Colorado is a place like no other when it comes to having your engagement photos taken — our state offers a range of scenic locations that can serve as a spectacular backdrop as you commemorate this time in your lives. Whether you are looking for portraits in front of a cascade of mountain peaks, the buzz of historic city streets, or a more personal location — you can find it all in Colorado.

Here are a few engagement session locations that I’ve come to love shooting over the years.

Guanella Pass

Above 11,000 feet, this summit location has beautiful mountain peak views and alpenglow if you go at the right time. It’s also somewhat close to Denver (about an hour and a half all the way to the top of the summit) and has an easy-access parking lot and bathrooms (albeit rustic). This one also doubles as a nice road-trip style session option, with gorgeous foliage in the fall and lots of places to stop all along Guanella Pass road. Other similar locations include the Peak to Peak Highway in Boulder County, numerous locations all over Rocky Mountain National Park (permits and weather permitting), and Boreas Pass in Summit County.

Cheesman Park & Pavilion

I love this spot because it is right in town and has a very regal, old-world quality with the neoclassical columns. It’s great for a more neutral choice and has a lot of potential for a more editorial look. The only thing to note is that it is open to the public and can get crowded on warmer days. Another spot that is similar is the Byron E. White Courthouse downtown (see below), but that does require a permit so there needs to be some lead time before your session if you want to shoot there. 

There are ton of beautiful spots in Boulder, but my favorites are the ones near the Flatirons. Chautauqua Park has some of the best views of the Flatirons, but one of my absolute favorite locations is Fourmile Canyon Creek trail, especially for wildflowers in the summer.