How to Have an Ophir Pass Elopement in 2026 or 2027

One of the BEST things about eloping in the San Juans is the huge network of 4X4 trails that exist there, leftover from old gold mining days. Ophir is a newbie friendly 4X4 pass that takes you up over 12,500+ feet in elevation, leaving you totally surrounded by high alpine ridges and uninterrupted views of the peaks around you. Which makes it a perfect elopement spot!

In addition to being born and raised in Colorado, I’ve photographed over 150+ elopements in this state alone! I’m happy to take you past the basics and in deep so that you know exactly how to have a great wedding day here. 

Frequently asked questions about getting married at Ophir Pass

How do you get married at Ophir Pass? 

I’ve been taking couples into southwest Colorado for over a decade, so I know exactly where to be and when to ensure that you have the best combination of views, weather, and any activities you want to factor into your day! 

One of the best parts about Ophir Pass is that it doesn’t require a permit to use, making it inexpensive and easy to use as part of your wedding day. There are a few steps I would suggest taking as you’re planning your elopement: 

• Hire a local photographer
  A seasoned local pro can help you know where to go and when, give you the best timing for lighting, act as your insider knowledge to the pass, give you vendor recommendations, and so much more. I provide all of this information to the couples that work with me!
• Consider how you’re traveling the pass
  Ophir Pass is a relatively easier off-roading route, but I’d personally still strongly recommend having a high-clearance 4X4 vehicle to tackle it with. For most of my couples, that looks like either renting a vehicle from an operator or hiring a driver from a tour company for the day!
• Assess your comfort levels
  While most of Ophir Pass is wide open, there is a stretch that passes through a narrow rock shelf. Which means you’re driving on a pretty slim path over a steep drop off. For folks who are afraid of heights or inexperienced with 4X4 driving, this can be a big deterrent to the area. 
• Know which side to enter from
  This pass is open two ways, but my recommendations change with the time of day. If you’re going at sunrise, approach from the Telluride side to get the best view. Closer to golden hour, come from Silverton!

When’s the best time to visit Ophir Pass?

The best time to visit Ophir Pass is in July and August! These are the best months to find temperate weather at high-altitudes and the clearest roads. This pass closes over the winter, but even in late spring and early fall, you may find snow around! You can find both wildflowers and great fall colors here seasonally. Aim for late July for blooms and late September for the peak of the aspen trees

The pass can get some traffic on summer weekends and during peak fall colors, so aim for a weekday at sunrise. This will give you great soft lighting for your ceremony or portraits, low crowds, and that feeling of having the entire world to yourself on your wedding day! 

How do you get to Ophir Pass? 

You can start Ophir Pass from either the Telluride side or the Silverton side, both of which have trailheads for 4X4s. In Telluride, the trailhead is just outside Ophir, along Highway 145 South, about 8 miles down the road. Then turn onto Ophir Road and head east. In Silverton, you can access the pass from Highway 550 North—drive 5.5 miles north and then turn left onto 679. That will put you on the pass route! 

On some map apps, you can find these spots labeled as “Ophir Pass Access” as an easy point to navigate to!

How much does it cost to get married at Ophir Pass?

It only costs $30 to get married at Ophir Pass! That’s just the cost of your marriage license at the nearest county clerk’s office. 

There are other costs that you may want to consider if you go this route, such as renting a 4X4 vehicle (or a driver) given the pass’ rough and occasionally steep terrain. But ultimately, the location is free!

The couples I work with tend to invest most of their budget into photography, because they’re emphasizing the adventure and want to make sure that every moment is documented so that they can be fully in the moment. 

I wrote a whole blog post here about the cost of eloping that can tell you more!

Are dogs allowed on Ophir Pass?

Yes, dogs are allowed on Ophir Pass! Just make sure they are on-leash for everyone’s safety given that this pass can get pretty busy with vehicles. 

Ophir Pass Elopement Photos

Joy & Clint’s Late Summer Ophir Pass Elopement 

Joy & Clint were all for a 4X4 based elopement, which I loved, because this is one of my favorite ways to get top-notch views without multi-mile hikes! They had happened upon Ophir Pass the day before their wedding and decided it was the perfect place to have a first-look.I talked them through how to time it so that alpenglow was lighting the tips of the mountains around them while they did their first look. It requires a lot of firsthand knowledge about when it happens and what the starting signs look like so that I could have Clint & Joy out there at its peak!

In their words

“My wife and I just got married in September of this year. When we think back upon our whole lives and what was one day we would want to relive over and over again, it was our wedding day. As cliché as that sounds, it was absolutely perfect, and Maddie played a huge part in making it so. Months prior to our wedding day, we knew we wanted to travel somewhere for our wedding, and after randomly discovering Maddie on Pinterest, we found a new friend and photographer who worked tirelessly to find a spot that was perfect for us.

 The planning process with Maddie was absolutely great. We decided in early summer that we wanted to get married Labor Day weekend, so we felt VERY fortunate that Maddie happened to be available that weekend! She was really accommodating and worked with us on making this special day a reality throughout the whole planning process. She offered us so much guidance and detailed suggestions to help us find the perfect corner of the world for us. Eventually, we landed on Telluride because she had told us the southwest mountains of Colorado were absolutely amazing- and she was so right!

 We wanted our day to be very organic and authentic. Maddie was amazing at just rolling with our not-so-planned day. She really does a great job at understanding the vision each couple is looking to achieve on their special day, and she makes that vision into a reality in such creative and beautiful ways. We felt so special and understood by her throughout the entire process of working together.

The wedding day itself was nothing short of MAGIC. Maddie is incredibly professional and guided us so well as we took our photos together. But she’s also just FUN and you know she is genuinely celebrating your wedding day with you! It felt like she was an old friend who happened to be the MOST amazing photographer. We laughed SO much and SO hard, we had sweet intimate moments, and LOTS of tears- and it all felt so comfortable and easy with Maddie there. She did such a great job of really making the day about US and what we wanted.

 Basically, when you hire Maddie, you get more than a photographer in a lot of ways. She has so much guidance to give, she genuinely loves the couples she works with, and she is so EASY to LOVE!!! There is literally no one else we could ever imagine having document such a wonderful, magical day.”