Dream Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park is a breathtaking location for an elopement, offering a perfect blend of natural beauty and serene intimacy. Nestled high in the Rockies, the lake reflects the surrounding alpine peaks, creating a magical backdrop for exchanging vows. Couples who elope here are treated to unparalleled views. Whether it’s in the middle of a winter wonderland or a festive fall backdrop, you can access it all year. The relatively short and accessible hike to Dream Lake makes it ideal for an adventurous yet stress-free celebration, allowing you to focus on the moment without logistical complications.

What sets Dream Lake apart is the connection it fosters. Away from the bustle of larger ceremonies, you can celebrate your love amidst the tranquil sounds of nature—the gentle rustle of the trees and the crystal-clear waters. The location also offers incredible opportunities for post-ceremony photos, with dramatic landscapes that will make your memories truly timeless. Whether you’re drawn to its romantic seclusion or its awe-inspiring scenery, Dream Lake is a place where your love story can begin in harmony with nature’s grandeur.

Dream Lake Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado Elopement

2 Hours from Denver, Colorado

Dream Lake is only a couple hours away from Denver. This is an ideal location if you don’t want to drive too deep into the mountains and still have easy access to the mountain town of Estes Park. You can fly into Denver, rent a car, and make Denver your main hub OR drive a little further into the mountains. Take your pick!

A Simple Hiking Adventure

Dream Lake is a quick 1 mile hike (2 miles round trip), but be warned it is a gradual uphill the entire way! There are pros and cons to this trail: it’s a STUNNING location and offers a lot of conveniences to celebrate a ceremony with family and then going off on our own little adventure with easy access. But this is a very popular trail. The most ideal time to do this trail is on a weekday! Sunrise offers the most seclusion but sunset can work great as well. A weekend adventure in RMNP can be quite stressful with how many tourists and visitors are around. I recommend avoiding this location on weekdays if possible.

Variety at Dream Lake

From grassy meadows, foot bridges, big rocks and boulders, pine tree forests, and a beautiful glassy lake, this location has it all. This is a perfect location for feeling like you are in the depths of the mountains with so much beauty. Timing it just right, we can even get a glimpse of the sun before it dips below the mountain peaks.

Emerald Lake Rocky Mountain National Park

There’s other lakes we can hike to as well! If you keep hiking you will get access to Emerald Lake which isn’t too much further than Dream Lake. It just depends on how much hiking you want to do. I’ve never adventured past Dream Lake, but for those who want a little bit of a bigger adventure we can easily make it to Emerald Lake. Emerald Lake is tucked into the mountains a little more and the views aren’t as good in my opinion. But it would be a fun addition to getting more variety!

Ceremonies at Rocky Mountain National Park

You can have a ceremony with friends and family at Rocky Mountain National Park at designated ceremony sites only. You will need a reservation at one of the designated sites and I recommend getting in touch with the park as soon as possible to make sure your date and your preferred site is available. Here is a link with all the info and step by step process on how to reserve your site on RMNP’s government website: Ceremonies at RMNP Info.

Permits at Rocky Mountain National Park

We do NOT need a permit for taking just the two of you out into the park for portraits! Ceremonies are only meant for a small group of people. So if you plan on inviting anyone with you to your elopement and want to hold more of a traditional ceremony, you will need the reservation. Otherwise, the 3 of us can adventure anywhere in the park without a permit! This is the beauty of eloping at Dream Lake. If you don’t need the traditional ceremony and want to exchange private vows, this is a perfect location.

Reach out to book your Dream Lake Colorado Elopement

If you want epic, majestic, and jaw dropping mountain views for your elopement mixed with the perfect amount of alpine lakes, pine trees, meadows, and plenty of boulders to climb around this location has all the variety! I’ve got all the tea, tips, and advice on how to plan your elopement here. So don’t wait! Plan your Dream Lake Colorado Elopement with me! Reach out and let’s get started.