As a Colorado local and photographer, Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) is one of my favorite places. Its natural beauty and stunning places to take photos make it one of the best places to capture engagements, weddings, and elopements. Adventurous couples also love to explore the park’s 415 square miles of hiking trails, wildlife, and gorgeous scenery.
Below, I’ll discuss everything you need to know about the perfect RMNP engagement session, including the best locations, when to take your photos, how much it costs, and photography packages.
Can I take engagement photos at Rocky Mountain National Park?
You can definitely take engagement photos at Rocky Mountain National Park, and you no longer need a photo permit. RMNP is one of my favorite places for engagement photos in Colorado, no matter the time of year!
The park is the perfect place to spend a few hours and explore while taking photos, or you can choose one or two locations for a quicker session.
Best Locations for Rocky Mountain National Park Engagement Photos
There are many stunning places for your Rocky Mountain National Park engagement session, including:
- Trail Ridge Road – An epic highway with many trails and viewpoints with breathtaking scenery
- Dream Lake – A popular 2.2-mile round-trip hike through aspen groves offers beautiful lake and mountain views
- Moraine Park – An accessible area with wildlife and picture-perfect backdrops that don’t require hiking and especially stunning at sunset
- Sprague Lake Loop – A stunning walking area with benches and lookouts over the lake with mountain peaks along the Continental Divide
- Alberta Falls – One of the park’s most popular areas and a gorgeous 1.6-mile round trip hike through aspen groves and a pine forest with a 30-foot waterfall at the end
If you’d like help finding your perfect location and planning your engagement session, contact Among the Pines Photography. I’d love to help you!
Best Time to Take Engagement Photos at Rocky Mountain National Park
RMNP is open year-round and offers a unique atmosphere and experience every season. Whether you want to take advantage of the beautiful fall foliage, winter wonderland scenery, spring wildflowers, or lush greenery in the summer, your photos will be beautiful!
My favorite time of year for Rocky Mountain National Park engagement sessions is June or September because you can escape the summer crowds and explore the park’s many epic locations more intimately. June’s vibrant greens also captivate the meadows, and fall comes alive in September.
I also recommend taking your engagement photos during the week, especially during summer when the park gets very busy. A sunrise or a sunset is also ideal for the fewest crowds and stunning scenery.
What to Wear for Your Engagement Session
Choosing your engagement photo outfits can be overwhelming and exciting. Of course, you want to look your best, feel comfortable, and love your photos!
When deciding what to wear for your what to wear for your engagement photos, consider the following:
- The season – Let the season inspire your outfits, especially since you’ll be taking photos outdoors. For example, you might wear cozy jackets if you’re getting married in the winter or a pop of color during spring or summer.
- A color palette – Create a cohesive feel for your engagement and wedding photos by choosing a specific color palette. I also recommend wearing neutral colors that look good in natural settings on camera, but feel free to have pops of color if that’s your style!
- Patterns – Solid prints are usually best on camera, especially with nature as a backdrop. However, one partner might wear a pattern while the other wears a solid.
- Accessories – If you want to dress up your outfit, include accessories like jewelry or a hat. You can also remove or add accessories to change the look of your pictures.
- A timeless outfit – Instead of thinking about trendy outfits, consider a timeless look you’ll love for years to come when looking at your photos. Neutral colors or pastels are great for a simple yet beautiful look that ages well.
- Comfort – Since you’ll be outside and possibly exploring the park, you’ll want to make sure you’re comfortable in your clothes and shoes. Consider trying on your outfit and shoes before your engagement session to make sure you like how they look and feel.
- Each other’s outfit – Ideally, your outfits will complement each other’s. For example, you want your colors and styles to go well together without wearing patterns and colors that clash.
- The location and experience – Since you’ll be outside, you likely won’t wear a fancy cocktail dress and suit. Depending on how simple or adventurous you want the experience, you might wear flowy dresses or nice pants and a top or dress in hiking gear for an adventurous session.
- An outfit change – If you want to capture various looks, you might do an outfit change. If you don’t want to switch outfits but want a different look, you could add and remove accessories.
Cost of Rocky Mountain National Park Engagement Photos
Rocky Mountain National Park is an incredibly affordable place for an engagement session.
When planning for engagement photos at Rocky Mountain National Park, you’ll want to consider these expenses:
- Park fee – As of January 2025, the park’s entrance fee is $30 per vehicle
- Travel expenses – If you aren’t local, consider the costs of travel and accommodations
- Outfits – You might splurge on new outfits, stick to a budget, or wear something you already have
- Photography – Professional engagement photos are usually around $1,000 and is the perfect investment for celebrating your engagement and announcing your elopement or wedding
Can we bring our pets?
Unfortunately, there are limited options for having your pet(s) join you for RMNP engagement photos. While dogs are allowed on the park’s roads and paved parking lots, they’re not allowed at most sites or on the trails.
If you’re looking for a stunning park in Colorado that’s pet-friendly, Garden of the Gods is an excellent option!
Let’s Plan Your Rocky Mountain National Park Engagement Session
I hope you found this article helpful and are excited about a fun and beautiful engagement session.
If you want to capture your love story with the best Rocky Mountain National Park engagement photos, I’d love to help! We can work together to bring your vision to life so you and your love can create a new memory together while I capture all the fun and sweet moments.
My engagement photo packages include:
- 1 or 2 hours of photography
- Edited, high-resolution images
- Online gallery for viewing, downloading, and right to printing
- My travel to Rocky Mountain National Park
kinsley + caden
“Brooke was the perfect choice for our wedding day! We had a micro wedding at Sapphire Point in August. I had never been to Sapphire Point and Brooke was so helpful suggesting vendors, picture locations, parking, marriage license info etc. She was so kind and helpful before and during the whole process and was a large part of why the day went so smooth. She does so much more than just show up and take pictures, Brooke will truly go out of her way to make your wedding day perfect! The photos are gorgeous and I keep getting so many compliments! I truly cannot recommend her enough!”
"Brooke was a large part of why our day went so smooth and will truly go out of her way to make your wedding day perfect!"
We chose Brooke to capture our Colorado elopement and she did exactly that and more. She made it easy to plan our day out with locations and timelines so that we could focus on ourselves. We decided last minute to change our afternoon/evening elopement to a 6am sunrise one so beat the heat of the day. Brooke accommodated us without hesitation and even created a new timeline for us so that we knew where to be for the perfect sunrise. She was kind and understood what we wanted in terms of our elopement and we are so grateful to have her capture the day. Our photos turned out beautiful and truly helped us relive the day. I would recommend Brooke to anyone wanting their special day photographed.
"Brooke accommodated us without hesitation and even created a new timeline for us so that we knew where to be for the perfect sunrise."
erica + stacy
kirstie + colin
Brooke not only photographed our mountain elopement beautifully, but she put so much thought into the details and knew all of the answers the questions I didn’t even know to ask. She really puts a lot of thought into each photo and brings her expertise while still remaining very open to what we wanted and ideas we had. She even helped pick the perfect spot for us and advised us on the logistical details like securing a reservation at the mountain lake where we wanted our ceremony. She is SO easy to work with and very friendly and chill. My husband and I are super awkward in front of a camera but she made it so natural and easy - and the shots came out better than we could have imagined.
"She really puts a lot of thought into each photo and brings her expertise while still remaining very open to what we wanted and ideas we had."
amanda + jace
Brooke is many things; talented, calm, flexible, experienced/ knowledgeable, patient, incredibly responsive, organized, resourceful in a pinch, supportive, creative, professional yet a blast to work with, and goes above & beyond w her clients. Our wedding was a spectacular dream and we couldn't be more grateful that she made that single day last forever. Whether she's photographing nature or an intimate event, her pictures tell a story of peace, love, whatever your vision may be. We couldn't recommend her more and we look forward to booking with her for all of our vow renewals, seasonal and family pictures for as long as she'll have us.
"Whether she's photographing nature or an intimate event, her pictures tell a story of peace, love, whatever your vision may be."
linden + brent
Working with Brooke was a dream come true! Before we even met, my husband Brent and I were impressed by her portfolio. After meeting, we were even more convinced that her photography skills and knowledge, and her fun and easygoing personality were exactly what we were looking for in an elopement photographer. Brooke was able to take our vision and facilitate everything so that it worked out beautifully, especially when it came to finding the perfect location (the incredible mountains surrounding Ouray). Throughout the entire planning process, she was honest and flexible, and made it clear that her goal was for us to be 100% happy. In the end, her creativity and our happiness totally shine through in every single photo.
"Throughout the entire planning process, she was honest and flexible."
lauren + branden
I can't begin to express my gratitude for the intimacy and beauty behind Brooke's photographs. In capturing our wedding day, she went above and beyond to document our story, our families, and the depths of our love in ways that I'll forever be grateful for. Brooke has an eye for not only capturing the adventure and magic of your love, but deeply connects with your personal story, understands your relationship, and then gives that back in the most incredible way. She is truly an artist and tells your story in an authentic and creative way for you to look back on for years to come. We are forever grateful to Brooke for spending the time to get to know us, our story, and capturing the memories that we'll relive for years to come.
"Brooke deeply connects with your personal story, understands your relationship, and then gives that back in the most incredible way."
heather + jedd
“If you're contemplating which photographer to go with, THIS IS YOUR SIGN TO CHOOSE BROOKE!!!! She is so so so talented and was able to capture our elopement exactly how I pictured and wanted! We eloped in Ridgway, CO this past September and she was so helpful figuring out picture locations, recommendations of timeline for the day, and just made the whole day feel so smooth. She schedules multiple check ins, phone calls, etc., leading up to the big day to ensure everything is as you want it. Brooke has such a calming, down to earth presence and is one of those awesome people you feel like you've known forever after just the first time of meeting."
"Brooke has such a calming, down to earth presence and is one of those awesome people you feel like you've known forever."
christy + austin
Brooke is the absolute best. She truly went above and beyond for my fiancé and I to be able to get our engagement photos taken with the fall colors. Brooke is so sweet, fun, personable and incredibly talented. We could not be more in love with our engagement photos! Our engagement session with Brooke was such a special experience and a memory we will cherish forever.
"Our engagement session with Brooke was such a special experience and a memory we will cherish forever."
