Everything You Need to Know to Plan Your Lake Isabelle Colorado Elopement
Lake Isabelle is hands down one of the best locations in Colorado for a hiking elopement! You’ll encounter a beautiful alpine lake, mountain peaks, wildflower-filled meadows, and so much more.
As a Colorado elopement and wedding photographer, this is one of my favorite elopement locations for small groups paired with stunning scenic views.
Read on to learn more about what eloping at Lake Isabelle entails.
How to Elope at Lake Isabelle, Colorado
This is everything you need to know about eloping at Lake Isabelle, Colorado:
Start by hiring your photographer for your Lake Isabelle Elopement
Trust me, hiring your photographer first is going to make your life (and elopement planning) sooo much easier. Why? Because your photographer can give you all the details and info you need in advance about Lake Isabelle, such as the mileage, seasons, and trailhead options.
I would very strongly recommend you work with a photographer (such as myself) who has experience photographing and planning elopements at Lake Isabelle.
Working with an expert means they are not only going to know about trailhead options but will also have the best insider tips such as when you can go and not encounter crowds, the rules about eloping here, and so much more essential info, all so that you can have the best experience possible.
Come prepared
If you want to elope at Lake Isabelle, you will need to prepare for a hiking elopement. This isn’t a destination you can access by car. The hike to Lake Isabelle can look different depending on the season and road closures. You will need a minimum of 3-4 hours for this location!
Here’s a breakdown of the different options you can choose from:
From the Long Lake trailhead – This trail is 4.2 miles round trip. Depending on conditions and hiking abilities. It takes around an hour to summit and a little bit less to get back down.
From Brainard Lake Recreation Area – This route is 6.2 miles round-trip and takes approximately 1.5-2 hours going up and around 1.5 hours going down.
From Brainard Lake Winter Lot – This route is the longest option as it is an 11-mile round trip. It’s about 3-4 hours going up and 3-4 hours going down.
Also, if you want more of a challenge and adventure for your elopement, you can go past the lake and head up to Isabelle Glacier.
Make sure that you bring a sturdy pair of hiking boots (that you’ve broken in before), plenty of water, snacks, extra layers, a backpack, sunscreen, and bug spray! Also, just a heads up, you won’t have any cell service on the trails.
Here’s the reality of planning your elopement at Lake Isabelle – hiking here is basically only accessible from early/mid-July – October. These dates vary because of the weather and snow conditions.
The lake is technically open year-round, but the road to Long Lake trailhead isn’t. If you do want to elope here in the winter, snowshoeing is always an option, but it’s going to be a much longer trek and much more challenging.
Also, the lake is drained at the end of August every year, and the date and amount of water drained change from year to year. With that being said, if you choose to elope here in August, the lake could look much emptier.
Time of Day to Plan Your Lake Isabelle Elopement
I would recommend planning to elope here at either sunrise or sunset for the best photos and experience. Also, Lake Isabelle can get superrr busy so I typically don’t suggest eloping here on the weekend – a weekday is your best bet to beat the crowds and have an intimate, private ceremony.
Permits
You won’t need to get a permit to elope at Lake Isabelle if you have fewer than 8 people total in your group. Plus, you can bring your dogs to Lake Isabelle as long as they are always on a hand-held leash.
For groups of 8-12 people, you will need a Large Group Permit which is available from recreation.gov for $11.
When it comes to parking at Lake Isabelle, there are timed entry reservations. You will need to park at either Long Lake Trailhead or Brainard Lake Recreation Area. Insider tip – Long Lake Parking Lot sells out FAST so make sure that you plan in advance. You can make a reservation here and it costs $16.
Follow Leave No Trace
When it comes to planning an outdoor elopement, please always follow the Leave No Trace principles. Lake Isabelle is absolutely stunning and the Leave No Trace principles help to keep it that way.
Leave No Trace means no littering, pack in what you pack out, no feeding the wildlife, no picking the wildflowers, always stay on the trails, etc.
Additional Tips for Your Lake Isabelle Elopement
- There are moose that are active in the area so be aware of your surroundings! Moose tend to be low-key but make sure you don’t do anything that might provoke them.
- You’ll be able to spot the famous and vibrant wildflowers typically around late July.
- Lake Isabelle is a high alpine area and can be prone to intense weather, particularly in the afternoons, so always bring rain gear and warm layers.
How to Get to Lake Isabelle
Lake Isabelle is roughly 90 minutes away from the Denver Airport. Then you’ll need to drive from the airport to the Brainard Lake Recreation Area. The closest towns to the lake are Ward, Nederland, and Boulder – with Nederland and Boulder having the best accommodation options to choose from.
These are also great towns to stay in if you want to make a whole weekend out of your elopement. You can have your ceremony on Thursday or Friday and spend the rest of the weekend exploring these towns and everything that they have to offer (which is a lot!).
Now You’re Ready to Plan Your Lake Isabelle Elopement
I hope you found all this info on planning your Lake Isabelle elopement helpful! Be sure to bookmark this page so you can come back to this blog as needed as you start planning out all the details of your elopement.
And… if you’re looking for a Colorado wedding or elopement photographer, I’d love to connect with you. I want you to feel free to do things your way without worrying about being “photogenic.”
As your photographer, I will artfully frame you, your love, and your surroundings. You can contact me here or learn more about my wedding services here. Let’s capture your wedding in a way that celebrates the unique way you love one another.
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