Are you dreaming of a stunning adventure elopement in one of the most gorgeous areas of Colorado? If so, Lake Isabelle is the place for it! I’ll share all the details you need to know in this Lake Isabelle elopement guide.
I’ll answer all your questions – from what you can expect when you tie the knot at Lake Isabelle and all the reasons it’s the best location to permit information and where to stay nearby.
Why Elope at Lake Isabelle
As a Colorado elopement photographer, Lake Isabelle is one of my favorite locations. It’s in the Indian Peaks Wilderness, which offers stunning views, incredible hiking, and the perfect honeymoon location. You really can’t go wrong here!
Stunning Views
Lake Isabelle is a clear mountain alpine lake surrounded by picture-perfect scenery. It’s one of the best places to elope for stunning backdrops of rocky peaks and pine forests. During spring, Lake Isabelle is also surrounded by beautiful wildflowers.
Hikers’ Paradise
A Lake Isabelle elopement is PERFECT if you and your love enjoy hiking.
The Long Lake Trail takes you to Lake Isabelle, and the hike is amazing. As mentioned above, it’s easily one of Colorado’s most incredible hikes with gorgeous scenery!
The hike to Lake Isabelle is moderate – ideal for an adventurous and memorable elopement experience.
Perfect for Your Honeymoon
Not only is Lake Isabelle an epic location for your elopement ceremony, but the area is also fantastic for an unforgettable honeymoon.
Lake Isabelle is less than an hour from Boulder and about an hour and a half from Denver. There’s also camping in the Brainard Lake Recreation Area.
With so many nature areas and charming towns nearby, there are endless activities for couples to enjoy during their Colorado elopement and honeymoon.
When to Elope at Lake Isabelle
The best time for your Lake Isabelle elopement is summer or fall.
Not only are these times of year beautiful, but the winter and spring make it difficult due to heavy snowfall. Eloping in this area when there’s snow makes the hike extra long and requires snowshoeing.
As for the time of day, Lake Isabelle is incredible any time! That said, sunrise is gorgeous and secluded. Sunset is also pretty and less crowded.
Tip: Elope during the week for fewer crowds.
Permit Requirements for a Lake Isabelle Elopement
Aside from the $16 parking fee, couples can elope at Lake Isabelle at no cost. If you have the annual national park pass, you can park for $2. These are parking rates as of August 2023.
Many places in Colorado, including the Brainard Lake Recreation Area, require a photography permit. However, I take care of permits for my couples, so you’re in the clear!
Do I need a reservation to elope at Lake Isabelle?
You need to book a timed parking reservation for Long Lake trailhead’s parking lot to start your hike closer and have a shorter walk.
Where to Book Accommodation for a Lake Isabelle Elopement
As I mentioned earlier in this article, there are so many wonderful areas to stay near Lake Isabelle.
Whether you’re looking for a cute mountain town, a camping adventure, or accommodation in the city, there are tons of options.
Pawnee Campground
If you enjoy sleeping under the stars and want to be directly next to Lake Isabelle, consider camping at Pawnee Campground.
This is the ideal location for adventurous couples who love nature, with lakes and hiking trails surrounding the campground.
There are various campsites for tents, campers, and RVs. Some sites are also walk-ins for extra privacy.
Boulder
Boulder is just under an hour from Lake Isabelle, and it’s a great spot to stay to enjoy a vibrant downtown area and outdoor activities. Located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Boulder is also surrounded by gorgeous views.
Nederland
If you want to stay in a secluded, charming mountain town, Nederland is the place to go. It’s close to Boulder and about 20 minutes from Lake Isabelle. Nederland is a fun place to enjoy nature, hiking, and local breweries.
Denver
If a city (with a side of nature!) is more up your alley, Denver is another excellent option for booking accommodation near Lake Isabelle. I’m based in Denver and love that it has something to offer for everyone!
Whether you’re into going out late or staying in for the night – there’s a local restaurant, bar, or epic boutique hotel that fits the vibe of what you’re looking for. I personally really love The Ramble Hotel for a romantic stay, as well as visiting Barcelona Wine Bar down the street for the most fun dinner experience!
Other Things to Know Before Getting Married at Lake Isabelle
Prepare for and execute the most perfect elopement day ever with these helpful tips for your Lake Isabelle elopement.
Leave No Trace
One reason people love Lake Isabelle so much is because of its untouched beauty.
To keep it this way, it’s important we follow Leave No Trace principles:
- Plan ahead and prepare
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces
- Properly dispose of waste
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of others
As a Leave No Trace Aware Photographer, I love working with couples who appreciate and respect nature just as much as I do!
Hiking Shoes
Don’t forget your hiking shoes for the Long Lake Trail to Lake Isabelle! I’ve done many hiking elopements, and the couples rock their comfortable trail shoes. You can also bring another pair if you want to change for your ceremony.
Guest List
If you want to invite loved ones to your elopement, I recommend limiting your guest list to just a few people.
Lake Isabelle isn’t the best location for a large crowd for several reasons. Too many people can lead to trampling fragile vegetation, parking overflow, and an overcrowded trail.
Don’t forget elopements are meant to be special between you and your love!
I recommend keeping your elopement ceremony intimate, then including loved ones at a celebration afterward. In this article, I share other ways you celebrate your elopement with family and friends.
Pet Policy
I love it when couples bring their pet along to their elopement! Lake Isabelle allows dogs kept on a leash at all times.
The area is also known for the moose you might spot throughout your hike. So it’s especially important to keep your dogs close to prevent unwanted meet-and-greets and to observe wildlife without interruption.
And since there’s hiking involved, you’ll want to ensure your dog enjoys adventures too.
Be Flexible
As with any outdoor or hiking elopement, it’s important to be flexible. You never know what may happen with the weather and crowds, so being open-minded is the best way to enjoy your experience no matter what happens.
I always help couples I work with have an unforgettable experience no matter what the day throws at us!
“Brooke is hands down the most talented photographer I have ever met in my entire life. I gave her my inspiration and she took it and made it into something entirely unique and beautiful. The day of never goes as planned, she was thrown curveball after curveball and dodged them all with ease. The photos we received memorialized the best day of our lives and we are forever grateful for the beautiful artwork she created.”
– Emily & Nick
Lake Isabelle, Colorado Elopement Packages
As a Colorado elopement photographer, I help couples through the entire planning process and the day of, including capturing all the special moments of your big day!
My elopement packages include:
- An initial phone consultation
- My travel expenses
- Location scouting
- Timeline planning
- Vendor recommendations
- A 100-page guide with elopement planning resources
- A custom online gallery with all edited high-resolution images
- 24-hour sneak peek photos
- Rights to printing
Let’s Plan & Capture Your Lake Isabelle Elopement
Are you ready to plan your dream elopement? I’ve got you!
I’m a Colorado elopement photographer who loves helping adventurous couples plan and execute the perfect wedding day.
I’ll help you every step of the way and be there to capture your big day.
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."
