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There’s a moment — usually somewhere around mile marker 60 on the Million Dollar Highway, when the cliffs drop away and the San Juans open up into something that doesn’t look entirely real — when people understand why couples travel thousands of miles to get married here.
Silverton is not the easiest place to get to. That’s the point.
It sits at 9,318 feet in a bowl carved by glaciers, ringed by peaks that push past 13,000 and 14,000 feet, accessible by one of the most dramatic mountain roads in the country or by a 3.5-hour narrow gauge steam train ride from Durango. There are fewer than 700 people who live here year-round. The nearest stoplight is 45 minutes away. And it is, without question, one of the most extraordinary places on earth to say your vows.
I’m Critt — I live here, trail run these mountains, and photograph adventure elopements in the San Juan Mountains for couples who want a wedding day that actually feels like them. This is my complete guide to eloping in Silverton, Colorado. Everything you need to know, from the legal stuff to the best locations to what to do when afternoon thunder rolls in.
How to Elope in Silverton, Colorado:
The Complete Guide
From a photographer who actually lives here
Why Elope in Silverton, Colorado?
Most couples find Silverton by accident — they’re researching Colorado elopements and keep seeing photos of jagged peaks, turquoise alpine lakes, wildflower basins, and ghost towns perched on cliffs. They dig a little deeper and find out it’s all within a 30-minute drive of a single small town.
Here’s what makes Silverton unlike anywhere else:
The landscape is genuinely different. The San Juans are geologically younger and more dramatic than most of Colorado’s mountain ranges — sharper peaks, deeper valleys, more color in the rock. The iron-oxide reds of Red Mountain Pass, the glassy blue of alpine lakes at 12,000 feet, the wildflower basins in July that look like someone spilled a paint set across the hillside. It photographs unlike anywhere else.
It’s not crowded. Silverton sees a fraction of the tourist traffic of Breckenridge, Telluride, or Rocky Mountain National Park. Most of the locations that will take your breath away won’t have another soul in sight during your ceremony.
The access is extraordinary. Because of the area’s mining history, there are hundreds of miles of 4WD roads cutting through terrain most people will never see. You don’t have to be a mountaineer to reach a place that feels completely untouched. A Jeep or side-by-side gets you to places most photographers only dream about.
The astrophotography is world-class. Silverton is one of the darkest places in Colorado. On a clear night, the Milky Way arches over the peaks in a way that has to be seen to be believed. For couples booking full-day packages, we build in time to chase that light.
You’ll have a local photographer who actually lives here. I’m not flying in from Denver or driving down from the Front Range. I know these passes in every season, at every hour. I know when the light hits the ridge just right, which roads are open after a late snow, and where to take you when a storm rolls in early.
The Legal Stuff: How to Legally Elope in Silverton, Colorado
Colorado makes eloping beautifully simple. Here’s everything you need to know.
Getting Your Marriage License
Your marriage license comes from the San Juan County Clerk and Recorder’s office, right here in Silverton. Both of you need to appear in person with valid government-issued ID and $30 (cash or check). The whole process takes about 15 minutes.
A few important things to know:
• No waiting period. You can get your license and get married the same day.
• Valid for 35 days. Pick it up 1–3 days before your elopement so you’re not starting your wedding morning in a county clerk’s office.
• Valid statewide. You can get your license in any Colorado county and get married anywhere in the state — but you’ll need to return it to the county that issued it after your ceremony.
• Out-of-state couples are welcome. You don’t need to be a Colorado resident. Same process, same requirements.
Self-Solemnization: Colorado’s Best-Kept Secret
This is the thing that makes Colorado one of the best states in the country to elope. Colorado is one of only a handful of states that allows self-solemnization — meaning you can legally marry yourselves, without an officiant, without witnesses, with no one present but the two of you (and your photographer, and maybe your dogs).
You sign the license. Your partner signs the license. That’s it. You’re married.
If you want an officiant to lead your ceremony, that’s a beautiful option too — but it’s not required. Many of my couples write their own vows, stand on a ridgeline or at the edge of an alpine lake, and speak directly to each other with no performance, no script, no one to impress. It’s one of the most moving things I get to witness.
A Note on Permits
Most elopement locations around Silverton don’t require permits for small, intimate ceremonies — the San Juan National Forest and surrounding BLM land are generally permit-free for groups under a certain size with no structures or setups. That said, specific locations vary, and rules can change. As your photographer, I help you navigate permit requirements for wherever you want to go, so you’re never scrambling the week of your elopement.
Best Locations to Elope in Silverton, Colorado
This is where it gets good. The locations around Silverton are so varied — and so spectacular — that no two elopements here look the same. Here’s a look at what’s possible.
The Alpine Loop
The Alpine Loop Backcountry Byway is one of the most famous 4WD routes in Colorado, connecting Silverton, Lake City, and Ouray through some of the most remote and dramatic terrain in the San Juans. Ghost towns, mine ruins, waterfalls, alpine lakes and overlooks that make you feel like you’re standing at the edge of the world. This is where I take couples who want their elopement to feel like a true expedition.
Molas Pass and Molas Lake
Molas Pass sits at 10,910 feet just south of Silverton on Highway 550, and the views from the pass are some of the most iconic in Colorado — a sweeping panorama of the Needle Mountains and the deep canyon of the Animas River below. Molas Lake, a short walk from the highway, gives you that glassy alpine reflection that looks unreal in photos. Super accessible, and one of my favorite spots to take photos in the Fall.
Red Mountain Pass Area
The iron-red mountains of Red Mountain Pass, sitting between Silverton and Ouray on the Million Dollar Highway, offer some of the most dramatic and otherworldly scenery in the San Juans. The rust-colored peaks streaked with mineral deposits create a landscape that looks like nothing else in Colorado. There are accessible overlooks and backcountry roads through this area that most people drive past without stopping.
In Town — Silverton Itself
Don’t underestimate Silverton’s historic downtown as a ceremony backdrop. The Victorian storefronts, the old mining buildings, the mountains rising straight up behind the main street — it’s a genuinely beautiful environment. For couples who want something more accessible or are incorporating guests who can’t hike, the town itself offers a lot. Kendall Mountain Community Center also provides a lovely indoor/outdoor option with mountain views.
When to Elope in Silverton
Silverton sits at over 9,300 feet, and the seasons here are different from the rest of Colorado. Here’s how to think about timing.
June: The Opening
Roads are reopening after mud season, the hills are turning green, and the town is coming alive again (the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad starts running May 2nd). June elopements have a lush, misty, less-crowded feel. Some high-alpine locations may still have snow — which can be spectacular if you’re into it.
July through August: Peak Wildflower Season
This is the crown jewel. The wildflower bloom in the San Juans is one of the most spectacular natural events in the Rocky Mountains — waist-high blooms in the basins, color everywhere you look. It’s also monsoon season, which means afternoon storms are common. I structure all summer elopements with morning ceremonies and build buffer into the timeline for weather. A little rain never ruined a good elopement, and the light after a storm is extraordinary.
September: Fall Color
September is quietly one of my favorite months to shoot in Silverton. The aspens begin to turn gold and orange, the crowds thin out, the weather stabilizes, and the light has a quality that summer doesn’t. Late September is peak fall color in the high country. It’s a magical time to get married.
October: The Underrated Month
Most visitors are gone by October, which means the locations are yours. Early October still holds some color and the weather can be stunning. Later in the month gets unpredictable — but if you’re flexible and adventurous, an early snow can turn Silverton into something out of a dream.
Winter: For the Bold
Silverton in winter is a different world — and for the right couple, it’s extraordinary. Snow-covered peaks, frozen waterfalls, complete solitude. Silverton Mountain is here for the die-hard ski crowd. If you’re dreaming of a winter elopement that doesn’t look like anyone else’s, let’s talk.
Ready to Elope in Silverton?
The couples who find their way to Silverton are a specific kind of people. They’re not looking for perfect. They’re looking for real. They want a day that moves — that has wind in it, and light, and the particular feeling of being somewhere that asks something of you.
If that’s you, I’d love to help you plan it.
Milky Way and Mountains is a Silverton, Colorado adventure elopement photography business serving the San Juan Mountains, including Ouray, Telluride, Durango, and beyond. Based in Silverton — not visiting it.