Debatably equal parts PNW and Rocky Mountains, Idaho is a climate that feels impossible to quantify in any way other than gorgeous. Even as a Coloradoan, I find you can’t help but stop and appreciate the tranquility and serenity of nature up here. From rivers and canyons to full ski resorts, you can find a little of everything in this state and nearly guarantee you can find a spot to be alone.
For elopement spots in the Gem State, I always recommend the Sawtooth Mountains. Picture thick and enormous evergreen forests, jagged ridges and peaks, alpine lakes, wildflowers, and great alpenglow. There’s so much to explore out here and it’s not hard to find a gorgeous spot all to yourself!
If you’re looking for more traditional forests, more water, or more distinct rock formations, read on! I’m including more of my favorite elopement stops in the state below that I’ve collected over my ten years of wedding photography.
(P.S… did you know I have a location database? Check out my interactive map stocked with nearly 600 locations! Click here to go right to it and get to searching.)
Sun Valley, Idaho
Sun Valley is home to some world-class skiing and has some claims to fame. Did you know that they were the first ski resort to build a chairlift? Or that they have the largest automated snowmaking system in the world, guaranteeing you great, powdery hills every day? It’s also home to over 30 Olympians, so you can be sure that the quality of the outdoor sports around here is truly epic. If you’d rather visit in the summer, you’ll find green hills full of wildflowers and great opportunities for horseback riding, hiking, and mountain biking.
Best for: Mountains, Forest, and Wildflowers.
Best months to get married here: June to September
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Camping, Stargazing
Redfish Lake, Idaho
Turquoise waters, evergreen trees, and mountain views in the background. Redfish Lake has been a popular destination for nearly a century for good reason. Cabins and lodges are built along the lake and are designed to keep you feeling deep in nature without breaking the theme of the area. Go horseback riding in the morning and then take a sunset dinner cruise on the lake as a super romantic way to end your wedding day and take in the sights from the water.
Best for: Mountains, Forest, and Wildflowers.
Best months to get married here: June to September
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Kayaking, Sailboat, Paddleboarding
McCall, Idaho
Only about 80 miles from the state line of Oregon, McCall is most popular during the winter months for its multiple ski areas. So if the vibe you want for your elopement is testing out every run you can find, hopping from one indie brewery to the next, and feeling endlessly charmed by ski town architecture, this may be a great pick for you. Or come in the summer season for the chance to get out on Payette Lake or the Payette River in nearly any watercraft you can think of while being surrounded by evergreen trees.
Best for: City, Lake, Mountains and Forest
Best months to get married here: June to September
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Kayaking, Sailboat, Paddleboarding
Coeur D’Alene, Idaho
Coeur d’Alene is known for its lakefront vibes. A casino, historic downtown, and bodies of water everywhere you turn give the area no shortage of things to do. Whether you’re heading to a winery, going on a chartered cruise, spending time on a swim beach, golfing, floating, or going to the top of Tubbs Hill for a better view, you have plenty of ways to spend your day here.
Best for: City, Lake, Mountains and Forest.
Best months to get married here: June to September
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Kayaking, Sailboat, Paddleboarding
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Idaho
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest is situated between Oregon and Idaho and has over 2 million acres of land for you to venture into during your elopement. Hells Canyon Wilderness will take you down into the canyon along Snake River. The lower elevations on the Idaho side give you a better view of the peaks—all named after a legend in the area. The Hells Canyon Reservoir through here is great for boating and paddling! This is a great area if you want to consider 4WD trails, horseback riding, camping, picnicking, getting out on the water, or scenic drives for your wedding day.
Best for: Lake, Mountains and Forest.
Best months to get married here: June to September
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Kayaking, Sailboat, Paddleboarding, Jeep/4×4
Sawtooth National Forest, Idaho
Sawtooth is a stretch of the Rockies in Central Idaho that offers pretty pristine natural scenery. From the mountain range, to the National Recreation Area, to the National Forest, there’s so much preserved and untouched landscape out here to be found. As well as the standard options for hiking, camping, and paddling, they also have specialized trails for e-bikes for a fun new activity to try out on your elopement day.
Best for: Lake, Mountains and Forest.
Best months to get married here: June to September
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Camping
Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho
Capping out at just over 10,000 feet, the Sawtooth Mountains offer peaks and valleys that bring the Rocky Mountain energy in a more remote locale. If you’re looking for alpine lakes for your elopement, you will be spoiled for choice here! This whole area was formed by receding alpine glaciers, leaving over 400 lakes behind.
Best for: Lake, Mountains and Forest.
Best months to get married here: June to September
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Camping
Grand Teton National Park, Idaho
No, the National Park itself isn’t in the state of Idaho. But there’s a reason that the Teton Valley in Idaho is known as the “quiet side of the Grand Tetons.” That includes great views of the Tetons with a fraction of the National Park crowds. There are tons of gems out here, like Mesa Falls, a hot air balloon festival, and endless options for activities in every season for every pace of life. End your day at the local drive-in movie theater for a unique activity that lets you unwind under the stars!
Best for: Mountains and Waterfall
Best months to get married here: June to September
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Stargazing
Payette National Forest, Idaho
Payette National Forest is over 2 million acres of seriously stunning scenery. Come in the transition months for the best weather—summers can occasionally get warm here and winters are pretty cold. There’s so much room to spread out and explore out here. Spend your elopement day hiking through a canyon in the morning, doing a whitewater rafting tour in the afternoon, and then end the day at a natural hot spring. This is also a dark sky site ripe for great stargazing after the sun goes down.
Best for: Mountains, Lake, Forest and Hot Springs
Best months to get married here: June to September
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Camping, Kayaking, Paddleboarding, Stargazing
Priest Lake State Park, Idaho
Priest Lake State Park is a gem nestled in the far northwest corner of the state, very nearly Oregon or Canada… and the scenery here fits right in. An elopement here could take place along the sandy shores of the long lake with thick forests of evergreens at your back and the Selkirk Mountains spread out in front of you. The most popular time to visit here is during the summer, when you can take advantage of swim beaches, boating opportunities, berry picking, and more. But it’s also a winter wonderland in the colder months and would be a super picturesque place for couples focused on snow sports.
Best for: Mountains Forest and Lake
Best months to get married here: June to September
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Boating, Kayaking, Paddleboarding
Bogus Basin, Idaho
Okay, think for a second about how fun it would be to get married in an area called Bogus. But seriously, there’s nothing Bogus here—it’s actually called that because of a fake gold mining scheme back in the late 1800’s. If you and your partner love winter sports, this is an incredible place to elope in the winter. Night skiing or tubing down the slopes would be such a great way to spend part of your elopement. In the summer, you can find things like a mountain coaster, special lifts for mountain bikes to get them up the mountain, and hills of wildflowers.
Best for: Mountains and Wildflowers
Best months to get married here: June to September
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking
Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho
Craters of the Moon lives up to its name perfectly. This area has been carved out by the presence of over 25 cinder cone volcanoes, erupting from cracks in the crust for centuries. That means lava tubes, craters, ash, and cooled lava flows. It’s so otherworldly that NASA has visited the site to prepare for trips to Mars and the actual Moon! Camping here is sure to be equally memorable, due to the monument’s presence in an International Dark Sky Park. For cooler temperatures with more trail accessibility, visit in the shoulder seasons (spring and fall).
Best for: Desert, Mountains
Best months to get married here: June to September
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Stargazing
Stanley, Idaho
Stanley has a low year-round population, but draws plenty of visitors to its insane beauty every year. Framed by three national forests and the Sawtooth Mountains, Stanley is at its most popular during the summer months, when temperatures level out in the 70’s. This area is vista after stunning vista, and there’s so many options throughout the forests for great ceremony locations. Choose Stanley if you want to fill your elopement day with hot springs soaks, rafting down the Salmon River, and exploring the peaks.
Best for: Mountains, Forest, River, Hot Springs and Wildflowers
Best months to get married here: June to September
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Rafting
Mountain Village Hot Springs, Idaho
If you like the idea of getting out into nature but also want to make sure that you’ve got plenty of resources and relaxation on hand, Mountain Village Resort may be a good fit! The main draw here is, of course, the hot springs, which let you gaze out at the Sawtooth Mountains while getting in a much deserved soak. The combination of amenities and natural landscape would make this a super special elopement spot. As an added bonus, the lodge and restaurant on site make it easy to get into the great outdoors without the stress of camping.
Best for: Mountains, Hot Springs
Best months to get married here: Year round
My favorite activities to do here: Hiking, Soaking
Not sure what you want yet? Overwhelmed by options that aren’t for you? You can now filter through nearly 600 locations in my searchable location database! This interactive map is made for you so that you can get tailored recommendations based on what you actually want for your day, and not what other people think you need.
I’ve been around my fair share of mountains and forests in the 300+ elopements that I’ve photographed, so if you’re feeling intimidated by logistics, reach out! I act as planner, timeline creator, photographer, travel expert, and more for my couples so that all you have to do is dream big and point on a map.
Let’s get your ideal day out of your head and into reality. Click here to go to my contact form so that we can get started!
