The Best Locations for Senior Pictures in Cheyenne, Laramie, & Fort Collins

If you’re in the middle of planning senior photos, I’m hoping this guide will help. Below, I break down the best senior picture locations in Cheyenne, Laramie and Fort Collins, with examples in each spot.

My senior photo sessions are based on general locations, like ‘mountain’ or ‘urban or in-town’ etc. While there are some Cheyenne-specific packages, I do offer the same type of sessions in Fort Collins and Laramie. Please reach out when you schedule and request Laramie or Fort Collins if you’d prefer those to Cheyenne photos.

Below, you’ll find a breakdown of senior picture locations based on Cheyenne, Laramie and Fort Collins, broken up by either urban/downtown spots or mountain locations.

Senior Picture Locations in and Around Cheyenne

Downtown Cheyenne

Downtown Cheyenne offers so many cool locations for senior pictures. I love to wander through downtown with my seniors, stopping at locations that complement their outfits and styles. At the beginning of each senior session, I’ll take a look at your outfits and we will make a general plan for the order of outfits and locations for each of them.

Areas around the Paramount offer a lot of options, but I also love some spots in the West Edge of Cheyenne that are a little less well known. I tend to gravitate toward alleys with interesting light, but some of the murals around town can be really fun as well. Below are a few examples. You’ll notice I love a trendy, sporty look for outfits for downtown or an edgy dressed up vibe. Think about edgy heels, sporty shoes, like Nikes or Chucks or wear Doc boots and band tee-shirts for a little more of a grunge feel.

Bring good walking shoes, no matter where we are, though! I walk A LOT during sessions, so if you have heels, bring some slip-ons to put on in between locations.

See more senior photos from downtown locations on the blog by clicking one of the photos below.

Curt Gowdy State Park

Curt Gowdy State Park is so close to both Cheyenne and Laramie, so I often find myself in this beautiful place. This state park offers tons of trails to explore and lots of options for senior pictures. If you want water, rocks, wildflowers, gorgeous sunsets and beautiful skies, this might be a great option. Because it’s close, we spend less time in the car if you’re combining it with a downtown location.

I do photograph a lot of the iconic places in Curt Gowdy, but we can definitely make it less recognizable in your photos. I find a lot of lesser known spots just by hiking around, so let me know if you don’t want it to look like the typical “Curt Gowdy” photos but still want the flexibility of its proximity and variety of scenes.

Hereford Ranch

Taking senior pictures at the Hereford Ranch used to be extremely popular. Seniors used to request it each year. While I rarely go there anymore, the Hereford Ranch offers some unique ranch backgrounds.

The red barns, creeks and buck and rail fences provide a definite western feel. It’s a great place if you want a country feel for your senior pictures. I also like to tuck inside a few of the barns to get some interesting light and texture. Because there are so many red barns, be careful planning outfits. Avoid red, bright orange and pink.

Parks, Greenway and Natural Areas

When people think of parks, they think of manicured grass and playground equipment, but our greenways and parks in Cheyenne have a lot to offer for photo locations. There are some great senior picture locations along our greenways and in Lions Park. Of course, Cheyenne Botanic Gardens offers flowers and lots of color, but I often find myself in the tall grass and more natural areas of our parks. Some even look like mountain locations, but they are here in town and just steps away from the greenway. Here are just a few examples.

The Cheyenne Botanic Gardens is obviously a really popular spot for pictures, so I am rarely there for senior pictures, but there are times of the year that it might be more appealing for people who really love flowers. In the springtime, the tulips are out and the apple trees blossom, so this can be a fun time to snag flower pictures if that’s your jam.

Favorite Senior Photo Locations in Laramie

Laramie has some awesome senior picture locations, and I find myself there a lot. Since I went to school there and my husband grew up there, it holds a special place in my heart.

Downtown Laramie

Downtown Laramie has SO many options for senior photos. I love the areas around the downtown depot and Coal Creek.

Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest

The Pole Mountain and Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest area between Cheyenne and Laramie offers a lot of great senior photo locations. I usually scope these areas out as the summer progresses and suggest these based on client preferences. This area offers lots of open meadows, rocks formations and, in certain places, ponds and creeks. Because it is so vast, let me know if there’s a specific look you are going for, and I can recommend an area that fits your preferences.

Vedauwoo

When people think of Vedauwoo, they often think of the Turtle Rock area, but I tend to go to other places in the Vedauwoo area for senior pictures. I like the rock formations, but I tend to gravitate toward the areas that are less popular with hikers and bikers. These areas also tend to have more forest and wildflowers. Here are some examples of senior pictures taken in and around Vedauwoo.

Certain areas in and around Vedauwoo are fee areas, but not all.

Happy Jack Recreation Area, Medicine Bow National Forest

Happy Jack near Laramie is one of my favorite senior picture locations in the fall months. The leaves often turn a little earlier here than at Curt Gowdy, so it’s a great option if you’re wanting fall color and your session is mid-September. There are a ton of aspens in this area, along with big open meadows and buck and rail fences.

Happy Jack is a fee area, so a USDA National Forest fee must be paid. Your state parks pass does not cover this. I will get you a day use pass for this area as part of your package.

Senior Photos in the Snowy Range at Lake Marie

Lake Marie is one of those iconic senior picture locations that I get a lot of requests for. It offers gorgeous mountain views, wildflowers in the later summer months, and views of lakes and water falls. The road to Lake Marie near Centennial is closed until Memorial Day, and there is often still snow in this area into June. Wildflowers start peaking in early July and continue through August.

This is a location that requires some advanced planning, both because of access concerns, but also because of lighting. This location is high and open, but also really close to the mountains. The sun is out and in full force until it hits that mountain peak and is gone. Sunset is much earlier here than in other mountain areas around Laramie and Cheyenne, so we will need to carefully plan our timing here. Because it is also such a drive for me, I only travel to this area for my full In-Town + Mountain packages. This area does require an additional travel fee.

Fort Collins Senior Picture Location Options

I have been taking a lot more senior pictures in Fort Collins over the last several years. I love the variety that Fort Collins offers in terms of urban areas and natural settings. Here are a few if you want to head south for senior photos. There are times I might ask to move your session to Fort Collins due to weather conditions. Fort Collins locations can be a part of any In-Town + Mountain package.

Old Town Fort Collins

Senior pictures are so easy in Old Town Fort Collins. The quaint allies, colorful murals, and gorgeous flowers make for a perfect setting for senior photos. Again, bring good shoes for walking because we will wander a lot.

Parks and Trails Along the Poudre

The trail system and greenway in Fort Collins offer a lot of options for senior pictures. The Poudre River is a great backdrop, and there is often a later fall in Fort Collins than in Cheyenne. This means that late season senior sessions can still have beautiful fall color even into mid to late October. Certain natural areas in and around Fort Collins require a photo permit. I have quarterly permits during the summer and fall months for Larimer County Parks.

Lory State Park

Lory State Park is a beautiful mountain setting near Fort Collins. It offers Horsetooth Reservoir, mountain streams, tall grass and views of the Front Range foothills. Lory State Park is a great option for a nearby natural setting after taking senior photos in Old Town.

Lory State Park requires a photography permit, so make sure your photographer has that before heading there for your session. You can find more information about that here. The park also has a daily use fee of $10 per car. Your park pass is part of your package with me. I also have a park photography pass that is good through September.

Lory State Park is a great option if you want get in the water, as this lake rarely has the algae issues that sometimes plague Cheyenne lakes.

Estes Park, Rocky Mountain National Park

For the 2024 season, I will be offering a few limited Trail Ridge Road sessions in Estes Park. This area will be considered a destination senior picture location. Stay tuned for more information soon in terms of details and dates. Rocky Mountain National Park requires a National Park permit, along with a timed entry permit during the months of May through October. Your package will include your day pass to the park, and I’ll get a timed entry to use on the day of your session. As of last January, the federal government issued guidance that portrait photographers were not required to get a special permit for photo sessions.

Besides Trail Ridge Road, there are also some beautiful outlying areas in RMNP. One of those is Lily Lake, seen below. This still requires a pass and timed entry but is outside of the main park entrance.

Let Me Know if You Need Help Choosing Senior Picture Locations

As always, I am always happy to make suggestions in terms of senior photo locations in Cheyenne, Laramie or Fort Collins. My job is to help you find a location that fits your vision, so please don’t hesitate to reach out for help.

If you haven’t booked your session yet, it’s time! Senior picture sessions are just about gone!