Top 5 Favorite Proposal Spots in Colorado – Resources and Details
Looking to propose in Colorado? Check out our top 5 favorite proposal spots in Colorado with beautiful scenery that will be sure to put a smile on your soon to be fiancé’s face. Some of these locations have more foot traffic than others. Our suggestion if you’re looking to have less crowds, is to plan the proposal at some point during the week. Trails and beautiful places in Colorado during the weekend can get really busy. So planning this moment during the week will help you have a quieter more intimate moment between the two of you as you pop the question.
Some locations require a fee to enter. With others, your photographer will need to obtain a permit to be able to capture portraits of you in the area. Each location is different, so just check with your photographer if you’re planning on doing photos to make sure you’re staying within the rules of that location.
1.Clinton Gulch Dam Reservoir
This is a short beautiful trail just outside of Copper Mountain Resort and a short drive from Breckenridge. There’s an alpine lake and a backdrop with mountain peaks. This area is popular among fisherman but in general its a less traveled trail than a lot of other super scenic places in Colorado. The trail is about a mile and goes around the entire reservoir. But there are some really beautiful spots very close to the trailhead too. And although there are often people fishing in the area, its easy to find a quiet spot to pop the question. Clinton Gulch Dam Reservoir is part of White River National Forest. There are no entry fees to access the trail or permits required for photography. Click here for more information from Alltrails.
2. Brainard Lake
Brainard Lake is an alpine lake about an hour west of Boulder. It has some dramatic large mountain views from all angles of the lake shore. This trail is also super easy to access some really beautiful vantage points which makes it one of our favorite proposal spots in Colorado. If you want to do a little hiking here, there is a trail that links up Brainard Lake with another alpine lake which is a little higher in elevation, Long Lake.
During the summer operating season, there is a fee to enter which allows you to drive to the parking lot near Brainard Lake. Car passes are typically $12/day. Summer operating season is typically late June through October. During the months of November-May the main entrance road is closed and no fees are charged. You can still access the area by hiking in 2 miles down the closed road. No photography permit is required here for portraits. You can find more details about Brainard Lake here.
3. The top of Aspen Mountain Ski Resort
The top of Aspen mountain ski resort during the summer or winter offers stunning mountain views. You can purchase a sight seeing ticket during both seasons to ride the gondola to the top of the mountain. Many people go up to this area for hiking or just to have a snack at the Sundeck restaurant which is just steps from the gondola. There are a couple areas that have less foot traffic with a small walk. Also, if you feel up for a short hike, there’s a really gorgeous lookout about 1/2 mile down the trail. You can check out more information about the gondola sight seeing tickets here.
4. Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park is a great spot for a proposal with many different options on locations within in the park. Some of our favorite spots are Bear Lake, Dream Lake, Sprague Lake & Lily Lake. Those alpine lakes all have beautiful mountain views in different ways and options for areas around the lake and nearby forest for portraits. Out of those 4 locations Bear Lake is the busiest spot and the also the easiest to access. Lily Lake can also be a bit on the busy side. Sprague Lake is a little less traveled. And Dream Lake is about a mile hike with a decent amount of elevation gain but is also super pretty.
In terms of entrance fees, there is an entrance fee for Bear Lake, Sprague Lake and Dream Lake. Lily Lake is within the park boundaries but does not require a day pass to go to. For all locations within the park, there is a photography permit required if portraits are taken by a professional photographer. Click here for more information about Rocky Mountain National Park.
5. Maroon Bells
Maroon Bells is an iconic scenic area of Colorado. It is a very popular place and because of that there are some rules about how and when you can visit. If you want to drive and park at the trailhead parking lot near Maroon Lake currently a reservation is required. And you’re only allowed to do so before 8am or after 5pm. You can visit the area between 8am – 5pm but only via the public shuttle. No private cars are allowed during that time.
This area has a lake with stunning ragged mountains in the background and forested areas filled with pines and aspens. In the most recent years high traffic areas have been roped off to protect the landscape. The only fees required here currently are reservations for either a parking permit or a shuttle pass. No photography permit is required for portraits. Check out more information about visiting Maroon Bells here.
Why these rank in our top 5 Favorite Proposal Spots in Colorado
These rank in our top 5 favorite proposal spots because in one form or another they all have mountain views which Colorado is known for. To access a lot of these areas all you need to do is go for a short walk or hike. That makes it an easier sell to convince your soon to be fiance to dress a little nicer if all you’re doing is a short walk. Which can be helpful for a impromptu portrait session. And if you can’t tell, we also love alpine lakes. There’s something special about the combination of mountains and water and most of these 5 spots have those features.
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Kind words from Bill
“Cannot say enough wonderful things about Nichole and how great she is to work with. With plans to propose to my now fiancée in Colorado (we are from Chicago), I saw that Nichole came very highly recommended from quite a few reviews. I reached out to Nichole, and it couldn’t have been a better decision.
Nichole went above and beyond to work through every part of the proposal process with me. She helped tweak my original plan to make sure it was perfectly executed, and was there to perfectly capture the moment. We couldn’t be happier with our pictures and how great Nichole was to work with. She helped make the engagement process seamless and very special for us. Do yourself a favor and reach out to Nichole – you certainly won’t be disappointed!”
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