Guide to Weddings
at Canyonlands
National Park
Moab, UT
Welcome!
Canyonlands vs Dead Horse Point State Park
Canyonlands National Park 101
Canyonlands National Park is one of my favorite wedding venues in Moab, UT. It’s very similar to Dead Horse State Park, but it’s much bigger and the wedding ceremony sites are more spread out.
Why choose Canyonlands National Park for your wedding?
Incredible sunrise and sunset lighting in Moab
Less crowded than Arches National Park
Dramatic cliffs and scenery
Very easy “hiking”
No cell service
location
Canyonlands National Park is divided into three districts, but weddings will primarily take place at the Island of the Sky District. Getting there from Moab involves exactly one left hand turn in 32 miles, so it’s pretty simple navigation (though you will lose cell service!). It will still take 45 minutes to get to the entrances station and 20 more minutes to reach the more popular wedding sites like Grandview Point and Green River Overlook.
As a former guide who used to drive to Canyonlands several times a day: give yourself extra time. If you’re not stopping for mountain bikers or cows crossing the road, you might be stuck behind someone slowly towing a raft down to Mineral Bottom.
For elopements specifically, there is a more adventurous way to get to Dead Horse Point State Park if you have the time and the vehicle for it. If the dirt roads are dry and not closed due to winter weather, the alternate route through Long Canyon is beautiful. It used to be a really popular camping area, but the BLM closed it for the big horn sheep. The main route is already stunning, this somehow upgrades the scenic vibes and adds a touch of adventure.This route takes over an hour and is a bit shorter at 25 miles.
Head out of town going north on Highway 191, but take an earlier left down Potash Road. You’ll drive along the beautiful Colorado River before turning right down Long Canyon Road. You should see signs for the Jug handle arch at the turn. Follow this stunning road all the way up until it eventually meets up with the 313.
Wedding Venues
in Canyonlands
Grand View Point - 25 people
Green River Overlook - 25 people
Mesa Arch - 25 people
Shafer Canyon Overlook - 25 people
Grandview Point and Green River Overlook are my two favorite wedding venues in Canyonlands. They both feature enormous cliffs and iconic photo points, though it’s worth noting that they are both fairly exposed.
PERMITS
All elopements in Canyonlands National Park require a $185 special use permit, which can be obtained through the park's website. This can be found here, and it is the same permit for Arches National Park weddings.
Be sure to apply for your permit well in advance to ensure that you can secure your desired ceremony location. The park requires 4 weeks or more to process a permit, so don’t slack! Weddings can be booked up to 1 year in advance.
Wedding permit Conditions
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A permit does not grant exclusive use of the area and the area will remain open to the visiting public. Permittees may not ask the public to alter their visitation in any way. Additional permit conditions are imposed as follows:
Natural Resource Protection: Wedding activities are restricted to slickrock, dry washes, or maintained areas of the park to protect fragile biological soil crust and plant life.
Bouquets: To prevent the introduction of invasive species into the park, dried plants, including grasses, are prohibited in bouquets.
Releases: Butterfly releases, and all other living and/or inanimate object releases or dispersal, including birdseed and rice, are prohibited. The permittee is responsible for site cleanup.
Decorations: The use of balloons, arches, or any other type of decorations will not be authorized.
Obstructions: Permittees may not obstruct sidewalks, trails, parking lots, or other visitor facilities. This includes the use of tents, tables, or other furniture. The park will evaluate folding chairs on a case-by-case basis.
Food: The establishment of caterers or any food service is prohibited.
Audio Disturbance: No public address system is permitted and music volumes are highly regulated (Re: 36 CFR 2.12). Noise levels must not exceed normal speaking volumes.
Vehicles: All vehicles must be parked in designated areas only; no off-road traffic. Carpooling is recommended and may be required at specific locations.
Pets: Pets are typically not allowed at ceremony sites, particularly those areas off pavement or in other undeveloped locations.
Drones: Operating a drone is prohibited.
Monitor: Activities will be monitored or spot checked by NPS personnel for compliance with the terms and conditions of the permit and to ensure that no resource damage or visitor conflicts are occurring.
Time limit: If requested ceremony location is under or immediately adjacent to an arch or scenic feature, then the ceremony may have a required time limit of 15 minutes, depending on time of day, time of year, and other visitation patters and factors. Locations likely to contain a time limit in the permit conditions are Mesa Arch and Shafer Canyon Overlook due to the congested nature of those locations.
Marriage Licenses
In addition to the park permit, you'll also need a Utah marriage license. The good news is these licenses are valid statewide, so you can obtain one in Salt Lake City upon arrival or in Moab for your convenience. Marriage licenses are valid for 32 days from the date of purchase, so ensure yours doesn't expire before your ceremony.
Cost
$185 Permit
$30 entrance fee or an interagency pass
Season
Spring (March-May) and Fall (September-October) provide the most comfortable temperatures in Moab. Mornings and evenings in March and April are still pretty chilly though, and Dead Horse is about 1,000ft higher elevation than the town of Moab itself and it’s more exposed to wind.
Spring will be windier than the fall but you will see more flowers, like Paintbrush and Globemallow. Fall is less windy and has beautiful fall colors on the Cottonwoods, but you won’t see many of those of from Dead Horse.
Summer is scorching and has frequent monsoons and flooding. You also risk fire smoke blocking the entire view. Winter is beautiful but I’ve been up there in negative degrees and snow, so it’s hard to know what you’re going to get.
Have a great wedding day
More Moab Wedding Venues
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Do you want perfect sunset lighting for your Moab wedding? Enough said. Dead Horse it is!
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Towering arches and red sandstone.
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Corona Arch
Dreaming of an arch wedding with a bit o a hike and less NPS hassle? Check out Corona Arch.
About Your Wedding Photographer
Hey, I’m Danielle! I’m a wedding and elopement photographer in Moab, UT. I used to work as a hiking guide in Moab and hiked 800 miles from Arches National Park to Zion National Park. I used to go to Dead Horse twice a day with clients, so when it comes to Dead Horse Point State Park experts, I’m your person.
If having a photographer with some serious local expertise and skill behind the camera sounds like something you want on your very important wedding day, reach out below. Packages start at $5,300 for 6 hours.
vilaplanaphoto@gmail.com