Mt. Charleston Engagement Session | Nevada Desert Photographer

Couple walking in a field beneath Mt. Charleston

Mt. Charleston is a great place to escape to and makes for some really breathtaking photos. Mt. Charleston is a fan favorite because it allows people to escape the desert heat of Nevada. Best of all, it’s only an hour away from Las Vegas. If you live in Nevada and want to change up the scenery for your photos a bit – this is a great place to do so.

Mt. Charleston is a nature lover and outdoor enthusiasts playground. So if you enjoy getting out and exploring, camping, hiking, or sight-seeing I can’t recommend this location enough. And if you love the snow you can drive-up and have a fun snow-day and when you come back down you can enjoy the temperate weather back in Vegas!

Couple smiling at eachother while holding hands and mt. Charleston in the background

Mason and Carol’s Session

I met up with Mason and Carol at Mt. Charleston for their golden hour engagement session. We had fun exploring the different areas of this location. They decided to do a few outfit changes which added some nice variety to their final gallery. We started off their session in a field below Mt. Charleston and then moved to get some photos in the trees and on a bridge nearby.

couple walking on a bridge together holding hands in mt. Charleston
couple laughing while doing airplane arms during their engagement session at mt. Charleston
closeup portrait of couple nose to nose during their engagement session at mt. charleston nevada
couple holding hands in formal attire in front of trees looking in opposite directions while holding hands
couple dancing during their engagement session at mt. charleston in nevada
upclose portrait of couple hugging with their eyes closed

About Mt. Charleston

Mt. Charleston is the tallest peak in the Spring Mountain Range. This mountain range spans over 50-miles and marks the start of Nevada’s Great Basin Desert. The town of Charleston is a quaint little mountain town which according to the 2010 census only has a population of 375 people.

The rocks of Mt. Charleston are formed from limestone. Lower down the mountain there are several exposed rocks, forming steep ravines and tall cliffs. Occasionally with small caves eroded at the base. A number of larger canyons form streams and waterfalls from the snow melt draining off the mountain. There are densely forested areas with several types of oak, pine and fir at the base of the mountain. At the base of the mountain you can find forested areas with several types trees.

blurred couple holding hands with mt. charleston in focus in the background
boyfriend leading his girlfriend through a field at the base of mt. charleston in nevada
Couple dancing in a field in mt. Charleston Nevada

My Favorite Locations around Mt. Charleston

The best viewpoints in the Spring Mountains, together with many of the trailheads and picnic areas, are along the Deer Creek Highway (NV 158).

Reached by a short path is Desert View Overlook. At this location you can see a huge area of the valley far below and is framed by the distant peaks of the Sheep and Las Vegas Mountain Ranges.

Close to this location is Hilltop campground. This location has desert views to the East. Just south of hilltop campground you can find a short path that leads along a narrow and shady canyon called robber roost cave.

Some of my other favorite locations include:

engaged couple walking through a field in mt. charleston nevada holding hands
Couple holding hands walking down the road in mt. charleston nevada
couple holding eachother

What to do for your Mt. Charleston Engagement Session

You can probably tell from above that one of the main things to do in Mt. Charleston is explore all of the hiking trails. So if you are super adventurous maybe hiking one of the many locations listed above is something you’d like to experience during your session. Several of these locations don’t require any hiking at all because the trailheads are beautiful to begin with.

Some other ideas you could do for your session:

  • Set-up a hammock
  • Have a picnic
  • Take a bike ride
  • Have a campfire (in designated areas only)
  • Horseback riding
  • Camping

There are so many things you can do for your session to make it unique. I love photographing couples who choose to include an activity into their session because it makes for some really cute candid moments. Doing something you love together makes for a great distraction from the camera as well (I know we can all be a little camera shy).

boyfriend standing behind his girlfriend kissing her on the cheek in a field in mt. charleston nevada
boyfriend kissing girlfriend on the forehead during their engagement photoshoot in mt. charleston
girl standing on her tippy toes to kiss boyfriend while they are standing on a bride in mt. charleston

Final Thoughts

If you are looking to escape the desert or hustle and bustle of Las Vegas, Mt. Charleston is a great place to runaway too. Make a weekend out of it and enjoy exploring all the Mt. Charleston has to offer. And if you are looking to have some epic mountain photos without having to go to far from the city – Mt. Charleston is the place!

girlfriend wrapping arms around the back of her boyfriends neck while he kisses her on the forehead
boyfriend kissing his girlfriend on the forehead while she is smiling
girlfriend looking up at her boyfriend with a sunflare in the corner
couple walking away from the camera in a field at mt. charleston nevada

Want to have your engagement photoshoot at Mt. Charleston?

I can help! I would love to help you plan an epic engagement session in the mountains. Let’s talk through all your options and see what is the right fit for you. To get started – contact me here.

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