If you are on the hunt for the Best Places to Elope in Utah, you have found the right place. Utah is a small state in the middle of America, but it has some of the most breathtaking landscapes in all of North America. You can find your perfect backdrop for elopement photography just about anywhere you look.
From red rock to slot canyon, Utah offers endless opportunities for adventure! And don’t forget that if you want something more relaxed and tranquil than taking an ATV out into the desert, or climbing down into a slot canyon on foot – we’ve got that too. All across this beautiful state are parks and monuments where you’ll be able to find your own private oasis at every turn.
With all of this, it’s so easy to see why Utah is one of the best places to elope in the US! So, scroll on down to find 20 of the best places to elope in Utah!
Best Places to Elope in Utah!
Arches National Park
Arches National Park is an awesome park just about north of Moab! Utah is so stinking awesome, y’all! It is bordered by the Colorado River and it is also known for its 2,000 natural sandstone arches!! The massive, red arches are so gosh darn beautiful! And it gets better because the Devil’s Garden is just to the north. And one more… the Balanced Rock towers right over the desert landscape!!! EPIC.
Zion National Park
Zion National Park, BABY! You have probably heard a lot about this southwest Utah nature preserve!! It is famous for Zion Canyon! It is glorious. The canyon cuts right down the middle of the park and on either side is home to forest trails along the Virgin River… Aren’t you ready to buy your plane ticket?! We know we are!
Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park is located in southeastern Utah! We are going allllll over Utah’s map for this blog, people!! It is super well known for Island in the Sky – a huge, flat-topped mesa with panoramic sights from the very top! AWESOMENESS. Its whitewater rapids flowing through Cataract Canyon are another major attraction to this beast of a national park.
Bryce Canyon National park
Bryce Canyon National Park, an absolutely stunning reserve and must-see park in southern Utah! Known widely for its spire-shaped rock formations called hoodoos, this place is magical. Its main road leads right into the center of its sweetness… this place at sunset?! You cannot compare it to anything else. For this reason, its prime viewing times are notably sunup and sundown.
Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef National Park is in Utah’s south-central desert… you don’t wanna miss out on this place. The Waterpocket Fold, an infamous “wrinkle” in the ground, calls this place home. Layers and layers of golden sandstone, canyons, and striking rock formations are another honorable mentions to this place! You also should be sure you don’t miss Chimney Rock pillar, the Hickman Bridge arch, and… OF COURSE it’s namesake… Capitol Reef!
Moab
Moab, Moab, Moab! You have probably heard of this little city in eastern Utah. It is known as the “gateway” to the massive red rock formations in, the motioned above, Arches National Park! This city also is home to not only Arches, but many many other of the parks mentioned above! WHAT A FREAKING CITY! This is definitely one of the Best Places to Elope in Utah.
Bonneville Salt Flats
The Bonneville Salt Flats are epic. No other word describes it better, oh wait – try INSANE, or maybe ICONIC, or even ETHEREAL! All of these words describe this place and that is why it ranks on Best Places to Elope in Utah. We recently had a couples session done here and we will never ever forget our time spent in the salt flats. Fun fact, the ground is densely packed with salt! HA! Who could’ve guessed that one.
Lake Powell
Lake Powell is quite the man-made reservoir, y’all! It is simply jaw-dropping and simply put, one of the Best Places to Elope in Utah. Located right smack dab on the Colorado River in Utah and Arizona – Don’t overlook this spot! Others would apparently agree with us because, statistically, it is a major vacation spot… with just about two million visitors every single year.
More of the Best Places to Elope in Utah!
Dead Horse Point State Park
Dead Horse Point State Park is just one of many (obviously, hello welcome to the blog) state parks in the adventures state of Utah… not to beat a dead horse here (ahaha bad, kind of morbid jokes aside), but do not forget about this location. YOU NEED TO GO! It features a dramatic overlook of the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park!! It’s like a 3 for 1… come on now!!
Coral Pink Sand Dunes
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is located on the southwestern side of Utah. It is settled riiiight in between Mount Carmel Junction and Kanab! The park features (obviously) coral pink-hued sand dunes that are beautifully complemented by the red sandstone cliffs beside them. What could be better than pink sand dunes?!
Monument Valley
Monument Valley is… monumental. HA! This red-sand desert region sits on the Arizona-Utah border and is widely known for its astonishing towers of sandstone (called buttes!) of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. You may recognize this park for many things…. viral Instagram posts from your fav influencers, maybe a magazine on outdoorsy things, or even old western movies! This is like the Hollywood of Utah!
Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument
The Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument is a United States national monument! It was actually originally designated in 1996 as 1,880,461 acres of protected land… but that didn’t quite last. In 2017, the size of this massive structure was reduced by half. It is one of those things that you have to see in person to get the full effect… and the full effect is just… WOWZA.
Goblin Valley State Park
Goblin Valley State Park is not just another state park of Utah… it is crazy unique, just as they all are haha! But this guy…. so so interesting. The park features thousands of hoodoos… but here, they are lovingly referred to as goblins! AND WE LOVE THAT. They remind locals of mushrooms – LOL.
Best Places to Elope in Utah – continued!
Castle Valley
Castle Valley is a town in Grand County, Utah!! We have heart eyes for little, adorable towns and y’all… the population was 319 at the 2010 census! LOVE! It gets better because this babe is only approximately 16 miles northeast of Moab! Another absolutely fantastic Utah spot! This hidden gem was rightfully named after the castle-like rock formations – check it out!
Antelope Island
Antelope Island… did you know there were islands in Utah?!! We sure did not! It has an area of just about 42 square miles, making it the largest of ten islands located in the Great Salt Lake of Utah. WHATTTTT! It doesn’t get much cooler than an island in the desert, peeps.
Big Cottonwood Canyon
Big Cottonwood Canyon is a canyon (duh) in the Wasatch Range of Utah… and y’all.. can you say “scenic drive”???? Because this one is the BEST one! 12 miles southeast of Salt Lake City, the 15-mile-long canyon provides hiking, biking, picnicking, rock-climbing, camping and fishing in the summer! And for you winter people… They have two ski resorts which are ohhhh so popular with the skiers and snowboarders.
Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Wasatch–Cache National Forest is a freaking FIND! This legendary United States National Forest is located right in northern Utah! It even has smaller parts extending into southeastern Idaho! And even southwestern Wyoming!! The name of this place is pretty darn cool too, listen to this… part of it comes from the Ute word “Wasatch” meaning the low place in high mountains… AND WAIT, because there is French, too! The French word for “hide” is Cache… and voila! Now you have Uinta-Wasatch-Cache!!
The last of our Best Places to Elope in Utah…
Amangiri Resort
Amangiri Resort… the only resort on our list and OH MY GOODNESS YALL! Get ready. Words straight from this one-of-a-kind place website, “Amangiri blends into the untouched red-rock country, claiming 600 acres of the vast and majestic Colorado Plateau, the original Wild West. In this desert landscape of canyons, mesas, ridges, and gorges, the modernist Suites of Amangiri and the tented Pavilions of Camp Sarika offer an inspiring welcome to one of the world’s most dramatic secluded settings.” Ready for your booking?! WE ARE.
Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
Flaming Gorge Reservoir is the LARGEST reservoir in Wyoming… but don’t worry because parts of it are found in Utah! Construction on this awesome dam began in 1958 and was finally completed in 1964. This thang is home to 3,788,900 acre-feet of water. CRAZY! If you’re on the search for the Best Places to Elope in Utah, here you are!
The Church of Dirt
The Church of Dirt…. do not be turned away because of its name… this place is HEAVEN on EARTH! We cannot say enough good things about this unique and tucked away place – made perfectly and wonderfully for elopements. Hidden away in Park City, Utah…. Church of Dirt is calling our names… if it’s calling yours too, you know where to contact us!
SO HOW ARE WE FEELING?! We had so so much fun doing all this research for you guys because, genuinely, nothing excites us more than some good old-fashioned traveling – best yet – elopement travel! You will not find many other places like Utah in the United States if you are looking for a unique, one-of-a-kind, ethereal elopement location. Utah really has no competition, except with maybe itself! I mean LOOK at this list! 🙂
Would you elope to Utah? If you’re thinking you want to… we want to photograph you! Let’s get to know each other and get to planning, TODAY!
XOXO
Sam + Bryt
