Best Places to Elope in Moab: A Complete Location Guide

So you’re trying to figure out the best places to elope in Moab. Maybe you’ve seen photos of epic off-roading adventures into the sunset. Maybe you want to stand on the edge of a canyon thousands of feet above the Colorado River. Or maybe you just know you want to get married somewhere that feels wild and vast and unlike anywhere else in the world.

Well, you’re in the right place because that’s exactly what Moab has to offer! There are millions of acres of recreation land around Moab and we have been exploring it + photographing it for years, bringing us here – to sharing the best with you!

Red rock formations that look like another planet, canyons carved over millions of years, wide open desert where you can see for miles—and yes, even mountains with aspen groves that turn gold in fall.

This guide breaks down where to elope in Moab so you can figure out what works for your vision.

Quick note: This focuses on where to elope in Moab. If you’re still figuring out planning logistics—vendors, timeline, what to pack—check out our complete guide on how to elope in Moab.

The 6 Most Popular Places to Elope in Moab

Dead Horse Point State Park

• Accessibility: Easy
• Group Size Limit: 5-100 people depending on the ceremony location you choose
• Best Time of Day: Sunrise or Sunset
• Popularity: Moderate
• Permit required: Yes

Dead Horse Point has one of the most dramatic overlooks in the Moab area. You’re standing 2,000 feet above the Colorado River, looking out over massive canyon views that several of our couple’s have said – they think the view is better than the Grand Canyon!

This state park is just about 9 miles outside Moab and offers mountain biking, glamping, hiking and stargazing. A lot of their trails are pet-friendly which is great if you want to bring your pup along for your elopement!

It requires a wedding permit from Utah State Parks, but it’s pretty straightforward to get. We recommend planning your elopement at least 30 days in advance so you’re not stressed about your application getting approved (though if you are planning a last-minute elopement, read this blog post for our top tips and locations).

The landscape here feels huge and open. The entire state park is mostly a flat plateau overlooking the east and west side of the valley of red rocks. While most people think sunset is the very best time to elope here, it really is just as stunning at sunrise and offers you way more privacy.

This is also one of the few Moab elopement locations that allows you to include a set up for your ceremony like an arch or other ideas. If you want a grand sense of scale and don’t mind paying for a permit, this is a really strong option.

For complete information on how to get married at Dead Horse Point State Park, read our planning guide below.

Canyonlands National Park Elopement Locations

Just past Dead Horse Point State Park, sits Canyonlands, Utah’s largest national park and one of the least visited. The views here are endless with sprawling canyon views, dramatic drop-offs, and wide open desert.

If you’re interested in eloping at this mind blowing national park you will need to apply for a permit and make sure your event falls into place within the parks restrictions. While Canyonlands is one of our favorite places to elope in Moab, it is also the furthest area from the town center, so be prepared to factor in drive time for your wedding day.

Grand View Point

• Accessibility: Easy. A short paved sidewalk leads right to the canyon edge. For couples wanting a little more adventure, a 1-mile hike leads to a second viewpoint (though note, this section of the trail is less accessible)
• Group Size Limit: 25 people
• Best Time of Day: Start of the trail is best at sunrise as it faces East, sunset is best for the end of the trail, as it faces West.
• Popularity: Moderate at the main viewpoint, light on the trail
• Permit required: Yes

Grand View Point sits at the end of the scenic drive in Island in the Sky. The view is exactly what it sounds like—absolutely massive. You’re looking out over miles of canyons carved by the Colorado and Green Rivers.

The main overlook is right off the parking lot, so it’s super accessible which is great if anyone in your group can’t do a long hike. If you want more privacy, you can hike the trail along the rim for different vantage points.

Green River Overlook

• Accessibility: Easy to access directly from the parking lot
• Group Size Limit: 25 people
• Best Time of Day: Sunset
• Popularity: Moderate
• Permit required: Yes

Green River Overlook is one of the less-visited viewpoints in Canyonlands, which means way fewer people. You’re looking down at a huge bend in the Green River with canyon walls stretching out in every direction.

It’s accessible right from the parking area, so no hiking required. The light here at sunrise and sunset is beautiful, but we’re especially drawn to sunset elopements because you get beautiful golden hour light hitting all those canyon layers.

Other Canyonlands Ceremony Locations

Canyonlands National Park also allows ceremonies at Shafer Overlook Trail, Pothole Point, and Needles Group Campsites. To learn more about these locations and everything else you need to know about eloping in Canyonlands, check out our planning guide below.

BLM Land + Off-Road Moab Elopement Locations

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land around Moab is where things get more adventurous. BLM land is public land managed by the federal government. The upside of these Moab elopement locations are that there are no permits required for ceremonies (currently, this can change), they offer way more flexibility, and are usually more private. The only downside (if you can call it that) is that you’ll need a high-clearance 4×4 vehicle to access most of these spots.

We have been provided an entire list of pre-approved places to elope in Moab by the Moab BLM office to help you pick the best spot for you. We know Moab like the back of our hands and know these locations and all the important details extremely well. It is important to know in some cases Moab BLM will allow a ceremony at a non-pre-approved location pending plans and location.

Moab BLM is truly our favorite land in the Moab area to recreate on and photograph. There are so many diverse options! Likely, the most popular that you have seen + heard of is Corona Arch!

Castle Valley

• Accessibility: Moderate off-road driving, easy once you’re there
• Group Size Limit: 15 people (recommended)
• Best Time of Day: Sunrise
• Popularity: Light to Moderate
• Permit required: No

Well you guessed it! This small area just northeast of Moab got its name from the castle-like rock formations that surround the area. Castle Valley has massive red rock towers rising out of the desert floor. It’s stunning and rarely crowded because you have to drive dirt roads to access it.

There are many great trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding in this area. Or if being on the water is something you absolutely love, you can spend part of your elopement day floating the Colorado River! These are just a few of the activities you can include in your adventure wedding. For a full list of elopement ideas, check out this blog post.

The off-road drive isn’t technical, but it requires a capable vehicle. Once you’re there, you have a lot of flexibility for ceremony spots with the towers as your backdrop.

Professor Valley (Mary Jane Slot Canyon)

• Accessibility: Easy to moderate off-road driving
• Group Size Limit: 15 people (recommended)
• Best Time of Day: Early morning
• Popularity: Moderate
• Permit required: No, we already have it on hand

Not too far out of Castle Valley you will also find Professor Valley—also known as Mary Jane Canyon. You get red rock cliffs on one side and the river on the other. Eventually leading you to a beautiful natural waterfall in the desert! The landscape here is less dramatic than some of the other spots on this list, but it’s more open, has more color variation, and the presence of water.

While this is one of the most accessible, more narrow canyons in Moab, there are more you can access with canyoneering. (Curious about slot canyon elopements? Learn more about how to plan one here.). And (bonus!) Mary Jane Canyon is also dog-friendly.

The dirt road here is manageable for most mid-clearance vehicles and not as technical as some BLM spots. You’ll pass a few people, but it’s nowhere near as busy as the national parks.

Kane Creek Road

• Accessibility: Easy to moderate off-road driving
• Group Size Limit: 15 people (recommended)
• Best Time of Day: Sunrise or Sunset
• Popularity: Can get crowded during peak season
• Permit required: No

This is one of my favorite roads in the Moab area – located just in town! Kane Creek Road runs southwest of Moab along Kane Creek and offers access to some incredible climbing, canyoneering, off-roading, and camping spots. The road follows the creek through a canyon with red rock walls rising on both sides before opening up to wider valley views. You may recognize it from all of Base Jump Moab’s viral videos on TikTok.

This area is popular with climbers, so if you want to incorporate some climbing into your elopement day, this is a great option. There are also several vista points along the road where you can pull off for ceremony spots with massive views.

You will find a couple of canyon hikes along streams that are dog-friendly, offering a cozy nook to share vows before catching sunset on the vistas.

La Sal Mountains

• Accessibility: Easy to moderate depending on location
• Group Size Limit: 15 people (recommended)
• Best Time of Day: Sunrise or Sunset
• Popularity: Light
• Permit required: No

With all of the red rocks around, it’s easy to forget about the beautiful mountain range right outside of Moab. The La Sal Mountains are stunning—full of aspen trees, a few lakes here and there, and jaw-dropping viewpoints of Castle Valley. Not to mention surprise visits from the local free-range cattle.

If you’re eloping in Moab in the fall, we highly recommend visiting this area due to the yellow burst of color all along the mountain range. This is part of what makes Moab super special because you get the diversity of desert and mountains all in one place.

The elevation here also means cooler temperatures if you’re getting married in summer. You can have your ceremony surrounded by aspens and pines, then drive back down to the desert for sunset portraits.

Our guide to the best time of year to elope in Moab breaks down what this area looks like in each season and when to visit for peak colors.

Arches National Park Elopement Locations

Arches is probably what you picture when you think of Moab. Massive red rock formations, iconic arches, and Southwest desert landscape that doesn’t look real. It’s stunning, but it’s also the most popular park in the area, which means crowds.

What a gold mine this place is for all desert lovers. The 2,000+ red rock arches are so beautiful and it’s just outside the center of town. Eloping here means getting married at one of the most iconic locations in the American Southwest, but with that, also comes some extra considerations.

Since Arches is a National Park, there are stricter regulations and permits that need to be applied for in advance for specific locations where you’re allowed to hold a ceremony. Because of it’s popularity as a National Park wedding location, it’s also important to track closures due to high visitor volume and understand that your privacy will be limited.

To elope here with more privacy, we suggest going to one of the equally stunning but less popular locations in the park. Holding your ceremony during the early hours of sunrise or during the off-season will also go a long way in ensuring less traffic during your intimate moment.

La Sal Mountains Viewpoint

• Accessibility: Easy. This is a ‘park and you’re there’ type of location
• Group Size Limit: 50 people
• Best Time of Day: Sunrise
• Popularity: Moderate to not very busy
• Permit Required: Yes

The La Sal Mountains Viewpoint is one of the more underrated Moab elopement locations in Arches National Park. It offers impressive desert and red rock views, as well as a beautiful view point of the Manti La-Sal Mountains, as the name suggests.

Double Arch

• Accessibility: Easy. the path is .6 miles round trip on a paved path.
• Group Size Limit: 25 people
• Best Time of Day: Sunrise or Sunset
• Popularity: Very popular
• Permit Required: Yes

Double Arch is one of the most popular places to elope in Moab given the accessibility to so many grand features. It is the tallest and second longest arch in the park, and while this location is very popular, you’re sure to witness an unbelievable view!

Park Avenue

• Accessibility: Moderate. The hiking begins on a paved walkway before leading to a primitive trail that deposits you into a dry wash.
• Group Size Limit: 15 people
• Best Time of Day: Sunrise or Sunset
• Popularity: Popular
• Permit required: Yes

Park Avenue feels completely different from the rest of Arches. Instead of arches, you’re walking through a narrow canyon flanked by massive sandstone walls that look like skyscrapers. While it’s slightly less crowded than the main arch viewpoints, it’s still very popular, but what we love about is is that eloping here gives you a totally different vibe.

Canyoneering & Stargazing in Arches

If you’re into more adventurous activities, Arches offers incredible opportunities for canyoneering. There are slot canyons and technical routes that can be incorporated into your elopement day if you have the skills and permits.

The park is also a designated International Dark Sky Park, which means the stargazing here is unreal. If you want to end your elopement day under a sky full of stars with the Milky Way visible overhead, Arches is an incredible place to experience it. We’ve photographed couples at night in the park and the combination of red rock formations silhouetted against the stars is pretty magical.

We don’t shoot in Arches as often as the other Moab elopement locations on this list, but we have a complete guide to eloping in Arches National Park that covers all the locations, permits, regulations, planning details, and adventure opportunities if you want to dive deeper.

Private Locations We Share With Our Clients

We also have private locations we share only with couples we work with. These are spots we’ve found over years of exploring Moab—places that aren’t published online and won’t have other people around.

If total privacy matters to you and you want an experience that feels completely your own, we can talk through these options during your consultation call.

Permits & Regulations for Moab Elopements

One of the biggest questions couples typically have when it comes to planning an elopement in Moab is “What permits do I need to elope in Moab’s national parks?”. While every location has slightly different requirements, here is a breakdown of what you can expect:

Arches National Park:

• Permits for Arches National Park can be requested up to one year in advance.
• Ceremonies must be held at an approved park location
• Park entrance fee: $30 per vehicle or included with a valid America the Beautiful Pass
• Permit fee: $185
• How to apply: Visit this page to start the process

Canyonlands National Park:

• Permits for Canyonlands National Park can be requested up to one year in advance.
• Ceremonies must be held at an approved park location
• Park entrance fee: $30 per vehicle or included with a valid America the Beautiful Pass
• Permit fee: $185
• How to apply: Visit this page to start the process

Dead Horse Point State Park:

• Permits for Dead Horse Point State Park should be requested at least 30 days in advance.
• Ceremonies must be held at an approved park location
• Park entrance fee: $20 per vehicle
• Permit fee: ~$60
• How to apply: Visit this page to start the process

BLM Land:

• As Moab elopement photographers, we hold a valid permit for photography on BLM land. Outside of that, no additional permits are required, however, Leave No Trace principles still apply.

This area is also home to one of our favorite Moab wedding venues—The Red Earth Venue. This is a private event venue that is perfect for elopements with 15 guests or more. To see what a wedding here can look like, check out Cynthia and Paul’s adventure wedding here.

How to Choose Your Moab Elopement Location

We know choosing where to elope in Moab can be one of the most difficult decisions to make. As elopement photographers who also live in this area part-time, we know Moab like the back of our hand and can help you narrow down the best locations for you depending on what you’re looking for. If you just need a quick point in the right direction though, here are some tips that might help you decide:

• If you want dramatic but more accessible: Dead Horse Point State Park
• If you want easier hikes and sprawling views: Canyonlands National Park
• If you want privacy and adventure: BLM Land
• If you want variety: La Sal Mountains or our private list of best places to elope in Moab
• If you want iconic and don’t mind crowds: Arches National Park
• If you have 15+ guests and want a traditional venue: Red Earth Venue

FAQ: Moab Elopement Locations

What are the best places to elope in Moab for sunrise?

Some of our favorite locations for sunrise elopements in Moab are Corona Arch and Castle Valley. These locations have stunning sunrise light with fewer crowds. Delicate Arch in Arches is also beautiful at sunrise, but you’ll encounter a lot of other hikers; it is best in off season.

What are the best places to elope in Moab for Sunset?

Dead Horse Point, Grand View Point, Green River, and Kane Creek Road are some of the best places to elope in Moab for sunset. If you want to include star gazing in your adventure elopement, Arches National Park has some incredible spots to view the night sky!

do I need permits to elope in Moab’s national parks?

In most national parks (especially those in Utah), you will need a special-use permit to hold your ceremony. Each park has a list of approved ceremony locations, and availability varies depending on your group size. The national parks here in Moab typically also require a ranger to observe your activity.

What Moab locations don’t require hiking?

There are are amazing places to elope in Moab that don’t require any hiking! Locations like Dead Horse Point, some Canyonlands National Park locations, and spots in Castle Valley are accessible with little to no hiking. If accessibility for you or your guests is important, reach out to us—we know some incredible places that also give you lots of privacy.

Can I have a private ceremony in Moab?

Yes. Most BLM land locations see very few people. We also have private locations we share only with our clients. National park locations will have other visitors around, especially at popular times, while Red Earth Venue offers complete privacy for larger groups.

What’s the best time of year to elope in Moab?

Spring (March-May) and fall (September-November) offer the best weather—warm but not extreme. Because it’s the desert, summer gets very hot (90-110°F), and most couples are surprised to learn that winter can get cold and even see the occasional snowfall – though it is incredibly private then. Check out our guide to the best time of year to elope in Moab for more details and seasonal breakdowns.

Ready to Decide Where to Elope in Moab

If you’re still deciding which Moab elopement location would best fit your vision, schedule a free consultation to talk through which spots would work best. Or, visit our complete Moab elopement planning guide for timeline, logistics, and everything else you need to know.

Free Consult Call About Where to Elope in Moab

Blog post written by Sonder Studio