This is a secluded site tucked up behind a neighborhood. There are actually three different backdrops to this site, depending on how far you want to hike (or snowshoe in winter). A wooded backdrop is accessed with a less than 5-minute walk from parking; a meadow is another 20 minutes up the trail, and if you're up for a 45-minute hike or snowshoe up to the top, you'll be rewarded with panoramic mountain views.
In the winter, you will need to rent snowshoes if you don't have your own. (We'll give you a referral for this.) The site is snow-covered from late October through late May and is not accessible without snowshoes during that time.
What we love about this site:
A offers a large variety of backdrops: wooded, meadow and mountain.
It's a four-season venue and accessible with snowshoes in winter.
No fee.
It's a little-known gem, so almost always private.
Potential drawbacks of this site
It's non-reservable, so we can't guarantee seclusion, but we've never seen anyone else here when we do a wedding.
To get the best mountain views, you do need to hike or snowshoe a minimum of 20 minutes.
Parking is limited to 3 cars.
The meadow and mountain sites require a hike or a snowshoe trek at 12,000 feet of elevation. Everyone needs to be in optimal physical shape to undertake the walk or snowshoe. You will need to sign a waiver affirming that everyone in your party is physically capable of making the trek.
Accessibility
Parking: very limited. Max of three cars. Any more than that will require a shuttle.
Vehicle type: for winter, make sure your vehicle has good ground clearance to get over snow, as well as 4-wheel drive for potential ice. For weddings held between September 1st and May 31st, note that Colorado has strict traction laws in place that affect what type of vehicle you are allowed to drive in the mountains. If you are planning a Colorado mountain wedding between these dates, please thoroughly read this blog post so you'll be driving the right type of vehicle. (Don't rely on the car rental companies to fill you in on this; our experience is that they don't.)
Access from parking: Depends on the site chosen. Anything from 5 to 45 minutes, one-way.
Additional Logistics
Dogs: allowed on a leash.
Bathrooms: none.
Suitable for children: yes, but make they need to be able to complete the walk.
Max vehicles accommodated: 3.
Max number of guests at this site: 15.
Dates of Availability: year-round. It's possible to be married here in winter, but you will need snowshoes. We can advise you on where to rent them.
Type of Site: Public/Nonreservable.
Elevation: Woods: 11,100ft (3,383m) above sea level.
Meadow: 11,300ft (3,444m) above sea level.
Mountain: 11,600ft (3,536m) above sea level.
The Woods - 5-10 minute walk. No additional fee for the woods.
The Meadow - just under a mile (one way) flat walk (about 30 minutes of walking/45 minutes of snowshoeing in the winter). $100 additional fee for the Meadow site.
The Mountain - 1 ½ mile (one way) hike--the first mile is flat, then it's straight up the mountain, so this one is for the physically fit only! (about 90 minutes of walking round-trip, but of course, coming back, it's downhill !) $300 additional fee for the Mountain.
This site is not reservable--it is open and free to the public. Please note these terms from our contract for nonreservable sites:
Blue Sky Elopements and Client's assigned wedding professionals are not responsible for issues related to unforeseen closures/restrictions/inaccessibility of unbooked (i.e. Clients do not pay to reserve their location) venues. If Client chooses to be married at a public venue that is not reserved in advance, then it is Client's responsibility to ensure the venue is accessible on the wedding day. Note: additional fees will be applied if Blue Sky Elopements needs to reschedule vendors due to a change in venue.
Photos
Video
Location
Note: place marker is approximate; the actual location will be provided upon booking.
Summit County Calendar of Events
IMPORTANT: be sure to check the calendar of events for the dates you're considering before you submit your date to us. Local events can impact traffic and the accessibility of your site.
Breckenridge Average Temps and Precipitation