If you are looking for an incredible adventure on your wedding day, I have a few elopement locations that I love to recommend. Taking the road last travelled to Glen Canyon’s Alstrom Point is one of those adventures. See the time you can have at this stunning place!
Your Guide to an Alstrom Point Elopement
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is an expansive space covering both Utah and Arizona from Lees Ferry in Arizona to southern Utah. We find Alstrom Point and trail on the Utah side starting with a 25-mile drive from Big Water, Utah.
The drive along the Alstrom Point trail is an absolutely gorgeous ride. The landscape changes several times as you drive through gray cliffs and balanced rocks. There are so many cool stops that would be the main attraction if you found them anywhere else. It can take several hours to drive there especially when taking photos along the way!
It is a dirt road that is in mostly great condition but you’ll need a 4×4 off-roading vehicle with high clearance at least for the final two miles. The best there is to see at the pinnacle of this drive is the absolutely incredible view at Alstrom Point.
After first visiting the location, I found myself returning time and time again. I love that you can even do Alstrom Point camping at this overlook! For Paige and Vicky’s elopement, they rented a white Jeep overnight. We all camped out and helped set up a tent for the newlyweds giving them a glamping experience.
We woke up the next day to the sunrise which is a truly beautiful sight. I would recommend an elopement at sunrise as opposed to an Alstrom Point sunset for the best lighting. My assistant and I brewed some coffee for them and took a few sunrise portraits before saying goodbye.
Planning For Permits & The Best Time of Year to Visit
The major factor in preparing for an Alstrom Point wedding is that this destination is extremely remote! The fact that it’s hard to get to is also one of the great things about it because it’s rarely ever crowded.
This also means that you must come prepared with emergency gear, food, water, and a way to cook and preserve your food. I purchased a Yeti cooler solely for this trip and it served us well in providing safe food storage.
Cell phone reception is intermittent to non-existent along the path even though we did find some at the very end of the point itself. That’s why I advise taking a guided tour with Lake Powell Scenic Tours who are great at getting there safely without needing to rent a vehicle.
The weather there is also not ideal year round as it gets incredibly hot and windy. During my first scouting trip I arrived in the dark with my dog which was quite thrilling! It was super hot even after dark so we slept right on a sandy patch within the rocks. We were both so warm already and the earth was cooler than any bedding.
There is nowhere to hide in the desert and we will make your day happen rain or shine! Fortunately, Paige and Vicky’s elopement took place in October and the weather was nearly perfect.
While a permit is required for elopement ceremonies in Glen Canyon, wedding photography is allowed without a permit. There are no photography-specific permits required unless you are doing a styled shoot or a photography workshop.
What To Do Outside of Alstrom Point
Following this out of bounds adventure, you can always go to surrounding towns for food. Some of my favorites can be found in Page, Arizona around Lake Powell:
Best Restaurants in Page, Arizona
- Lake Powell Resort’s Rainbow Room: the fanciest, yummiest place at the Lake Powell Resorts & Marinas in Page, Arizona with a great view of Lake Powell. The food and service has always been great and it is my first recommendation for a celebration. Open April 1st – October 31st.
- Sunset 89: a great and still fancy Polynesian fusion restaurant with a menu that’s all really tasty! The view of the Vermilion Cliffs and Marble Canyon is also beautiful!
- El Tapatio: has the best Mexican food in town with a casual hometown feel and my vote for the world’s best margaritas.
Things To Do in Page Arizona
There are so many amazing locations to add into your wedding day either with myself as your photographer on a multi-day adventure elopement or on your own:
- Take the Lees Ferry backhaul like this couple did down the Colorado River.
- Take photos in the secret Shell Sand Cave just like these two did as part of their family elopement in Arizona’s Painted Desert.
- Go on a private tour of Secret Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.
- Go fishing along the Colorado River at Lees Ferry.
- See the reflections on Lake Powell at sunrise. Alstrom Point is gorgeous, but you can’t get to the water from there so that’s why you must take the time to visit Lake Powell!
Check out my guide of Full-Day Activities To Do in Page, Arizona!
Vendors
Elopement Destination | Alstrom Point
Photographer | Terri Attridge Photography
Assistant | Sarah Kay
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