As a photographer, location is very important to me! But I have to admit, I know I’m very lucky to live in a place that has such PERFECT and gorgeous locations! Colorado is stunning. I figure the least I can do is show some love to this beautiful home of mine, and help you choose your next photo spot. Some of these locations are technically just outside of the Springs, but they’re in the immediate surrounding areas! So, without further ado, here are the top ten best Colorado Springs locations!

10. Palmer Park

I love shooting in Palmer Park because it’s centrally located, has a good combination of rocky areas and open fields, and doesn’t seem to be too over-populated. That’s always a plus, especially for parking! There are also beautiful mountain views, if you find the right spot. It’s definitely one of my favorites in the best Colorado Springs locations!

9. The Paint Mines Interpretive Park in Peyton, CO

Photographing anyone in the Paint Mines is a fun and unique experience! This is one of the best Colorado Springs locations because the rocks themselves reflect the light really well, which is a huge plus! Sometimes the wind can be a little intense, but if we catch the right day these photos all turn out to be SO gorgeous!

8. Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods is one of the most famous locations in Colorado Springs, and definitely makes most people’s lists of favorite Colorado locations! It’s such a beautiful, iconic place to shoot. I love the red rocks and the contrast that brings to the photos. It creates a very unique look, and it’s distinctly “Colorado.” I’ve even done beautiful elopement photos in Garden of the Gods!

7. Red Rocks Canyon Open Space

Red Rocks Canyon is a fan favorite on the list of best Colorado Springs locations because it has a little bit of everything! It has red rocks (obviously), a pretty lake, good open space, and even some spots where you can see the mountains. There’s a little more hiking involved, but it’s totally worth it!

6. The Penny Arcade/ Manitou Springs

The Penny Arcade is so much fun because it’s super bright and it has a lot of character! I even got to do a cool birthday photo shoot in the Penny Arcade! And Manitou Springs in general has a lot of different settings that are great for all different types of sessions! It has more than earned its place toward the top of my list of best Colorado Springs locations, even though it’s technically in Manitou!

5. Rock Ledge Ranch

Rock Ledge Ranch has made it onto so many different photographer’s lists of best Colorado Springs locations that there is now a permit fee to photograph there! However, the fee is small, and it’s TOTALLY worth it! It’s a private property, so it’s not over-populated, and it is GORGEOUS with mountain views, lots of trees, houses, barns, and more! There’s a lot of beautiful Colorado variety here!

4. Downtown Colorado Springs

Downtown Colorado Springs is an amazing place to be! There’s so much character, fun shopping, great coffee, and a real sense of community! I’ve been able to do so many great photo shoots downtown! During the winter months there’s a skating rink in Acacia Park downtown, and one year I even had the chance to photograph a proposal on the ice!

3. Fox Run Regional Park

Fox Run Regional Park is insanely popular here in Colorado, and it’s pretty easy to see why! There are so many options for stunning photos here, from wide open spaces, to trees galore, to glistening water!

2. Monument Valley Park, North

Monument Valley Park is so incredible I had to split it into two parts! This is the north side, and it’s located off of Fontanero and Culebra Ave. The north side has great hiking, beautiful greenery in the summer, and a ton of trees!

1. Monument Valley Park, South

And the number one best Colorado Springs location to shoot is…Monument Valley Park, South! This is what people think of when they think of Monument Valley Park. It’s right off the highway and easy to find, it has a beautiful pond, a gorgeous garden, and more! If you have to pick just one Colorado place to have photos (but I mean…why?), this should be it!

I hope you found this list helpful and inspiring! Let me know if you’d like to book a session in one of these favorite Colorado locations, and we’ll work together to make your photos the most memorable yet!