost seems obligatory to snap a picture in front of the vast Wedding Canyon.
Honorable mentions:
- No Thoroughfare Canyon – Moderately Difficult Hike
- Ute Canyon – Moderately Difficult Hike
- Coke Ovens – Easy Hike
- Serpent’s Trail – Easy Hike
- Devil’s Kitchen – Easy Hike
Mount Garfield
When I think of Grand Junction, I think of Mount Garfield. This fine mesa stretches along Palisade and Grand Junction alongside I-70. There are plenty of great spots underneath it to take pictures. If you’re feeling daring, you can hike to the top (3.8-miles round trip). Click here to check out the Mount Garfield trail.
Grand Mesa National Forest
If you’re looking to escape the summer heat for your Grand Junction elopement you can head to Grand Mesa. This is a gorgeous area near Grand Junction with a multitude of alpine lakes you can hike to and canoe/kayak in.
Notable spots in Grand Mesa: Lost Lake, Land’s End, Crag Crest Trail
Little Books Cliff Wild Horses
Imagine getting married next to wild horses! Little Books Cliff Area has 36,000 acres of places for wild horses to roam. The best way to adventure in this area is to go four-wheel or off-roading. Coal Canyon Trail is a great place to explore. You can take a tour to find the horses through Rimrock Adventures.
McInnis Canyons National Conservation
The McInnis Canyons National Conservation area has some great hikes, arches, and views that overlook the Colorado River.
Palisade Rim Trail
Palisade Rim Trail is a grueling hike but the views are worth it. The trail overlooks the wine country of Palisade below.
Rabbit Ears Trailhead
About 30 miles west of Grand Junction you’ll find Rabbit Ears Trailhead. The view from the top looks incredible.
Rattlesnake Canyon
Want to find an arch to elope underneath but don’t want to go all the way to Moab? Rattlesnake Canyon is located near Fruita and has a handful of arches you can hike to. The Rattlesnake Canyon Arches Trail is a 2.7-mile footpath with a few along the way.
Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area
Dominguez Canyon is great for backpacking through, especially if you want to camp. There are also Indigenous petroglyphs you can find along the canyon.
Grand Valley OHV Recreation Area
I had to put Grand Valley OHV Recreation Area on the list because I secretly hope a couple who’s obsessed with off-roading and dirt biking will want to take pictures on the trails here. It sits right under Mount Garfield too so the views are amazing too.
BLM Land
There are plenty of perfect and secluded elopement spots on BLM land near Grand Junction. This really gives you a chance to explore!
Check out this article on where to go on BLM land in Grand Junction
Activities for your Grand Junction elopement:
- Hiking
- Rafting
- Biking
- Visit Wineries
- White Water Rafting
- Float down the Colorado River
- Rock Climbing
- Horseback Riding/Wild Horses Tour at Books Cliff through Rimrock Adventures
- Visit the Grand Junction Motor Speedway
- Have a destination picnic with Wander West Picnics
Wineries to visit:
- Carlson Vineyards
- Two Rivers Winery
- Carboy Winery
- Colorado Cellars Winery
- Mesa Parks Vineyard
- Grande River Vineyards
Rafting Companies in Grand Junction:
Where to stay near Grand Junction:
- Spoke and Vine Motel in Palisade
- Camp on BLM land
- Epic “Green House” in Loma
- Carriage House on the Peach Farm
- Rustic Cabin in Glade Park
- Modern Tiny Home on the Colorado River
- Colorado Glamping Cabin in Mesa County
Florists in Grand Junction:
Colorado Elopement Packages
My Colorado packages start at $3,900 and include:
- Options of 4-Hour, 6-Hour, and 8-Hour Packages
- 100+ Page Elopement Planning Guide
- Unlimited Guidance & Consultation Calls
- Custom Timeline
- All Travel Fees and Expenses-Minus something extra like a helicopter ride 😉
- Vendor Recommendations
- Permits Assistance and Location Scouting of The Best Locations in Grand Junction
- Upgrade to 1:1 Vow Writing Consulting (pst did I mention I have a background in copywriting?)
- Discounted Photo Album Design Services (with creative and romantic storytelling of your gorgeous elopement)
- Gallery Slideshow
- 500+ Culled and Edited High-Resolution Photos
- Digital Gallery with Printing Rights
- Surprise Gift From Me
Looking to elope somewhere else in Colorado? Check out my other blogs on Where to Elope in Colorado and Where to Elope in Vail, Estes Park, and Breckenridge.
“She really puts her heart and soul into this.”
My husband and I decided to elope after feeling a little overwhelmed with the idea of planning a wedding. , Alisha pitched a lot of ideas based on what we were imagining and they were so killer so it was so hard to pick. She can really zero in on what a couple is all about and plan from there. And all her ideas were incredibly creative and original. On the day of our elopement we were so relaxed. Alisha picked out all the locations including our vow ceremony spot which was beautiful, private and romantic. We literally laughed the whole time and kept repeating "I'm so happy we did this." After the desert ceremony in Death Valley she drove to Vegas with us, waited for us to change into our cool Vegas attire, and carted us all over the strip and downtown to take more fun photos. The photography is beyond remarkable. I mean COME ON. I've never seen more beautiful photos in my entire life. We're so happy to have them to enjoy forever, so so SO worth it. She really puts her heart and soul into this. It actually makes me tear up...We love you Alisha.
— HEATHER & COLIN
“Hire her. You
won't regret it.”
Our first experience working with Alisha was on an elopement styled shoot. I knew from that day on she was going to be the photographer to capture our wedding day. Alisha said "yes" to absolutely every crazy idea and vision I had for our wedding day. She literally hiked miles and woke up before the sun to make it happen. Alisha is completely in her element when photographing, she knows how direct a shoot without being bossy, she captures every angle without being in the way and doesn't make you feel like you're even behind the camera. Alisha pours her entire self into every shoot she does, she doesn't stop until everything is perfect. It put me at ease knowing Alisha was paying such close attention to detail when it came to the location scouting and capturing every single photo imaginable. Working with Alisha was a breeze, she's communicative, fast and detail oriented. Not to mention, an incredible photographer. We were blown away when we got our wedding gallery within a month of our wedding, with over 700 beautiful photos. Our families cried happy tears all over again reliving those memories. If you're wondering, "is it worth it?" The answer is 100% ABSOLUTELY yes, hire Alisha, you won't regret it.
— Katie & Kevin
“I do not think any other photographer would have been able to do that for us.”
Choosing Alisha for our elopement photographer was the absolute best decision we could have made. Bryan and I had a pretty short timeline of only a few weeks until our wedding day so I was not sure if Alisha could make it work, but she went out of her way to travel and make all of the behind the scenes arrangements in advance. She made everything so easy for us leading up to the day helping with park permits, scouting out photo locations, making vendor recommendations, and suggesting fun ideas for the day. As two people who do not feel natural in front of a camera, she made us laugh, have fun, and get out of our shells in a way we could not have expected. From start to finish, our experience with Alisha was so genuine and natural. She is just a joy and a light to be around. On top of that, we were truly blown away when we received our wedding photo gallery. You can feel the emotion, beauty, and love in every single image. Because she took the time to get to know us on a personal level and really understand us as a couple leading up to the wedding, the photos showcase who we are in a real and honest way, and I do not think any other photographer would have been able to do that for us.
— MIRANDA & BRYAN
“Incredibly talented, creative, caring, and personable.”
My fiancé and I could not feel more fortunate to have crossed paths with Alisha while searching for a photographer for our engagement shoot. Let me tell you, this girl is a GEM. I talked to at least 50 photographers during my search and Alisha is the only one that I felt truly cared about what we wanted. We met up at sunrise on the day of our shoot and I can truly say that it was a flawless experience! My fiancé and I were exhausted and nervous, but immediately upon meeting Alisha, we felt comfortable and excited. Her positive energy is contagious. I tend to be awkward and never know what to do with my hands, but she was so patient and guided us every step of the way, giving us prompts and making us laugh the entire time. It felt like we were leaving the shoot with a new friend. WE ARE OBSESSED WITH OUR PHOTOS. In short, Alisha 10000000% exceeded my very high expectations. She’s incredibly talented, creative, caring and personable. You can tell she has a huge heart and is passionate about what she does.
— LAUREN & NIK
I will continue to use her and her talents for life!!
Alisha is the best photographer and person you’ll ever work with! She has such a fun and calming manner about her. Her system is down to a t. And very personalized as well. I found her through a friend but loved her because her art and photos weren’t so posed and perfect. She captured such perfect moments and seemed like she had 10 photographers! I can’t believe the photos she got of our wedding and all the special moments I got to see that I otherwise would have never known happened! My husband can not recommend her enough! And will continue to use her and her talents for life!!
— SYD & JAKE
“Book her now.”
Alisha is the consummate photographer that you want capturing your special day. We used her (twice!) for engagement photos and she was the first we asked to be our wedding photographer. From the moment we engaged her for the big day, she was all about us. From a welcome care package that frankly knew us almost better than we knew us, to her wedding guides, assistance in finding other vendors, and of course her amazing skill behind the camera Alisha was the perfect choice for our wedding photography. On the day of the big event she took great photos and had creative ideas for shoots in and around the venue. She’s given us keepsakes that we are thrilled to treasure forever and proud to frame and hang on the wall. Book her now.
— COLTON & YVETTE
“She gave us the best photos EVER!”
We absolutely love Alisha! She gave us the best photos EVER! She planned everything to the smallest detail. It was so easy and she made sure we had everything we were looking for. My husband and I even flew back to get wedding photos done! Alisha braved the cold winter for us. We are so thankful to have memories in the best photos ever. I can’t say enough about her. Not only is she an AMAZING photographer but such a good person! We will definitely be having plenty more sessions in our lifetime :)
— danielle & Xavier
“Alisha is easily one of the best humans I’ve ever met”
Where do I even start!? Alisha was an absolute dream to work with!!! She was so flexible with us and our last-minute cancellation due to covid. We had originally planned to meet her in Vegas for our anniversary shoot in March and we ended up canceling our trip a week out due to the virus. She was so understanding and even offered to refund our deposit. We knew we still absolutely wanted to shoot with her so we scheduled another trip to Colorado this time and she met us there for an amazing sunrise shoot at Great Sand Dunes Natl Park. The whole experience was incredible and Alisha was so amazing and personable, we felt like we had left and made a new friend! She sent us sooo many sneak peeks just a few days after the shoot and Then probably 100 more photos a few weeks later. They were absolutely stunning. She is easily one of the best humans I’ve ever met and not to mention an extremely talented photographer with a clear passion for her clients and her work! We can’t wait to shoot with her again!
— MIA & FERMIN
“I cannot wait to
book her again”
I have never done a couples shoot but I fell in love with Alisha's work on social media. I was beyond ecstatic when I found out she was traveling to Minnesota. Where do I begin? From the moment I spoke with Alisha, she easily made me feel comfortable and confident. She responded back to my questions and concerns within a timely manner and was easily accessible. Her talent and passion for photography is truly admirable! It’s so evident that she genuinely cares about each and every couple that she works with. Alisha has a gift for detail and seeing things differently than everyone else. She took some breathtaking pictures that will always have a special place in my heart! Alisha doesn't just take photographs, she creates beautiful works of art that don’t just capture smiles but our souls, and to be a part of her art is an absolute honor. Not only is her work stunning, but she is a great person to be around. She is professional, patient and outgoing and I cannot wait to book with her again! Thanks for the memories, laughs and for creating such an enjoyable experience.
— Miriam & Jaime
“She made everything perfect! 10/10 recommend”
Alisha was super professional and friendly throughout the entire process of our engagement shoot. I was super indecisive on where to have our shoot and she gave me multiple choices. She even went to the spot before hand to scope it out for us. My fiancé hates getting pictures taken but he loved natural and fun our experience was. Alisha made us our own playlist to listen to throughout the shoot which made both of us feel super comfortable. We ended having our shoot in Breckenridge and made a weekend out of it. Honestly, one of the most rememberable and amazing weekends we could ask for. Alisha communicated with us throughout everything and was SO fast getting our sneak peak photos and album to us. She even sent us a little gift that we appreciated SO SO much. I would highly recommend Alisha for any photography session whether its an adventure shoot or a wedding. She made everything perfect! 10/10 recommend :)
— GRACE & JAKE
“Alisha is the absolute
best photographer!!”
Alisha is the absolute best photographer!! We did our engagement photos with her and she made my fiance and I feel so comfortable. We had never gotten professional pictures taken so were a bit nervous beforehand but Alisha made us feel so comfortable and the photos came out AMAZING. I literally scroll through all of them a few times a week because of how much I love them and how they capture our love for each other so beautifully. I highly recommend using Alisha as your photographer!
— NATALIE & JAKE
SHARE THIS POST