Updated for 2024

Boulder, Colorado is a beautiful city located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It’s a fun and vibrant place that mixes mountain views with a city feel. Boulder is named one of the best places to live in the U.S. and is known for amazing views of the Flatirons and unparalleled access to outdoor recreation.

Boulder is also a really awesome place for engagement photos. The city is a popular destination, so working with someone who knows the area can make or break your photography experience! I’ve photographed countless engagement sessions, elopements, and weddings in Boulder.

In this guide, I’ll share my favorite engagement photo locations in Boulder, recommendations for picking a location, and some of my personal tips on how to make your engagement photo experience special.

Table of contents:

• Why You Should Pick Boulder for Your Engagement Photos
• Best Locations for Engagement Photos in Boulder
• How to Pick a Location
  
• Best Time of Year for Photos in Boulder
• Tips for Planning Your Engagement Photos in Boulder
• Examples of Engagement Photos in Boulder

Why you should pick Boulder, Colorado for your engagement photos

There are so many reasons to pick Boulder, Colorado for your engagement photos!

• Boulder is stunning and has a huge variety of landscapes within a massive amount of publicly accessible land. Just in Boulder, there are over 31,000 acres of open public land with 150+ miles of trails. There are so many places you can go for views of mountains, meadows, wildflowers, lakes and more. With so much public land, there are so many options and there is always somewhere you can go to find your own secluded scenic views.
  
• The weather in Boulder is (usually) pretty great. On average, Boulder gets 245 days of sun each year. The summer months are warm and dry. In the winter, there is snow, but there are also mild days with highs getting into the 50s.
  
• There is so much to do in Boulder! While there is lots of outdoor recreation in Bolder, there are also tons of restaurants, shops, activities, and breweries. You can turn your engagement photos into a date night and take advantage of the other awesome things to do in Boulder.
  
• Boulder is very dog-friendly and you’ll see lots of pups on the trails.
  
• Boulder is only about a 40-minute drive from Denver, making it very accessible from the city!

Best locations for engagement photos in Boulder

There are SO many amazing photo locations around Boulder. I couldn’t possibly list them all. Here are a few of my favorites, but I also have lots of other suggestions.

Chautauqua Park

Chautauqua Park is an iconic location for photos in Boulder. The park itself is right in downtown Boulder and you have amazing views of the Flatirons just from the parking lot. The park is very popular and can get crowded, but with a short hike, there are lots of great spots that will offer more privacy.

See an example of engagement photos at Chautauqua Park.

Red Rocks Trail

Red Rocks Trail, located about 10 minutes from downtown Boulder, will take you to some really cool rock formations with mountains in the background. This trail is a good choice if you feel like doing some scrambling on rocks and also want mountain views. It’s about a 10-minute hike from the parking lot to the rock formations. 

See an example of engagement photos at Red Rocks Trail

Boulder Canyon

Boulder Canyon is a cool spot because it follows Boulder Creek. This is a perfect spot if you want a forest/stream landscape. The fall colors are beautiful here, and the trail is easy and short.

Example galleries from Boulder Canyon:

• Spring engagement session
• Early fall engagement session
• Summer engagement session 

Walker Ranch Trail

This trail is one of my personal favorites. The Walker Ranch Trail is a 7.8-mile loop in Boulder, but you don’t have to hike the entire trail for amazing views! The trail is a great spot to find incredible views with very few crowds. It’s also a good spot for sunset.

See an example of an engagement session at the Walker Ranch Trail

Lost Gulch Overlook

Lost Gulch is an incredible overlook in Boulder. However, it’s very popular (for good reason!). This spot draws crowds because it is a really good place to watch the sunset. The sun goes down right over the mountains, and it’s beautiful. I recommend going on a weekday to avoid the worst of the crowds. Lost Gulch is a very short walk, but you will need to be comfortable walking on rocks and very uneven terrain. If you get nervous around heights, this may not be the best location for you.

Example galleries from Lost Gulch Overlook

• Winter Sunset Engagement Session
• Summer Sunset Engagement Session
• Early Spring Engagement Session

Crown Rock

Crown Rock is a good alternative to Lost Gulch if you want a quieter, less crowded spot in the Flatirons. This spot is cool because it’s way less crowded, but still has cool rock formations and great mountain views. Crown Rock involves a little bit of hiking and some walking/climbing over rocks.

How to Pick a Location

The location of your session will set the tone for the photos. Here are a few things to think about when picking a location!

What is important to you and your partner?

If you are unsure about locations, I recommend thinking of places, activities, or experiences that are special to you and your partner. Is there an area of Boulder that is special to you and your partner? Think about things that you love to do together. What kind of scenery makes you both excited? Ultimately, I recommend picking a location that will represent you and your partner. 

What kind of vibe do you envision? 

What type of location do you envision? Again, I recommend thinking about what kinds of places you and your partner love to spend time in. Location types can include mountain views, meadows, rocks, woods, lakes, and more. I have lots of location ideas, so if you have a vibe in mind but not a specific location, let me know and I’m happy to help you decide on a spot. 

How much walking do you want to do? How accessible do you want the location to be?

Think about how much walking you want to do for the photos. Do you want to hike for a couple miles in order to access a location, or would you rather pick a location that is close to a parking area?

Do you want a more adventurous session?

You may want to incorporate an outdoor adventure into your session. If you want to incorporate hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding, camping, rock climbing, or any other adventure into your session, you can do it in Boulder!

Best time of year for photos in Boulder

The good news about Boulder is that any time of the year is epic for photos! You can get incredible photos all year round.

• Winter (November-March): Winter isn’t too harsh in Boulder. We may have snow, but it could also be 50 degrees and sunny. You never know! Winter can be great for snowy photos. This season is also a perfect time to incorporate winter adventures into your photos like skiing or snowshoeing. Roads and trails outside of Boulder at higher elevations may close in the winter due to snow.
  
  
• Spring (April-May): Snow can happen in Boulder all the way into April or sometimes every early May. Spring can be very unpredictable, but it’s still a great time for photos! A lot of trails and roads will start to open again in May, but some higher elevation areas will still have snow. Late spring will usually bring more greenery to Boulder.
  
  
• Summer (June-August): Summer in Boulder is such a wonderful time! It’s consistently warm and sunny most days. It can be very hot during the day, and afternoon storms are common. However, sunset is late in the evening which makes for perfect conditions for summer sunset sessions. When it gets hot, you can always go to a higher elevation for cooler temperatures. All trails and roads at higher elevations are open usually starting around mid-June.
  
  
• Fall (September-October): Fall is a magical time in Colorado! The trees change colors and fall foliage in general is beautiful.
  

Tips for Planning Your Engagement Photos in Boulder

Here are a few of my personal tips for planning your engagement photos in Boulder:

Be open to weekdays: Weekdays are much less crowded than weekends. People in Boulder love to do outdoor activities, so trails and parking areas can get very crowded on weekends. If you are open to a weekday, it’s likely that there will be way less people out there with us.

Sunsets and sunrises are best: The best time for photos is about 1-3 hours before sunset or 1-2 hours after sunrise. These times are known as “golden hour” because the light is softest and most glowy during these times of day.

Avoid these dates: The first week of May is graduation weekend for the University of Colorado. Holiday weekends like Memorial Day weekend, Fourth of July, and Labor Day can also draw large crowds.

Inquire at least a few weeks in advance: Photographers, myself included, book and plan their schedules months in advance. If you are considering getting photos done, inquire with a photographer at least a few weeks ahead of time. Sometimes I can accommodate last-minute requests, but it’s much more likely that I’ll be able to work with you if you inquire ahead of time. If you’d like to work with me, click here to inquire and send me a message!

Examples of Engagement Photos in Boulder

• Engagement Photos in Chautauqua Park
• Anniversary Photos at the Red Rocks Trail
• Engagement Photos at the Walker Ranch Trail
• Engagement Photos at the Walker Ranch Trail/Lost Gulch Overlook
• Engagement Photos at Boulder Canyon + Crown Rock

Looking for a photographer in Boulder?

Check out some of my work in Colorado and then fill out my contact form so we can start planning your photography experience!