How to Elope at Mount Rainier National Park
If you’re reading this, chances are you are really loving the idea of eloping at Mount Rainier National Park and I don’t blame you! Washington State is known for breathtaking views and Mount Rainier National Park is one of the best it has to offer. You’ve probably seen it’s ICONIC tree’s, wildflowers, and mountainous landscapes in dreamy, romantic pictures on pinterest or maybe on a postcard. It’s gorgeous, am I right?! People love Mount Rainier for the perfect views and the EPIC feelings of adventure that visiting has to offer. This makes it an extremely popular elopement location for tons of couples from all over the United States and all over the world. That’s why i’ve put together this amazing guide to eloping at Mount Rainier! If you keep scrolling, all the nitty gritty details you will need to know from permits all the way to where you can have your elopement and even where you can stay for your elopement will be shared with you! I hope this guide gets your heart ready for the adventure you’re about to go on together!
LEARN ALL ABOUT MOUNT RAINIER:
Where is Mount Rainier National Park Located?
Mount Rainier National Park is roughly 2 hours from Seattle, 2.5 hours from Portland, and 2.5 hours from Yakima. My personal favorite way to enter the park is via the Nisqually entrance, which is located just outside of Seattle.
Where Can I Enter the Park?
According to the park’s website, there are four main entrances to the park and the park is over 236,380.89 acres or 369.34 square miles. Of that, there is an additional 140 acres outside the designated park boundary and 97% has been designated wilderness. It’s important to know that the park is vast and the four location entrances are key to accessing the part of the park that you want to the most.
Nisqually: Southwest Entrance
Open year-round and most accessible from Seattle. This is the most popular park entrance because of its open availability. This entrance leads to Paradise and the Paradise Visitor Center, which is known for gorgeous wildflower meadows in addition to the most popular hiking trails that Mount Rainier has to offer.
Carbon River: Northwest Entrance
Open year-round. This entrance isn’t quite as popular because this area of the park is mainly used for extracurricular activities like hiking. This part of the park also receives exponentially high amounts of rain during the year so the climate and plants found in this region resemble a temperate rainforest. However, don’t think it won’t be enjoyable! It has some amazing views too!
White River/Sunrise: Northeast Entrance
Open July – October. This entrance is also super popular! It is opposite to most places in the park, providing a more dry, barren experience that other regions. This entrance provides easy access to amazing trails like the Shadow Lake trail, the Naches Peak Loop trail, and the Glacier Basin trail. Sunrise is the highest point in the park with vehicle access and has stunningly breathtaking views to match its elevation point. This is a great entrance if you’re looking specifically for short hikes and wildflower meadows.
Stevens Canyon/Ohanapecosh: Southeast Entrance
Open May – October. This entrance is a popular summer destination, mainly known for its access to Reflections Lake. This entrance is also the closest to the Grove of the Patriarchs trailhead. In comparison to some of the others on the list, it doesn’t have the best views of Mt. Rainier itself. Nevertheless, it is still worth checking out!
If you’re unsure of which entrance to use, find directions to each here.
When is Mount Rainier Open to the Public?
Mount Rainier is technically open year round, 24/7! However, it’s most popular seasons are July-August because the weather is perfect; nice + warm. If you’re hiking, you want the trails to be dry, which makes this the ideal time to elope. Winter in the Pacific Northwest limits access to the Nisqually entrance because of icy conditions the higher you go elevation wise. If you’re planning a winter elopement at the park, it’s important to stay informed and check the park’s website regularly for road closures and weather information.
Can I Get Married at Mount Rainier?
Heck yeah – and i recommend it! If you’re looking for a versatile spot for your wedding with tons of different scenery, Mount Rainier is for you!
Is There a Fee to Get Married at Mount Rainier?
While there’s not necessarily a fee to get married at the park, there is a fee to enter and a fee for a permit application. To enter Mount Rainier National Park, you’ll either need to pay a single vehicle fee or ($30) or obtain a Mount Rainier Annual Pass($55). Having an America the Beautiful Pass ($80) will also grant you access to the park without having to obtain a pass specific to Mount Rainier. Regardless of the kind of pass you plan on purchasing, it’s important to try purchase it online prior to entry to the park to ensure entrance to the park is as little time consuming and as easy as possible!
Do We Need a Permit to Get Married at Mount Rainier?
In short, yes! In order to get married in Mount Rainier National Park, you need to get a Special Use Permit along with paying th entrance fee. This is required for anyone who wishes to have their wedding ceremony in the park. You must apply at least four weeks in advance to your wedding date. I recommend doing it even earlier if at all possible to ensure there’s plenty of time for your permit process!
How Do We Get a Special Use Permit for Our Wedding?
Obtaining a Special Use Permit to host your wedding or elopement at Mount Rainier National Park isn’t as hard as you think. Here’s how to do it:
Fill out the application which can be found here.
E-mail the filled out version of your application to mora_special_use@nps.gov
Wait for an email regarding instructions on how to submit your special use permit fee ($175).
Wait for your permit to be approved.
Once approved, you will receive a permit that you will need to sign and return back to the office admin.
Bring it with you when you on your wedding day! You also have the option to send it to me once approved and I will have the file on my phone. I always recommend we do both!
Because I am a leave no trace photographer, I’m going to always recommend that we follow leave no trace principles whether we are in a national park or not. You can read over the seven key LNT principles at their website here. This is so important so that we can keep the park in pristine condition for as long as humanly possible.
Total Cost Breakdown:
Park Entrance fee $30 (single vehicle entry) or $55 (annual pass)
Special Use Permit ($175)
Any additional fees (this may apply to your ceremony or vendors hired, etc.)
One thing to absolutely not forget is that you’ll need a Washington State marriage license! This is a key part of your day, so absolutely do NOT forget this part. I put together a full guide to eloping in Washington State. If you need some guidance on the specifics of marriage licenses in Washington, check it out here.
Where in the Park Can We Get Married?
That is a great question! It truly depends where i the park you are wanting to have your ceremony take place. There are certain limitations on numbers of guests in certain areas. This is a hard limit (meaning that there can be no more than cap number). This is important to note because it includes your vendors (photographers, videographer, officiant and anyone else you hire to come with), yourselves, and all your guests. The conclusive number has to add up to the cap number. In general, my best advice is to talk to the Permit Coordinator via phone or email once you have a good idea of where you’d like to get married. They know the park inside and out and they are the best people to talk to when determining if your ideal location will work.
Here are some general guidelines to keep in mind when it comes to choosing your ceremony location inside the park:
Ceremonies with 1-12 people: specific trails + picnic areas, roadside locations, + park amphitheatres.
Ceremonies with 1-24 people: specific picnic areas, roadside locations + park amphitheatres.
Ceremonies with 25-60 people: specific roadside locations + park amphitheatres.
Ceremonies with 60+: restricted to park amphitheatres.
Don’t worry about choosing this all by yourself, when you book me, I provide a detailed elopement guide specific to your wedding vision that helps with this process. If you’re interested in learning more about this, inquire with me below.
What is the Best Time of Year to Elope in Mount Rainier National Park?
The best time of year to elope in Mt. Rainier is going to be based on your personal preferences. If you love fall colors, minimal crowds, and cooler temps then October is a good time. But, if you’re yearning for gorgeous wildflower meadows, August is going to be your best choice.
SUMMER: While an extremely busy time in the Pacific Northwest in general, it is the best time to elope if you’re wanting to get a glimpse into our gorgeous wildflower season (July- Beginning of August). It is one of the most special times of year to visit but as i stated previously, it’s the park’s busiest time of year for this reason. People come from all over to see the picturesque landscapes that Rainier has to offer. A good way to escape this is to plan for fall or plan for a sunrise or sunset elopement to avoid the crowds.
FALL: Fall is personally my favorite time of year in general, but especially in Washington! The colors are gorgeous and the crowds aren’t as big, so this to me is ideal. However, the weather is chilly so if you’re eloping in the fall make sure to pack layers!
WINTER: If you’re obsessed with all things winter, then you will love Mt. Rainier in the winter season. There are tons of fun things that Mount Rainier has to offer in the winter. In fact, it’s known for its gorgeous snowfall! However, it requires a lot of planning to visit during the winter season. A couple of the main things to consider is that there are chain requirements for vehicles and the weather is unpredictable, which is the reason that only two of the park entrances we talked about at the beginning are open this time of year (Nisqually and Carbon River).
SPRING: While the spring is beautiful in the Pacific Northwest, it is a highly unpredictable time of year for weather. A lot of the snow and ice that hits Mount Rainier doesn’t melt until the summer months, which leaves a lot of roads closed until that time as well. I usually don’t recommend eloping at Mount Rainier at this time. However, if you want to avoid the summer rush and love the wintery weather then it’s a great choice as well.
No matter what time of year you’re looking at eloping within the park, make sure to stay informed on weather, park, and road conditions for the entrances you’re looking at using.
Expert Tip: Don’t be upset if you have rain on the day of your elopement. Washington is known for rain (haha!) and it honestly makes lighting scenarios much easier to deal with. We will just have to adapt to any changes that come about! Take heart in the fact that your day and pictures will be beautiful no matter what and enjoy your experience! If you check out my post here, Anabelle and Jonah’s engagement session in the paradise section of the park is a firm example of just how we can take the rain and make the best of it!
Hey, friends! I’m Tanner and I’m a Mount Rainier elopement and micro-wedding photographer. I am so glad you’re here! Mount Rainier is one of the most beautiful places in the Pacific Northwest and in all of Washington. It was the first thing I got to see when I visited Washington for the first time and ever since, I’ve fallen in love with capturing memories and special moments against its picturesque landscapes. I am OBSESSED with everything the park has to offer. I offer Mount Rainier elopement packages catered specifically to you and your vision for your day and with that comes tons of great resources just like this step by step guide of the elopement process within the park’s grounds. So, if you’re down, I would absolutely love to capture your legacy within the beauty of Mount Rainier. Contact me via this link and i’ll get back to you in 24 hours! I’m SO excited!
