3 Reasons Why Lily Lake is perfect for your Fall Maternity Photos
Lily Lake is a perfect spot for fall maternity photos, but isn’t as well known as other parts of Rocky Mountain National Park. Just outside Estes Park and south of the main entrances to the national park, Lily Lake lies along Hwy 7 as it meanders on its way to Nederland.
There are so many reasons this location is amazing, but here’s my top three for why it’s amazing specifically in the fall.
Reason #1: The Aspens are Golden
Lily Lake has a large grove of easily accessible aspen trees. And when I say easily accessible, I really mean it. They are right next to the parking lot. And they are gorgeous. You can photograph along the dirt road, which at certain angles gives you a backdrop of Long’s Peak. Or you can do photographs within the grove and be surrounded by golden leaves. This is the perfect fall backdrop.
The aspens aren’t just next to the parking lot though. There is another grove across Hwy 7, which also has trails and allows you to get engulfed in golden goodness. And there are splashes of color around the lake as well.
Reason #2: A Variety of Photo Backdrops
Lily Lake has the amazing combination of water, forest, and alpine lake. There aren’t many locations that can boast all three. And I haven’t found another location that boasts all three and is so easily accessible. The various backdrops are all really close to each other and there is little walking needed to get to the locations themselves. That means more accessibility and more time for photos. When you’re looking for a photo location, you want variability like this because it means getting much more bang for your buck. With a different gown and a different back-drop, it can seem like you’re getting more than one session out of your time.
Reason #3: Easy Accessibility
Can you tell I like easily accessible locations? =) Lily Lake is accessible in two ways that are really important for sessions. First, it is easy to get to the photo locations. There are wide, gravel walkways everywhere and everything is really close to the parking lot. This makes it easy to access for people of all abilities. It also means that we spend more time getting photos and less time walking.
The second way that it is easily accessible is due to its location outside the main entrance gate for Rocky Mountain National Park. As a result of this, we don’t have to deal with timed entry or the long lines at the gates. Timed entry usually goes until mid-October. Aspens typically change color in late September, early October. So we do still have to deal with the timed entry system for fall color. Add to it that everyone wants to see the fall color and you get really long lines to get into the park. This even occurs on weekdays. So Lily Lake is a winner, because we don’t have to deal with those long lines or timed entry. And there is more than enough parking, so even with the crowds to Lily Lake we’re still good for our photoshoot.
Quick Location Facts
Easy Accessibility for all abilities. Wide, flat gravel walkways everywhere.
Pretty toddler friendly. Toddlers should be watched closely when near the water though.
Sun sets earlier there than normal. Sessions do need to be 45-60 minutes earlier than normal.
Timed Entry for Rocky Mountain National Park is in place from late May through most of October. However, golden hour usually means being able to avoid timed entry for this location, as it ends in the early afternoon. All that is needed is to pay for entry to the park.
Photo permits are no longer required at Rocky Mountain National Park for portraits. They are needed for styled sessions and marketing only sessions.
90 minutes from Downtown Denver, 60 minutes from Boulder, 60 minutes from Longmont, 90 minutes from Greeley, 70 minutes from Fort Collins
Great year round. Definitely shines in the fall!
Full Session Slideshow
To see what a full photo session looks like at this location, check out the below slideshow.
Sara Herkes is a maternity, newborn, family, and senior photographer based in Longmont, CO. She serves the the Denver Metro Area, the Colorado Rockies, and the Northern Front Range and captures your pregnancy amidst the Colorado wilderness. Learn more about her services here.
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