canyonlands
national park
elopement guide
An easy Canyonlands National Park wedding guide with practical and seasonal notes from a local Moab wedding photographer.
Canyonlands National Park 101
Canyonlands National Park is one of my favorite wedding venues in Moab, UT. It’s very similar to Dead Horse State Park, but it’s much bigger and the wedding ceremony sites are more spread out.
Canyonlands National Park isn’t as popular as other Moab wedding venues, but the experience here is very different from places like Arches National Park (dare I say better).
Why choose Canyonlands National Park for your wedding?
Incredible sunrise and sunset lighting in Moab
Less crowded than Arches National Park
Dramatic cliffs and scenery
Very easy “hiking”
No cell service
If you’re still deciding where to elope, you can read my full Moab elopement guide here → Big Moab Wedding + Elopement Planning Guide
location
Canyonlands National Park is divided into three districts, but weddings will primarily take place at the Island of the Sky District. Getting there from Moab involves exactly one left hand turn in 32 miles, so it’s pretty simple navigation (though you will lose cell service!). It will still take 45 minutes to get to the entrances station and 20 more minutes to reach the more popular wedding sites like Grandview Point and Green River Overlook.
As a former guide who used to drive to Canyonlands several times a day: give yourself extra time. If you’re not stopping for mountain bikers or cows crossing the road, you might be stuck behind someone slowly towing a raft down to Mineral Bottom.
Where to elope
in Canyonlands
Grand View Point - 25 people
Green River Overlook - 25 people
Mesa Arch - 25 people
Shafer Canyon Overlook - 25 people
I used to guide Canyonlands trips all the time and quickly learned the flow of these locations. You cannot block the rest of the public from your chosen venue, so it’s a good idea to book a photographer who is familiar with the busiest times (you won’t catch me as Mesa Arch at a certain time of day, for example).
Can you get married in canyonlands National park?
Yes - all elopements in Canyonlands National Park require a $185 special use permit, which can be obtained through the park's website. This can be found here, and it is the same permit for Arches National Park weddings.
Be sure to apply for your permit well in advance to ensure that you can secure your desired ceremony location. The park requires 4 weeks or more to process a permit, so don’t slack! Weddings can be booked up to 1 year in advance.
CAnyonlands Vs other moab elopement locations
Canyonlands → quiet, spread out, big views
Arches → iconic, crowded, kind of dark
Dead Horse → easy, accessible, big views
Season
Spring (March-May) and Fall (September-October) provide the most comfortable temperatures in Moab. These seasons both have unique characteristics though so working with a photographer who knows the seasons well is the best way to ensure you’re not shivering at 6:00am in November.
Summer is scorching and has frequent monsoons and flooding. Winter is beautiful but I’ve been up there in negative degrees and snow, so it’s hard to know what you’re going to get.
Have a great wedding day
More Moab Wedding Venues
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Do you want perfect sunset lighting for your Moab wedding? Enough said. Dead Horse it is!
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Towering arches and red rock all around.
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Dreaming of an arch wedding with a bit o a hike and less NPS hassle? Check out Corona Arch.
About Your Wedding Photographer
I’m Danielle, a Moab elopement photographer who spent several years living along the banks of the Colorado River in this little red rock town.
I hiked 800 miles from Arches to Zion, so I would say that I know the landscapes around Moab intimately. Between work as a hiking guide and life in Moab, I witnessed these canyons and arches at every time of day. I know the way our weather builds and breaks in monsoon season and where the most beautiful viewpoints hide.
Whether your day involves a small gathering of loved ones in Arches National Park or just the two of you on the edge of the world beneath the rising sun, I’m here to guide you with the ease and skill that only a true local can.
vilaplanaphoto@gmail.com