Rocky Mountain Honeymoon

We had been planning our wedding for months, and it was finally time. David and I were eloping in Rocky Mountain National Park. We chose this Colorado park because we knew we wanted to get married in nature, but still have the comforts of a town without roughing it too much on our honeymoon. Rocky Mountain fit the bill perfectly offering numerous hiking trails and beautiful scenery, and its proximity to the small mountain village of Estes Park made it easy to find a comfortable hotel.

The first day we were still acclimating to the altitude so we decided not to push ourselves too hard. We explored the east side of the park, which consisted of Bear Lake Road and Lumpy Ridge. The Bear Lake area had tons of hiking trails spinning off in every direction. We loved the hike to Emerald Lake. You pass two other lakes along the way, ending at a bluff overlooking the emerald-green water surrounded by giant jagged spires. Lumpy Ridge was a completely different environment. Hiking through this region you were surrounded by clusters of aspen trees and unusual rock formations. One of our favorite hikes in this area was to Gem Lake. The lake was surrounded by rocky stone cliffs and a sandy shoreline – a perfect spot for a picnic lunch.

The next day we set out on Trail Ridge Road. As you climb towards the continental divide you can see and feel the elevation change. Once we passed the tree line we began to enter the alpine tundra, which reaches more than 12,000 feet above sea level. It felt like we were driving on another planet. It wasn’t a lush green environment like we were used to, but rather rocky and desolate. The elevation began to drop after passing the Alpine Visitor Center towards the Kawuneeche Valley. This marshy region does not offer many trails, but it’s a terrific area to spot moose!

Finally, our wedding day arrived! We began like every other morning by eating breakfast at the Donut Haus. Then we were off to Loveland to the Aveda Salon for hair and makeup. Panic started to kick in when it began to drizzle on our way there. Thankfully by the time we returned to our hotel to get dressed, the clouds had cleared and the rain stopped. We met our two photographers and minister in Upper Beaver Meadows. Our ceremony was perfect – a remote meadow surrounded by the Rockies, symbolically standing side-by-side next to a pair of old growth pines in the same position.

After our I do’s we took post photos in Moraine Park; a gorgeous valley surrounded by rolling mountains with a trout-filled river meandering through the middle. We ended the night at Twin Owls Steakhouse, where Dave’s parents surprised us with a wedding cake!

The last few days of our trip were spent leisurely exploring the Denver area. We took a stroll through Confluence Park and visited the Aquarium. We drove to the top of two of Colorado’s fourteeners, Mt. Evans and Pikes Peak. We hiked through the red rock formations at Garden of the Gods. And we left Colorado as Mr. & Mrs.