Mt. Falcon Engagement Session | Jefferson County, Colorado
Why choose Mt. Falcon for your engagement session?
If you’re looking for a beautiful spot “in the mountains” that isn’t too far from Denver, you should consider Mt. Falcon Park.
There are two entrances to the park where you can access trails.
Mount Falcon West Trailhead
21074 Mount Falcon Road
Indian Hills, CO 80454
Mount Falcon Morrison Trailhead
3852 Vine Street
Morrison, CO 80465
While both offer great outdoor recreation opportunities, I like the West Trailhead for easily accessible and beautiful scenery for engagement sessions.
The benefits of the west trailhead include:
- A short walk to incredible views
- A couple of stone picnic shelters if you need a spot to rest or meet a group
- Several trails to choose from that give you that “in the trees” feel
- Open meadow spaces for running or playing together
The only downsides to Mt. Falcon for your engagement session is that it’s an incredibly popular access point. Especially on weekend, summer evenings. There are two parking lots on the west side (a main lot and an overflow lot), and if they’re both full, you might have to circle a bit.
But once you’re out of the car, there is room to spread out, so it shouldn’t be an issue if there are other photographers there as well.
What season should we do our engagement session at Mt. Falcon
Mt. Falcon is generally accessible year round, though you should check the county website before you go in case there are trail closures to be aware of. Occasionally they do close the trail system for mud.
Spring
Spring is when you’re most likely to get mud at Mt. Falcon. But that doesn’t mean you should avoid it! As long as you get off the main road, you’re likely to avoid the worst of it. And if you want a spring session with just a little snow, Mt. Falcon might be a good option. Even after the snow fully melts at lower elevations, you might still find some at Mt. Falcon
Summer
It can be hot at Mt. Falcon in the summer (particularly in mid-day), but summer is also a great time to take advantage of late sunset times. The trails and rocks should be dry, allowing you to explore to the fullest. While summer is the busiest time of the year for the park, it’s also very worth it. To avoid crowds, consider scheduling your session for a weekday.
Fall
When the weather starts to cool off, many people flock to the mountains for leaf peeping. And while you won’t find colorful aspens at Mt. Falcon, you will find other foliage turning for the season. The park can still be quite popular in the fall, when family sessions are popular, so I would still consider scheduling your session for a weekday.
Winter
I think winter is the most underrated season for sessions in Colorado! I love getting out to explore a beautiful place when you get a mix of sun and snow (a very common combination in Colorado in the winter). Due to the accessibility of Mt. Falcon in all seasons, the trails at the park are still very walkable in winter (though I would recommend good boots). But if you want a winter session, Mt. Falcon is great because it’s so close to Denver that you don’t have to navigate the I-70 corridor in the winter.
What does it cost for a session at Mt. Falcon?
Mt. Falcon is free to access for every day users, but does require a permit for photography sessions (whether it’s family, graduation, or engagements). The permit should be obtained by your photographer prior to your session, so make sure to ask them about it when choosing Mt. Falcon for your session!