4 epic locations for engagement photos in Utah

Planning a wedding (or an elopement!) can be stressful enough as it is, and who wants to have to worry about finding the perfect place for your engagement photos?! You’re in luck! I’ve compiled a list of my favorite locations to shoot at in Utah, complete with insider tips and information about each location. Without further ado, here they are!

Antelope Island State Park

Antelope Island State Park is located about 45 minutes North of Salt Lake City, and is HUGE! I’m not kidding, you could spend an entire day here exploring the Park. One thing I love about this State Park is that you can get a wide variety of backdrops throughout the park. There’s a beach, rocky areas, mountains, wheat, rolling green hills – the list goes on. Another perk? There are lots of Bison roaming around the park, and if you get lucky – maybe you’ll get some in the background of your photos. Be sure not to approach them, though! Keep your distance, let them roam free, and admire them from afar. 

Pro tip: Expect a $15 entrance fee (well worth it in my opinion), and BRING BUG SPRAY. I repeat…bring bug spray! Don’t even chance it on this one. When the weather gets warmer, these tiny flies come out in swarms, making it almost impossible to walk around without getting eaten alive. I was there in the Spring when it wasn’t even that warm out, and they were still vicious. I guess that’s the price you pay for beauty 🙂

Little Saharah Sand Dunes

I don’t like to choose favorites….but this one might just take the cake. The Little Saharah Sand Dunes are located about 2 hours from Salt Lake City and make you feel like you are in the middle of Egypt. Okay, I’ve never been to Egypt, but this is what I imagine it looking like. You feel like you’re in another world, and this place is MASSIVE! 

Pro tip: You will have no service out here (and for most of your drive), so be prepared to not communicate with the outside world for a bit. Also make sure you stop for gas before setting out, since the drive is a long one without gas for miles. I promise the end result will far exceed your expectations. Also, expect to pay an $18 entrance fee here.

Red Ledges, Spanish Fork

This one is a hidden gem, in my opinion. When I was traveling to Utah, I really wanted the Southern Utah Look (red rocks, dirt, etc) without traveling all the way to Moab. After hours of searching and scouting, I came across Red Ledges. It’s about an hour and a half from Salt Lake City, and really gives you that southern Utah feel. I won’t lie, it’s not very big and not all that impressive looking at first glance, but you can get some pretty awesome photos if you get creative with it. 

Pro tip: No service here! Are you seeing a pattern? So be prepared to go without and wear appropriate footwear for climbing up onto rocks. The best part? This one is free!

Salt Flats

This might be the most well known of the bunch, and for good reason. It’s an easy drive from Salt Lake City (just under 1.5 hours), and it comes quite close to what I imagine Heaven on Earth looking like. You can drive right out onto the flats and the area is so large that you can easily get a spot all to yourselves to make it seem like you’re the only ones out there.

Pro Tip: If you plan your session for right after a rainfall, you can expect a layer of water over the salt flats creating a stunning reflection and mirror like image of the mountains in the background. It’s quite a sight to see! Just be prepared to go barefoot and be a little chilly. Do it for the photos, am I right?

There you have it! One of the things I love about Utah is that there are so many diverse locations within driving distance from each other.

Which one of these locations would be your pick?! Were there any must-see locations in Utah that I missed? I’d love to hear from all of you!