Capitol Reef National Park Elopement

Who says it’s not worth it to wake up before sunrise, arrive to Capitol Reef National Park as soon as the sun starts rising, and have the hiking trail all to yourself for your elopement? NOT ME, BECAUSE IT’S SO WORTH IT!!! (Oh and a bonus was beating the summer heat during these hours!)

I was absolutely STOKED when Anna and Richard decided to tie the knot back home in Minnesota and then come with me to Capitol Reef National Park in Utah for their wedding portraits. We had such an amazing time in the few months prior, planning their elopement day and dreaming up of all that it could be!

Scroll down below to fall head over heels in love with Capitol Reef National Park and see what kind of adventures we got up to in the early hours of the morning this last July 😉

Are you LOVING the resources?!! Buckle up buttercup, because this is just the surface 😉

As an adventure elopement photographer, I’m here to help you plan an EPIC elopement experience while documenting the art of your love!!

Not sure where to begin?! Let’s work together to create an elopement experience that will have your heart SOARING!

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• 15+ Ideas to Make Your Elopement Special + Unique
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• What Does It Mean to Elope?
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• How to Elope in Italy

Capitol Reef National Park Elopement Timeline

4:45am – Meet at Anna + Richard’s cabin to start the day
5:40am – Explore the trail + take photos around Sunset Point! 
6:30am – Ceremony Begins!
6:50am – Hike back to the car!
7:15am – Drive to Chimney Rock Trail (Possibly Panorama Point too)
7:30am – Make some coffee!
7:50am – Have some fun exploring the area + taking photos!
9:00am – Wrap up!

Capitol Reef National Park Wedding Permit

To elope in Capitol Reef National Park, you’ll need a wedding permit! A special use permit is required by the park for wedding ceremonies, and you can find more information about the application here! You can apply for your permit up to a year in advance, and no later than 7 days before your ceremony. My recommendation is to apply as soon as you have your date set, so you give the park plenty of time to get back to you and process your application! The cost for a wedding permit in Capitol Reef National Park is $100.

You will also need a car pass for every vehicle going inside the park! A one day vehicle pass is $20, or you can get an annual pass for $35. You can purchase your passes here!

If you are visiting more than one national park in the year, I highly recommend looking into the America the Beautiful National Park passes! It’s $80 but grants you entry into National Parks for a year.

When to Elope in Capitol Reef National Park

Ultimately, the best time to elope in Capitol Reef National Park comes down to what’s most important to you and your partner!! Here are some tips for deciding on when to elope in Capitol Reef National Park:

• If you want the most privacy and intimacy (beating the crowds), you’ll probably want to consider the off-season which is from October to May! Here’s a look at average temps by the month in the park!
• Another tip to avoiding crowds is to pick lesser-known trails/locations, eloping on a day during the week, and/or opting for an early sunrise! Anna and Richard decided to elope on a weekday AND plan for sunrise — and we didn’t see another person until 9am!
• Summers can be HOT in the park! So be prepared for warm temps, or choose to plan your day in the morning when it’s cooler!
• Spring and Fall months are the best seasons for eloping in Capitol Reef National Park!

Capitol Reef National Park Elopement // Anna + Richard’s Day

Anna and Richard started their day pretty early with getting up around 3:45pm to make some coffee, put on their wedding attire, and getting ready to spend the next few hours with me!! I arrived to their cabin/airbnb at about 5:15am, and helped them load up all the goods into my car – including their coffee picnic set-up, flowers, bottles of water, and all the things! Then BOOM – We were OFF to start our adventures!

We arrived at Capitol Reef National Park at about 5:45am or so!! It was still incredibly dark, so we were in no rush to hike to our first location. (Pssst.. this first spot was ONLY A 300 FOOT WALK!! This just goes to show that you DON’T need to hike 5+ miles to find epic locations!!)

The sun started coming up over the horizon in NO time!! The wind started picking up so we had a LOVELY breeze to keep us cool. And before we knew it, we were laughing together as I snapped away, capturing their love story! (We were only interrupted by a GIGANTIC june bug beetle thing as it would not leave me alone – however Anna and Richard got free entertainment as they watched me take off my crewneck and attempt to whip the june bug beetle thing with it 🤣🤣🤣)

Coffee Break!

We spent about an hour adventuring around this first overlook before we walked back to the car and enjoyed a little coffee with some whipped cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg! Anna and Richard actually brewed the coffee at their Airbnb, wrapped it in towels with seran wrap, then brought it with!! You gotta do whatcha gotta do for that coffee, am I right?!

Location Change!!

After getting our caffeine and blood sugar levels spiked, we packed up the car and drove to a whole new location in the park that was only 3 minutes away – but the change in scenery in just those few minutes was NO JOKE!! (Don’t worry, we definitely rehydrated once we got to this second spot! The smoke from the wildfires this day wasn’t playing around either – so staying hydrated was just as important!)

Ending Anna and Richard’s Capitol Reef National Park Elopement with Getting in a River!

WOW. Isn’t crazy how all of this seemed to take 4 hours?!? But time seriously flies by when you’re having a blast and adventuring!! Are you ready to start dreaming up of your own adventure with me in Utah?? Contact me here to start planning!!!