Mountain Elopement Locations Near Salt Lake City

If you are eloping in Utah but are not sure where to elope yet, you’ve probably been looking online. As a result, it is very likely that you’ve come upon a lot for the national parks of Utah and Southern Utah! And for good reason, because Southern Utah is beautiful and perfect if you want a red rock desert elopement. But it is likely that you haven’t found much on mountain elopement locations near Salt Lake City, Utah. If so, then let me tell you about my favorite places on earth! I live here in Salt Lake City, so I have become obsessed with the mountains in my backyard. And because of my love for these mountains, they were the inspiration behind the name of my business!

Salt Lake and Park City are home to some of the best mountains, making the area well known for skiing. The 2002 Winter Olympics were held here, and is in the running to host the olympics again in 2030! It’s even been said that we have the best snow on earth here!

Best Times for Eloping near Salt Lake City, Utah

You can visit Salt Lake City at any time of the year, but the best time will wildly depend on what kind of scenery and weather you are wanting.

My favorite times of the year up here in Salt Lake City, is definitely the summer and fall due to being able to get outside more. Summer is my favorite because I can get up into the mountains and hike, camp, and go off-roading all I want! And the temps are much cooler in the mountains than in the valley during the summer, which makes for a nice escape. You also can’t beat the beautiful green scenery of the mountains. Because green is my favorite color, I am constantly in awe of how much the mountains come alive in the summer! It truly makes my heart so happy.

There are also way more options when it come to locations in the summer and fall. A lot of the beautiful and epic mountain elopement locations near Salt Lake City close down in the winter because there’s too much snow. As a result of the snow, they close the gates on the roads like Mirror Lake Scenic Byway and Guardsman Pass, and the only way to get up there is with snow mobiles.

I love the fall because of all of the amazing colors. Going on drives through the canyons is my favorite during this time of year. But it makes me sad, because fall really only lasts for about 3-4 weeks here before it turns into winter and starts snowing. And I don’t do any winter sports other than snowshoeing, so it really limits my time in the outdoors. But if you are into skiing and snowboarding, then winter would be perfect for you! Or if you want a winter wonderland backdrop, then the mountains covered in snow is perfect for you!

Spring in and near Salt Lake is good when the cherry blossoms start coming out. But you’ll only find those if a few locations, and everyone knows about them. So it gets crowded. Spring might honestly be my least favorite time in Salt Lake, and is when I spend more time in Southern Utah. Outside of the blossoms, everything is still kind of dead, but the snow is melting too, so it isn’t as pretty. And you still can’t get up to any of the remote areas of the mountains because the roads aren’t plowed yet.

Mountain Elopement Locations to Consider Near Salt Lake City

There are so many good spots to choose from, it’s hard to choose! But here are a few of my favorite spots:

Silver Flats Reservoir

Not to be confused with Silver Lake in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Silver Flats Reservoir is located in American Fork Canyon, above Tibble Fork Reservoir. I would recommend a high clearance vehicle to get up to Silver Flats, as I have seen a normal sedan bottom out on the road on the way up, and completely mess their vehicle up.

But the last several years have brought of crowds to Tibble Fork Reservoir, making it less enjoyable unless you want to be there for sunrise. Which I have done with a couple and highly recommend! The lighting on Mount Timpanogos at sunrise is spectacular. But if you want to try to get away from the crowds, Silver Flats Reservoir will have less people. Although, it is becoming more known about. I would still recommend an early morning or week day for this location.

The Hollow

Now this one is an actual venue, but it is stunning! The owners, Stewart Mountain Lodging, also own cabins nearby that you could stay in as well. My very first eloping couple in 2020 stayed in the cutest cabin and read their vows to each other at The Hollow. It was the most perfect and sweetest ceremony just between the two of them, and they also came back this past summer to celebrate with their friends and family!

The Hollow is located in Provo Canyon in Sundance, Utah, just right down the road from Sundance Resort. It’s about an hour from Salt Lake and 45 minutes from Park City. There is also Midway and Heber City that are less than 25 minutes away, and are the cutest little mountain towns nearby where you can go for your celebration dinner after!

Big Cottonwood Canyon

This canyon is literally right behind where I live, and I’m up there at least once a week in the summer and fall. I go up there quite a bit in the winter too, but not as much haha. Not only is it super accessible, but there are many activities to do in this canyon! There are tons of hiking trails, you can go fishing, have a fire, camp, rock climb, ski, snowboard, snowshoe, snowmobiling, or even rent a cabin for your stay! The possibilities are endless. There are also a ton of different locations we can go to within the canyon for photos!

Little Cottonwood Canyon

Just right down the road from Big Cottonwood Canyon is this gem! Little Cottonwood Canyon is known for its stunning granite cliffs, therefore creating the most beautiful contrast among the greenery below. Just like Big Cottonwood Canyon, this canyon also has everything you could want for your mountain elopement! If you’re planning to have an intimate wedding with guests, there’s also a few venue options in the little town of Alta that is in the canyon.

In the summer between late July and early August, there are the most AMAZING wildflowers in this canyon. Albion Basin and the nearby trails come alive and it is honestly one of the most spectacular things I’ve ever seen in my life! If you’re going to have an elopement in this location, I highly recommend doing it at this time of year so you can see these flowers for yourself. You won’t be disappointed!

The High Uinta Mountains

Pronounced “You-In-Ta”, these mountains are my absolute favorite. In the summer and early fall, you can drive up Mirror Lake Scenic Byway and have a whole day just stopping and exploring places along the way, because there are literally hundreds of lakes tucked up in these mountains, with many of them being super easy to get to. Imagine mountain elopement locations near Salt Lake City or Park City, and having a small ceremony and reading your vows to each other at the edge of a beautiful alpine lake, and then exploring the rest of the day! Because the lakes in the high Uintas is not part of our watershed, you can go kayaking, canoeing, or paddle boarding! You can also bring your fur babies along with you too! And then imagine ending the day around a campfire and doing some stargazing. How perfect does that sound?!

Places to Stay if You’re Eloping Near Salt Lake City, Utah

There are tons of places to stay, it just all depends on what type of stay you are looking for! Here are a few places I recommend looking into for your stay:

• Camp Cloud Rim
• Cottonwood Lodging
• The Lodge at Blue Sky
• Sundance
• Stewart Mountain Lodging
• Tons of options on Airbnb and Vrbo

Where to Eat in Salt Lake City and Park City

I consider myself a bit of a foodie. So because I live here in Northern Utah, I’ve had the opportunity to check out a lot of local spots! So here are some of my favorites and ones that I am dying to try based on reviews!

Salt Lake:

• Caffe Molise (Italian)
• Lake Effect (Bar)
• Brio (Italian)
• Ivy & Varley (Bar)
• Spencer’s (Steakhouse)
• Pago (American)
• Provisions (American)
• Log Haven (American)
• Stoneground Kitchen (Italian)
• Finca (Spanish)

Park City:

• The Mustang (American)
• 710 Bodega Tapas & Wine (Spanish)
• Chimayo (Southwest)
• The Nelson Cottage by High West (American)
• Goldener Hirsch (Contemporary take on traditional Alpine cuisine)
• The Blue Boar (Modern European)
• Handle (American)
• Riverhorse on Main (American)
• Cafe Terigo (Italian)
• Flanagan’s on Main (Irish)

Example Timeline

Here’s an example of what your day could look like! This is just for an example, therefore, your day may look totally different! Just keep in mind that this is your day and I’m here to make sure you have a damn good time above all else. And lastly, a more detailed timeline will be sent out after a plan and location has been determined to help with travel time estimates.

Time	Event
5:00 AM – 5:30 AM	Finish getting ready. I’ll come at the end to take some photos
5:30 AM – 6:15 AM	Drive to hiking trailhead
6:15 AM – 6:45 AM	Hike up to Cecret Lake for sunrise.
6:45 AM – 7:45 AM	Exchange private vows between the two of you, portraits around the lake, and enjoy some coffee that we’ve packed with us.
7:45 AM – 8:15 AM	Hike back down
8:15 AM – 9:00 AM	Head back and meet up with everyone for breakfast. Break in coverage. You guys rest up from an early morning.
BREAK
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM	Touch up hair and makeup if needed and get dressed again. I’ll come take some detail shots and of you getting ready with everyone else.
4:00 PM – 4:45 PM	Drive to Church of Dirt
4:45 PM – 5:15 PM	Ceremony with loved ones
5:15 PM – 5:45 PM	Photos with loved ones
5:45 PM – 6:45 PM	Portraits
6:45 PM – 7:30 PM	Drive to dinner
7:30 PM	My coverage ends. You celebrate with your loved ones!