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Dogs and beer in the middle of the Oregon high desert? You don’t have to ask me twice.

This Leslie Gulch elopement in Eastern Oregon still goes down as one of the hottest, most remote, and most unique elopements I’ve ever photographed. And yes, when I say hottest, I mean that literally too.

C & M wanted an elopement day focused on hanging out with their pups somewhere incredible, and that’s exactly what they got. Their day started with a drive from downtown Boise before we made our way roughly two hours out to Leslie Gulch. From there, we spent the day hiking, exploring, chilling with beers, and petting their two perfect dogs.

Nothing overly complicated. Just a really good day in a really incredible place.

About Leslie Gulch

Leslie Gulch reminds me of someone picking up a piece of Arizona or Utah and dropping it into Eastern Oregon. It’s tucked into the Owyhee Canyonlands, surrounded by sandy washes, enormous cliffs, red rock formations, and the Owyhee River.

It’s easily one of the most unique places in Oregon and honestly, probably one of my top five places in the state to spend a weekend. If you want somewhere that feels genuinely off the beaten path, this is it.

There aren’t cute coffee shops around the corner or a dozen restaurants to choose from when you’re done hiking. Cell service is basically nonexistent. Getting there takes some effort, and once you’re out there, you’re out there.

That’s also exactly what makes it so fucking good.

Top Reasons to Elope in Leslie Gulch

• Seclusion: Leslie Gulch is remote, and its limited facilities mean it doesn’t draw the same crowds you’ll find at some of Oregon’s better-known outdoor destinations. If privacy is high on your list, that’s a pretty big win.
• A seriously unique landscape: The high desert here is unlike almost anywhere else I’ve photographed in Oregon. Think sandy washes, massive cliffs, red rock formations, and canyon walls instead of the mossy forests and rocky coastline Oregon is known for.
• Sweeping views: Some of the trails take you up to views that seem to go on forever, which can be incredible at sunrise or sunset.
• River access: The Owyhee River runs right by the canyon, which means your day doesn’t have to be entirely about hiking. Sunrise paddleboarding or kayaking could be a pretty damn good way to start your elopement.
• Wildflowers & wildlife: The canyon is home to native wildflowers and wildlife, including bighorn sheep.
• Ridiculous stargazing: There’s almost no light pollution out here. If you’ve ever wanted to end your wedding day under a ridiculous number of stars, this is a very good place to do it.
• Secret hot springs: There’s also a hot spring hike in the area with an incredible view. If soaking in a hot spring in the middle of nowhere sounds better than cutting a wedding cake, we should probably talk.
• Camping under the stars: If one day out here doesn’t feel like enough, Slocum Creek Campground sits right near the mouth of Leslie Gulch. You could spend the day exploring, watch the canyon change colors as the sun goes down, and wake up in the middle of the high desert the next morning.

Tips for Planning Your Elopement in Leslie Gulch

Leslie Gulch is remote, and that’s a huge part of why I love it. But it also means I wouldn’t recommend showing up without a plan. A few things to know:

• Fly into Boise. Leslie Gulch is roughly a two-hour drive from downtown Boise, and Boise is an awesome city to explore before or after your elopement.
• Choose your season carefully. The heat out here can be intense. I recommend early spring or late fall rather than late May through September when temperatures can get brutally hot.
• Consider faux flowers. If you’re bringing florals, faux flowers mean we don’t have to worry about watching your bouquet wilt in the desert heat.
• Rent a high-clearance vehicle. The road into Leslie Gulch is long, remote, and conditions can change fast. Heavy rain, flash flooding, wet roads, or winter weather can make sections impassable, so this isn’t somewhere I want us getting cute with a tiny rental car. We’re going for more of a 4×4 here.
• Bring more water than you think you’ll need. There is no drinking water available at Leslie Gulch, and this is absolutely not somewhere I want us rationing the last Nalgene because we underestimated the heat. Bring plenty for the entire day, plus extra.
• Don’t expect many facilities. There are restrooms, but that’s about it. Bring whatever you’ll need for the day.
• Download your maps ahead of time. This area is incredibly remote and cell service is basically nonexistent.
• Keep an eye out for rattlesnakes. They’re common in this part of Oregon, so stay aware of your surroundings and stick to established trails.
• Pay attention to the weather, even if the sky above you looks fine. Flash flooding is a real concern out here, and rain can turn the roads into a completely different situation. This is one of those places where I’m keeping an eye on conditions before we head in, not just checking whether your ceremony hour looks sunny.
• Tell someone where you’re going. Make sure someone knows your plans and when you expect to be back, especially because you’ll be without reliable cell service.

None of that is meant to make Leslie Gulch sound intimidating. It’s just the reality of getting married somewhere this remote, and it’s exactly why planning matters. We can keep the day wild while also making sure you have the water, vehicle, route, backup plans, and other things you need to actually enjoy being out there.

C & M’s Leslie Gulch Elopement

For C & M, the whole point was spending the day together somewhere incredible with their dogs. We didn’t need to turn it into anything more complicated than that.

They drove out from Boise, explored Leslie Gulch, hiked through the high desert, cracked open beers, and spent the day with their pups. The landscape did what Leslie Gulch does best and looked absolutely fucking enormous around them.

Their dogs got to be dogs. C & M got to actually hang out together. And somewhere in the middle of all of that, they got married.

That’s one of my favorite things about elopements like this. The day doesn’t need more stuff added to it just because it’s your wedding. Sometimes you already know exactly what would make you happy.

For C & M, it was dogs, beer, and a very big piece of Eastern Oregon.

Hard to argue with that.

Elopement Vendors Featured

• Elopement Photography JayneMayAgnes
• Florals Kochetova These faux florals were stunning. Plus no risk of wilting in the desert heat.
• Dog Accessories WoofSniffWagandCo Floral Collar and Bow Tie, the dogs were so cute,
• Makeup & Hair PrimaDonnaMakeover Yolanda was sweet and the brides makeup and hair lasted all day in the heat.

Want to Elope in Leslie Gulch, Oregon?

If dogs, beers, red rocks, dirt roads, and getting married somewhere that feels very far away from basically everything sounds like your kind of wedding day, I’m your girl.

I absolutely adore this wild piece of Eastern Oregon, and I’ll help you figure out the logistics, timing, locations, activities, and everything else that turns “we should get married out there” into an actual experience.

Bring me the idea. Bring the dogs.

LET’S GET THIS HIGH DESERT PARTY STARTED →