Top 5 Magical Utah County Photography Locations For Fall (and the other seasons!)

There are so many gorgeous locations for photography sessions in Utah County!! It makes me so happy to be a Utah wedding and family photographer! Some of my fav spots are ideal for fall colors and others are perfect for folks that want spots that just work year-round without having a seasonal look! It is almost difficult to decide which locations to include but here are my top 5! BONUS: learn one of my favorite tools for predicting Fall color timing at the end.

1. Nebo Loop

First up is Nebo Loop! f you haven't already been, I highly recommend exploring all through this 35 mile drive! The whole loop is only accessible during the warmer months but summer and fall are breathtaking..... The fall colors are pretty hard to beat-- pretty much rainbow if you pull off the side of the road and seas of yellow aspens if you keep heading up higher. I have been there during every season and it is truly spectacular-- I'll only share these engagement photos from early fall but it photographs well spring-summer as well!! During fall it makes for some pretty Pinterest-worthy pics!

(Bonus: consider exploring Maple Lake; there is a parking fee but it's pretty cool!! lined with aspens so stunning yellow in the early fall!)

2. Tibble Fork

Tibble Fork Reservoir up American Fork Canyon is truly the whole package! Stunning location and generally accessible yearend! Makes for gorgeous winter photos too with easy access to evergreens and the frequently frozen lake! While the lake itself is often crowded in the warm months of summer there are forests and grassy slopes for backdrops! As with most locations it is less crowded in the morning as well! For this location I recommend arriving at least an 2 hours before sunset as it gets shadier faster than other spots being up on the canyon! There is a $6 fee to get into the canyon/park but it is totally worth it! About half of my couples don't have reception here so consider planning beforehand where to meet (ei: the dam, the grassy hill, or a bathroom etc,.) Perhaps my favorite spot at this location is at the very top of the grassy hill just above the parking lot BUT consider exploring the roads past the lake in the summer months when the roads are accessible-- there are many hidden gems especially along the river!!

(I can't find any of my own images of American Fork Canyon during fall so I added some by photographer Bill Knowlton)

3. Squaw Peak

Next up is Squaw Peak! I love this location in the summertime because all the roads are open but the very bottom of the road is accessible year round! In May there are yellow wildflowers which are just magical-- and be sure to explore all along the roads for some hidden gems that peek through to incredible views. If you have four wheel drive on a car that can drive off-road don't hesitate to take the left hand turn to the back view of Squaw Peak! It is one of my favorite hidden spots and often there is no one there. The whole drive up squaw peak is gorgeous year-round but especially late spring to early fall! The fall colors are fantastic with lots of color options ranging from red oaks to yellow aspens (more aspens up the Buffalo Peak trail!!)

4. Stewart Falls Trailhead

Another nearby favorite of mine is Stewart Falls Trailhead up Sundance Canyon!! While I LOVE the Alpine Loop-- I often have couples and families that need something that is not toooo far away so the trailhead is a fantastic, easy access location that is very close walking distance from the parking lot! This location tends to be quite busy during the evening golden hour of late summer and early fall because of its gorgeous views and colors but still totally worth it!! I only have example photos from early fall BUT I have been there during pretty much every month of the year and it is unbelievably beautiful every time of year: snowy, green and lush, and fall colors! (bonus: it's one of my favorite snowshoeing routes because the Stewart falls freezes over and is MAGIC)

5. Red Ledges

Red Ledges up Diamond Fork in Spanish Fork is another favorite of mine-- it is somewhat out of the way and pretty incredible. It's surprising to see so much red rock outside of southern Utah but you just have to know where to find it!!:) I love this location because it is wonderful pretty much year round-- the session I have here as example photos was in JANUARY and you cannot even tell-- they didn't want their bridal photos to be wintery so this was the perfect scene for seasonal ambiguity. Most of the year you will see rolling gold hills on the way to red ledges and those are also GORGEOUS for a backdrop (they're green for a month or two). (bonus: there are also some pretty cool hot springs nearby so check those out if your feeling a little more adventurous!)

Bonus: one of my favorite tools for predicting peak Fall color!

As a Utah photographer, I like to be in the know when it comes to seasons and the way the different locations are looking at different points in the year-- especially fall because my couples and families oftentimes are wanting fall colors as three backdrops! Follow this link and slide the slider to the date you are curious about to see when the peak of the Autumn colors will be! The valley tends to be in peak color after the mountains!;)

https://smokymountains.com/fall-foliage-map/

And that's a wrap! My favorite Salt Lake County photo session locations for Fall will be next!:) Reach out if you're interested in booking an Autumn session with me!