It is that time of year again: the time when we start to send photos and updates of ourselves and receive them in return from our friends and family. Are you ready? While you can always slap a selfie on a card or sit in a stale portrait studio, we recommend taking your card to the next level by taking your Christmas photos at one of these iconic locations! Christmas in Colorado has never been so scenic! These are the best places to take Christmas photos in colorful Colorado:

  1. Garden of the Gods (Colorado Springs)

Wikimedia Commons If you thought the Garden of the Gods was beautiful in the summer (which, of course, it is!), wait until you get a load of it capped with beautiful snow! No matter where you go in the park, you are guaranteed to have the most envy-worthy Christmas card in the family.  Garden of the Gods Road, Garden of the Gods Rd, Colorado Springs, CO, USA

  1. Maroon Bells (Aspen) 

TripAdvisor/Monabhi29 Do you want to show off your family AND the fact that you are a total BA who can hike 3.6-miles round-trip without breaking a sweat? Then the breathtaking Maroon Bells may be just the spot for your next Christmas card! Plus, it’s one of the best winter hikes in Colorado. Are you not a huge hiker and want something equally beautiful without all the work? Then you may want to opt for… Maroon Bells, Colorado 81611, USA

  1. Kebler Pass (Crested Butte)

Wikimedia Commons …Kebler Pass, a colorful 30-mile drive that runs from Crested Butte to Paonia and features not only gorgeous mountain views but plenty of places to get out and take a postcard-worthy picture.  Kebler Pass, Colorado 81230, USA

  1. Casa Bonita (Lakewood)

Wikimedia Commons Okay, so the fountain in front of Casa Bonita may not be the most beautiful spot in Colorado, but you cannot tell us it isn’t incredibly iconic (and, by golly, a rite of passage)! Oh, and by the way, the creators of the hit TV show South Park are purchasing this iconic restaurant in Colorado to keep the legend alive. Casa Bonita, 6715 W Colfax Ave, Lakewood, CO 80214, USA

  1. Great Sand Dunes (Mosca)

Wikimedia Commons Do you have a lot of out-of-state friends and family who think that Colorado is made up of only mountains? You can prove to them that there is a lot more to the state by taking a photo at the Great Sand Dunes, which consists of a whopping 149,028 acres of super soft sand. Come see why this is one of the most beautiful landscapes in Colorado for photography. Great Sand Dunes, Mosca, CO 81146, USA

6. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre (Morrison)

Wikimedia Commons Good news: There is still a little time left to get out and get your picture taken with the colorful fall foliage surrounding the Red Rocks Amphitheatre! Bonus points if you not only get your photo at the Amphitheatre but with your favorite band playing in the background. Christmas in Colorado is breathtaking at Red Rocks. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison, CO 80465, USA

  1. Pawnee Buttes (Sterling)

Wikimedia Commons Do you live along the Eastern Plains and want to take photos near your home? Enter the Pawnee Buttes: two 300-foot-tall mesas that tower proudly over the surrounding shortgrass prairie. Are you in southeast Colorado and do not feel like driving up to Sterling? Read on… Pawnee Buttes, Colorado 80729, USA

8. Picketwire Canyon (La Junta)

Wikimedia Commons Did you know that Colorado is home to the country’s largest dinosaur track site? Located in the southeast town of La Junta, Picketwire Canyon is comprised of some 1,900 prints and 130 separate trackways, making for not only a sight that needs to be seen to be believed but also an epic Christmas photo. Please note: The trail to the Picketwire Canyon is 16.7 miles round-trip. This is one of those natural wonders in Colorado you can’t miss, especially in the winter. La Junta, CO 81050, USA

  1. Crystal Mill (Carbondale)

Wikimedia Commons Arguably one of the most popular spots to photograph in Colorado is Crystal Mill, an old 1892 wooden powerhouse that sits abandoned atop the picturesque Crystal River. As soon as you read this, make plans to hike to the Mill, as there is still a chance to see it with the surrounding fall foliage. Crystal Mill, 11520 Co Rd 3, Carbondale, CO 81623, USA

  1. Mesa Verde National Park 

Wikimedia Commons For a truly unique photo (and overall experience), visit the historic Mesa Verde National Park, which preserves the archeological heritage of the Ancestral Pueblo people who called the area home from 600 to 1300 CE. Featuring 600 cliff dwellings, there is no shortage of places to snap and see at the incredible Mesa Verde.  Mesa Verde National Park, CO 81330, USA

Have you sat for portraits at any of the best places to take Christmas photos in Colorado? We would love to see them in the comments! For even more must-see places around the Centennial State, check out these 11 Hidden Gems You Have To See In Colorado Before You Die.

Wikimedia Commons

If you thought the Garden of the Gods was beautiful in the summer (which, of course, it is!), wait until you get a load of it capped with beautiful snow! No matter where you go in the park, you are guaranteed to have the most envy-worthy Christmas card in the family. 

Garden of the Gods Road, Garden of the Gods Rd, Colorado Springs, CO, USA

TripAdvisor/Monabhi29

Do you want to show off your family AND the fact that you are a total BA who can hike 3.6-miles round-trip without breaking a sweat? Then the breathtaking Maroon Bells may be just the spot for your next Christmas card! Plus, it’s one of the best winter hikes in Colorado. Are you not a huge hiker and want something equally beautiful without all the work? Then you may want to opt for…

Maroon Bells, Colorado 81611, USA

…Kebler Pass, a colorful 30-mile drive that runs from Crested Butte to Paonia and features not only gorgeous mountain views but plenty of places to get out and take a postcard-worthy picture. 

Kebler Pass, Colorado 81230, USA

Okay, so the fountain in front of Casa Bonita may not be the most beautiful spot in Colorado, but you cannot tell us it isn’t incredibly iconic (and, by golly, a rite of passage)! Oh, and by the way, the creators of the hit TV show South Park are purchasing this iconic restaurant in Colorado to keep the legend alive.

Casa Bonita, 6715 W Colfax Ave, Lakewood, CO 80214, USA

Do you have a lot of out-of-state friends and family who think that Colorado is made up of only mountains? You can prove to them that there is a lot more to the state by taking a photo at the Great Sand Dunes, which consists of a whopping 149,028 acres of super soft sand. Come see why this is one of the most beautiful landscapes in Colorado for photography.

Great Sand Dunes, Mosca, CO 81146, USA

Good news: There is still a little time left to get out and get your picture taken with the colorful fall foliage surrounding the Red Rocks Amphitheatre! Bonus points if you not only get your photo at the Amphitheatre but with your favorite band playing in the background. Christmas in Colorado is breathtaking at Red Rocks.

Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison, CO 80465, USA

Do you live along the Eastern Plains and want to take photos near your home? Enter the Pawnee Buttes: two 300-foot-tall mesas that tower proudly over the surrounding shortgrass prairie. Are you in southeast Colorado and do not feel like driving up to Sterling? Read on…

Pawnee Buttes, Colorado 80729, USA

Did you know that Colorado is home to the country’s largest dinosaur track site? Located in the southeast town of La Junta, Picketwire Canyon is comprised of some 1,900 prints and 130 separate trackways, making for not only a sight that needs to be seen to be believed but also an epic Christmas photo. Please note: The trail to the Picketwire Canyon is 16.7 miles round-trip. This is one of those natural wonders in Colorado you can’t miss, especially in the winter.

La Junta, CO 81050, USA

Arguably one of the most popular spots to photograph in Colorado is Crystal Mill, an old 1892 wooden powerhouse that sits abandoned atop the picturesque Crystal River. As soon as you read this, make plans to hike to the Mill, as there is still a chance to see it with the surrounding fall foliage.

Crystal Mill, 11520 Co Rd 3, Carbondale, CO 81623, USA

For a truly unique photo (and overall experience), visit the historic Mesa Verde National Park, which preserves the archeological heritage of the Ancestral Pueblo people who called the area home from 600 to 1300 CE. Featuring 600 cliff dwellings, there is no shortage of places to snap and see at the incredible Mesa Verde. 

Mesa Verde National Park, CO 81330, USA

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The OIYS Visitor Center

Best Places to Take Christmas Photos November 01, 2022 Tori Jane Where are some wonderful places for taking Christmas photos in Colorado?   Life in Colorado means getting to know all the most beautiful places across the state, many of which make for excellent locations for your annual family Christmas photos. We prefer natural backdrops for ours, and as a result, we have an almost endless list to share with you. Some of the most beautiful state parks in Colorado are excellent photography spots, like Mesa Verde National Park and the Great Sand Dunes National Park, which provide excellent backdrops and an air of holiday magic you won’t find anywhere else. Other favorite locations for Christmas photos include places like the famous restaurant Casa Bonita, which is a blast, and the Crystal Mill in Carbondale is another fave.   What is Christmas in Colorado like?   Christmas in Colorado is a wonderful time filled with magic and intrigue. Everyone’s a little happier, we think, and the snow just makes the season extra special. You can visit any number of the wonderful Christmas villages in Colorado (more of those in a moment), and perhaps you might want to check out one of the amazing Christmas lights displays in Colorado as well. Embrace the magic of the season by taking a Christmas town road trip in CO and enjoy the season to the fullest.   What are some of the best Christmas towns in Colorado?   There are plenty of beautiful, peaceful little Christmas towns in Colorado – just ask the locals! Towns like Breckenridge get all decked out year after year; it quite literally looks like a beautiful world within a snow globe. Burlington is another favorite, with lots to do and plenty to see, including the famous carousel all lit up in beautiful lights! Ouray is an excellent winter town in CO, with all the skiing you could ever hope for, and it’s quite literally known as the “Little Switzerland” of the state. Durango, Limon, and Aspen, too, all have well-earned places on the best Christmas towns in Colorado list.  

The OIYS Visitor Center

Best Places to Take Christmas Photos

November 01, 2022

Tori Jane

Where are some wonderful places for taking Christmas photos in Colorado?   Life in Colorado means getting to know all the most beautiful places across the state, many of which make for excellent locations for your annual family Christmas photos. We prefer natural backdrops for ours, and as a result, we have an almost endless list to share with you. Some of the most beautiful state parks in Colorado are excellent photography spots, like Mesa Verde National Park and the Great Sand Dunes National Park, which provide excellent backdrops and an air of holiday magic you won’t find anywhere else. Other favorite locations for Christmas photos include places like the famous restaurant Casa Bonita, which is a blast, and the Crystal Mill in Carbondale is another fave.   What is Christmas in Colorado like?   Christmas in Colorado is a wonderful time filled with magic and intrigue. Everyone’s a little happier, we think, and the snow just makes the season extra special. You can visit any number of the wonderful Christmas villages in Colorado (more of those in a moment), and perhaps you might want to check out one of the amazing Christmas lights displays in Colorado as well. Embrace the magic of the season by taking a Christmas town road trip in CO and enjoy the season to the fullest.   What are some of the best Christmas towns in Colorado?   There are plenty of beautiful, peaceful little Christmas towns in Colorado – just ask the locals! Towns like Breckenridge get all decked out year after year; it quite literally looks like a beautiful world within a snow globe. Burlington is another favorite, with lots to do and plenty to see, including the famous carousel all lit up in beautiful lights! Ouray is an excellent winter town in CO, with all the skiing you could ever hope for, and it’s quite literally known as the “Little Switzerland” of the state. Durango, Limon, and Aspen, too, all have well-earned places on the best Christmas towns in Colorado list.  

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

Life in Colorado means getting to know all the most beautiful places across the state, many of which make for excellent locations for your annual family Christmas photos. We prefer natural backdrops for ours, and as a result, we have an almost endless list to share with you. Some of the most beautiful state parks in Colorado are excellent photography spots, like Mesa Verde National Park and the Great Sand Dunes National Park, which provide excellent backdrops and an air of holiday magic you won’t find anywhere else. Other favorite locations for Christmas photos include places like the famous restaurant Casa Bonita, which is a blast, and the Crystal Mill in Carbondale is another fave.  

What is Christmas in Colorado like?  

Christmas in Colorado is a wonderful time filled with magic and intrigue. Everyone’s a little happier, we think, and the snow just makes the season extra special. You can visit any number of the wonderful Christmas villages in Colorado (more of those in a moment), and perhaps you might want to check out one of the amazing Christmas lights displays in Colorado as well. Embrace the magic of the season by taking a Christmas town road trip in CO and enjoy the season to the fullest.  

What are some of the best Christmas towns in Colorado?  

There are plenty of beautiful, peaceful little Christmas towns in Colorado – just ask the locals! Towns like Breckenridge get all decked out year after year; it quite literally looks like a beautiful world within a snow globe. Burlington is another favorite, with lots to do and plenty to see, including the famous carousel all lit up in beautiful lights! Ouray is an excellent winter town in CO, with all the skiing you could ever hope for, and it’s quite literally known as the “Little Switzerland” of the state. Durango, Limon, and Aspen, too, all have well-earned places on the best Christmas towns in Colorado list.