Is it safe to travel to Estes Park for my wedding?

With the recent and incredibly scary Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires causing the complete evacuation of Estes Park, many of our clients are wondering, is it still safe to travel to Estes Park for our wedding, engagement, elopement, etc.?

This is a fantastic question, and one that certainly requires some consideration. Our overwhelming opinion is YES. Estes Park, even with the nearby fires and damage, is still one of the world’s greatest and most beautiful locations and is still a great destination choice. That comes with a caveat that I’ll touch on in a minute:

Where are the fires, and what’s been destroyed?

As of today, with the recent 20+ inches of snow in the mountains, the fires have drastically slowed down, and the evacuation order for Estes Park has been removed, allowing residents to return. This is great news and a sign that there’s no immediate danger. But, it doesn’t mean that the fires are completely gone. As you can see on the topo map below, there have been no new hotspots for 3+ days. Again, this is all fantastic news! Click on the topo map for the most current update.

The Cameron Peak Fire, which is to the north of Estes Park, has burned 208K acres (largest fire in Colorado history) of forest land. Very little of this massive fire has entered into Rocky Mountain National Park, and this fire is mostly contained at this point.

The East Troublesome Fire, which is to the southwest of Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park grew and burnt 193K acres in just a few days. Unpredictably, it spread 100K acres in 24 hours before the snow. So, as I am sure you can imagine, this fire has been very destructive in its short time. Most of the destruction has happened near Grand Lake. This fire entered Rocky Mountain National Park and burnt through Mt. Patterson, Mt. Julian, Mt. Ida, Tombstone Ridge, and portions of the west side of Moraine Park.

Topographic Map

Remember that caveat that I mentioned? Well, here it is… Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park are still recovering, and as of right now, neither one of the two fires are considered fully contained. The healing of Estes Park and surrounding areas is going to take time, so please please check the most recent updates. Our awesome partners at VisitEstesPark.com are doing a great job keeping their site updated, and when it comes time to plan your trip, this site is an amazing resource for all things Estes.

So, when it comes to your Estes Park or Rocky Mountain National Park wedding, engagement, elopement, etc. do your due diligence and verify conditions, and make the best choice for you and your family, but don’t be discouraged. We are confident that you’ll have a great time, and that we’ll still be able to find beautiful mountain vistas and create, one-of-a-kind, amazing photos.

To all of our friends who have been effected by these fires, our hearts go out to you. We love you, and are here to support you however we can.