Tucked between the Rockies and the La Sal Mountains is a desert filled with bright red rocks, small town charm, and is often described as wild and untamed – making it the perfect place for destination engagement photos or an elopement. Couples from Colorado or Utah looking for a unique, adventure-filled engagement session should consider the drive to Moab for a long weekend.
The Best Time for a Moab Engagement Session
For reference, the photo above was taken in November! Natalie and Bobby reached out to me about traveling from Denver to Moab for destination engagement photos. I personally love late fall for Moab engagement photos; there are fewer crowds, the weather is more temperate, and the session can be done mid-day with daylight savings so you have time to grab a dinner and some drinks after your photos!
As a reminder, Moab can get super hot during the summer months, my recommendation is to plan your engagement session in the spring (March-May) or in the fall (September-November). We will want to get that golden hour light, so I recommend planning your session around sunrise or sunset. The benefits of a sunrise session is that you will beat most of the crowds especially if you plan to head into Arches National Park or Canyonlands National Park.
How to Prepare For Your Session
Even in the off-season, Moab’s desert can be unpredictable. Plan on bringing layers, water, and snacks! Your destination engagement session will be longer than the average session as we will hit multiple locations, so come prepared for both hot and cold temperatures!
Best Engagement Locations in Moab
Arches National Park
Arches National Park is about 5 miles outside of Moab, it has some of the largest red rock formations in the area, and they are accessible just steps from the parking lot. Between April and October, you will need to obtain a timed entry pass in order to enter the park. Once you select your timed entry, you can either purchase a single-use pass for your vehicle ($30.00) or buy the yearlong American the Beautiful National Park pass if you plan on traveling to other national parks during the year ($80.00)! I recommend purchasing the year-long National Park pass if you plan on visiting Canyonlands while you are in the area.
As a reminder, dogs aren’t allowed in national parks, only on paved roads. Arches National Park may not be the place to go if you are looking to include your pup.
Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands is a great alternative to avoid Arches crowds. With deep canyons, the Colorado River, and hiking you can still find all of the elements that draw people to Moab.
Although Canyonlands doesn’t have timed-entry reservations, you still have to obtain a single-use day pass or the America the Beautiful year-long pass. Canyonlands is also a National Park, so dogs aren’t allowed to hike or go off main roads.
Dead Horse Point
A great option if you have pups! This is a state park, so fees are separate from the National Park passes. It has incredible views of the Colorado River, and is a great spot for golden hour photos!
Moab
If you’re wanting to avoid the national and state parks, I always recommend Moab’s BLM land! Still home to stunning views, sessions in Moab tend to be less crowded with locations that are tucked further away. In many spots, we will be the only people!
La Sal Mountain Range
30 miles from Moab, you can head out to the mountain range, La Sal. If you are wanting mountains and desert for your Moab engagement session this is the way to go! The mountain range is home to stunning views and adventure, making it possible to have both the desert and mountains for your session!
Meet Me in Moab!
I hope this post inspired you to start planning your Moab engagement session! By the way, engagements in Moab are kinda my thing! If you are looking for location suggestions, prompted posing, and help planning out an adventure engagement session contact me for more information! I can’t wait to help plan your day in Moab!
