Salida and Buena Vista sit 25 miles apart in the Upper Arkansas Valley, with the Collegiate Peaks lined up to the west and the Arkansas River running down the middle. Almost everything you would want for an elopement is a short drive from either town: aspen groves on national forest roads, river overlooks, hot springs, and Twin Lakes just over the county line. The valley is lower and drier than Summit County or Aspen, which opens up shoulder season dates the high resort towns cannot offer. The paperwork is simple. The planning is mostly about land managers and which passes are open.
Your marriage license from Chaffee County
Salida, Buena Vista and Nathrop are all in Chaffee County. The clerk issues marriage licenses at the Chaffee County Courthouse, 104 Crestone Ave. in Salida, not at the Buena Vista branch office. You can use a license from any Colorado county, so if Denver or another clerk fits your route better, that works too. Our Colorado marriage license guide compares the options.
From the Chaffee County clerk’s page:
- Appointments. Call (719) 530-5602 to schedule. Applications are taken Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The office is closed Fridays and county holidays, which matters if you planned to pick up your license on the way in for a weekend wedding.
- Both of you in person. You both need to appear at the Salida office.
- Fee: $30 in cash. Credit cards and checks are not accepted.
- ID: a U.S. state driver’s license, permit or ID, a U.S. military ID, or a passport that includes English or comes with a certified translation. Your name on the license will match your ID exactly.
- Know your details: your wedding date, both parents’ names and where they live now, the date and place of any divorce or a former spouse’s death (no paperwork needed), your Social Security number if you have one, and how you will be married: judge, religious officiant or self solemnization.
The license is valid for 35 days anywhere in Colorado, and you return the signed certificate to the issuing county within 63 days. No witnesses are required, and you can marry yourselves; see self solemnization in Colorado.
National forest land around the valley
Most of the mountains around town are San Isabel National Forest, part of the Pike and San Isabel National Forests. The forest’s permits page says special use permits may be required for weddings, both commercial and noncommercial, and tells you to contact the nearest ranger district for permits, costs and terms. It also says permits cannot be done online.
The Forest Service’s general rule, covered in our national forest and BLM guide, is that small groups behaving like ordinary visitors usually fall under the permit threshold. This forest does not publish site specific wedding rules, so call before you commit to a spot, especially if you plan chairs, an arch, a larger group, or anything inside the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness.
- Salida Ranger District: 5575 Cleora Road, Salida. (719) 539-3591, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Leadville Ranger District (Twin Lakes area): 810 Front Street, Leadville. (719) 486-0749.
Check the forest’s fire restrictions before your date. Candles, sparklers and fire pits may be banned on forest land during dry periods.
The river: Browns Canyon and the Arkansas Headwaters
Browns Canyon National Monument covers 21,566 acres between Buena Vista and Salida and is managed jointly by the Forest Service and the BLM. The Forest Service describes it as relatively undeveloped, with no entrance fee, no potable water and no listed restrooms. Most visitors see it from a raft. Hikers reach the Wilderness Study Area from the Ruby Mountain Trailhead off County Road 300, and motorized vehicles and bicycles are not allowed inside it. Aspen Ridge Road (Forest Road 185) on the east edge turns gold in autumn but calls for a high clearance vehicle.
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area is a state park run by Colorado Parks and Wildlife along 152 miles of the river, from Leadville to Lake Pueblo. It is open 24 hours a day year round, and a daily vehicle pass is $10 to $15. CPW says weddings may need a Special Activity Agreement, and professional photography may need its own permit, decided park by park. Call the park office in Salida at (719) 539-7289 before you plan a riverside ceremony. Our Colorado state parks elopement guide explains how those agreements work.
Where couples go
| Setting | Who manages it | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Collegiate Peaks foothills | San Isabel National Forest | Call Salida Ranger District for your site |
| Cottonwood Pass | Forest land; road maintained by Gunnison County | Typically closed November to May |
| Browns Canyon | Forest Service and BLM | Undeveloped; no water; rough roads |
| Arkansas River access | CPW, Arkansas Headwaters | Ask about a Special Activity Agreement |
| Mount Princeton Hot Springs | Private resort | Outdoor and indoor wedding spaces |
| Twin Lakes | National forest, Lake County | Call Leadville Ranger District |
| Monarch Pass | National forest on US 50 | Not on CDOT’s seasonal closure list |
Cottonwood Pass climbs west from Buena Vista over the Continental Divide toward Taylor Park. CDOT lists it as typically closed November to May, maintained by Gunnison County Public Works. When it is open, the pullouts near the top are among the best big views in the valley. Go early in summer, when storms build after midday.
Mount Princeton Hot Springs near Nathrop is the easiest way to get a reserved space with a backup plan. The resort lists two outdoor wedding venues and four indoor event spaces, including a pavilion, lawn and meadow, plus catering and lodging, and it advertises discounted venue pricing January through April. Call its events team at (719) 395-2447 for current terms.
Twin Lakes sits north of Buena Vista in Lake County, on CO 82 at the east foot of Independence Pass. The pass itself closes around Nov. 7 and typically opens the Thursday before Memorial Day, per CDOT, so in winter you approach from US 24 rather than from Aspen. The lakeshore and surrounding peaks are mostly national forest; ask the Leadville Ranger District about your spot.
Monarch Pass carries US 50 west of Salida over the Divide. It does not appear on CDOT’s seasonal closure list, so it can be a winter option, but check CDOT road conditions and traction law alerts and plan for snow.
Seasons
Summer brings river traffic, wildflowers on the high roads and afternoon thunderstorms; book sunrise or early morning. Fall color usually peaks in late September, and Cottonwood Pass and Aspen Ridge Road are the obvious drives. Winter in town is often mild and sunny, while the passes are snowbound. For timing across the state, see the best time to elope in Colorado.
Plan it
We list Salida and Buena Vista vendors below this guide, and you can browse photographers, officiants and venues statewide. Many Summit County vendors travel here; the Summit County guide covers the neighboring high country. Save your dates, permits and vendor shortlist in the free planner.
