When choosing between engagement photo ideas, we always start with what you two love to do together! This can be your favorite activity, a spot you love to visit, or even experiencing something completely new! This couple highlighted both a love for each other and a beloved activity through their Lees Ferry fishing engagement session!
When a Lees Ferry Engagement Photoshoot is Just The Right Fit
I absolutely love this location. Lees Ferry is where I personally dream to get married someday! It is in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area that spreads over Arizona and Utah. The destination is also where all of the rafts and boats take off for Lees Ferry boat tours down the Colorado River.
I have volunteered with the Grand Canyon National Park Service over the summer checking in with the boats in the area. That’s when it is my job to provide talks to river runners about the rules before they head off into the canyon.
For Zach and Alouise’s Lees Ferry fishing session, I visited the day before to find the ideal timing for lighting. It ended up being hellaciously windy so I also found a spot at Cathedral Wash Trail. The location involves some fun scrambling over ledges and drop offs while providing some protection from the wind.
Site selection was also guided by the couple’s shared love for spending time together in nature. Their favorite activities include camping, fishing, hiking, and traveling both locally and internationally. It was Zach who first introduced Alouise to fly fishing and hiking starting with a much more intense trek than this one! They had also previously gone fishing at Lees Ferry so I knew even with the wind that it was the perfect fit.
Lees Ferry Fishing Day: Go With Your Gut, Go With a Guide
Once we settled on their engagement photoshoot locations, all we needed was to map out the day! Lees Ferry Arizona is a destination I enjoy frequenting with my couples no matter the time of year or day. The spring photo session started at the historic Navajo Bridge which crosses the Colorado River.
Next, we did a quick hike and short couples’ adventure in Cathedral Wash. This was followed by making a stop at some of the gigantic balanced rocks.
We saved the majority of the time for capturing their Lees Ferry fishing engagement photos. This was the engagement photography that they truly wanted the most! Zach and Alouise changed into fishing waders and walked out into the water at Paria Beach. Following this, we headed over for some colorful water shots at the boat dock.
As their time approached its close, they backed up their truck against the matchless backdrop of the Arizona painted desert. There I photographed the couple enjoying their typical post-fishing tradition of drinking beers. We ended the day at the orchard on Lonely Dell Ranch where you can pick fruit when it’s in season!
Know Before You Go: Your Guide to a Lees Ferry Fishing Trip
Apart from Lees Ferry fly fishing, another cool trip option is what’s commonly referred to as the Lees Ferry backhaul. Kayak the Colorado offers rentals and tours or you can bring your own equipment and pay only for the backhaul itself. You can use a kayak, SUP, canoe or packraft and get hauled up to just below the Glen Canyon Dam.
From there, you float in the direction of the river, exploring side canyons and scrambling on slickrock. The stretch of river is 15 miles long and can be floated in a day if you schedule the backhaul early enough.
There are six camping locations along the way all with pit toilets. No permit is necessary minus your National Park Annual Pass for access to long-term parking at Lees Ferry. Camping alternatives include renting a fishing boat or booking a fishing guide going upstream by way of motor boat.
It’s important to note that Lees Ferry is run in part by the Grand Canyon National Park and by the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. This means that depending upon your destination and activity, you may need a different permit. For example, below Lees Ferry is a Grand Canyon permit area for the white water portion of the river.
Trusting Your Photographer for a Lees Ferry Fishing Excursion
Despite any hopes of success at this Lees Ferry fly fishing adventure, Zach and Alouise did not catch any fish. I loved the couple’s natural creativity, enthusiasm and overall go-with-the-flow attitude. They didn’t seem to mind the crazy wind that day (or lack of fish caught) and trusted me to take them to our many stops.
I also provided some guidance for their posing in front of the camera. The two shared afterwards, “We had a wonderful time yesterday, you made it so much fun! Thank you for coaching and prompting us. We needed your guidance.”
These lovebirds are getting married soon and in being true to themselves the wedding is beautifully rooted in nature involving a surprise butterfly release during the ceremony. It’s amazing when every piece of a couple’s journey makes sense because it so beautifully fits them.
Vendors
Location | Lees Ferry
Photographer | Terri Attridge Photography
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