A Complete Guide to Planning an Olympic National Park Elopement [Updated for 2024]

Tips, Tricks, and All You Need to Know on How to Elope in Olympic National Park

From old-growth rainforests to rugged beaches to stunning mountain ranges, planning an Olympic National Park elopement allows you to experience some of the best scenery Washington State has to offer. There is so much to love about this national park and on the blog I am sharing my top tips, resources, and inspiration to help you plan your very own Olympic National Park elopement.

Why You Should Consider Eloping in Olympic National Park

Call me dramatic, but what’s not to love about Olympic National Park?!? From diverse landscapes to epic views to insane ease of accessibility, there are so many reasons to plan an Olympic National Park elopement. Here are just a few:

Diverse Landscapes 

If there is one thing that describes Olympic National Park best, it would be diverse landscapes. With over three different ecosystems making up the park’s landscape, you can elope in Olympic National Park and get completely different views all within a short distance of each other. How wild is that? Some of the views the Olympics are best known for are old-growth rainforests (we’re looking at you, Hoh Rainforest!), glacier-capped mountains, and a rugged coastline. 

Flexibility

Not only is Olympic National Park the only year-round accessible park in Washington (just a little fun fact for you), but because it has such a diverse landscape, this park also provides so much flexibility. By choosing to elope in Olympic National Park, you also get tons of wiggle room and multiple backup locations to choose from if plot twists show up. 

Adventure

I could go on and on about all the amazing things there are to do when eloping in Olympic National Park (and I actually will a little later in the blog), but this is one of the reasons why planning an Olympic National Park elopement is such a freaking amazing idea! The park is filled to the brim with beautiful locations and adventure activities for folks of ALL abilities.  

Accessibility

Located just a few hours from Seattle, Olympic National Park is one of the most accessible places to elope in Washington. You may be thinking that these beautiful locations require lots of effort and hiking, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Olympic National Park is full of stunning locations that don’t require massive efforts to get to so whether you want a chill adventure with your partner, or you want to elope with a handful of loved ones, you can find multiple locations to fit your needs. 

Where are the Best Places to Elope in Olympic National Park

Beach Elopement Locations

Ruby Beach

Ruby Beach is one of the most iconic beaches in the PNW! Unlike traditional sandy beaches, beaches in Washington are rugged and moody. Most of them (Ruby Beach included) are filled with giant sea stacks rising up out of the water and driftwood scattered all around the shore. Ruby Beach is a mile long giving you tons of room to explore for your Olympic National Park elopement. Oh, and did I mention the sunsets here are stunning?!

Best time of year: Ruby Beach is accessible year-round and honestly you can’t go wrong visiting any time of year. I recommend eloping here during the late summer to early fall months for the best weather!

Nearest town: Forks (Twilight fans, yes, this is a real place!) 

Accessibility factors: After parking in the lot at the top of the hill, visitors will be required to go on a short walk downhill, but the views are totally worth it! 

Second Beach

Sea stacks, arches, and tide pools…what more could you ask for in a Washington beach elopement? Second Beach rivals Ruby Beach for being one of the most beautiful beaches in Washington. The beach is best known for its tide pools and with over a mile of beach land to explore, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to view the wildlife.

Best time of year: Second Beach is another Washington beach location that is best to visit during the summer and fall months. I recommend visiting the beach during low tide so you can explore the tide pools as well!

Nearest town: La Push

Accessibility factors: Getting to Second Beach requires a little bit longer hike through the forest. The total distance is about 5 miles (if you want from the north end to the south end), but the hike to and from the beach can be done in just under 2 miles from the parking lot. 

Mountain Elopement Locations

Hurricane Ridge

According to the national park website, Hurricane Ridge is the most easily accessible mountain range in Olympic National Park. This makes it an excellent choice for elopements with guests. All you have to do is drive up and you’ll instantly be met with some of the most incredible mountain scenery. 

Best time of year: For the clearest mountain views, I recommend late spring to early fall. Note that this area has limited access during the winter months. 

Nearest town: Port Angeles

Accessibility factors: Eloping at Hurricane Ridge is super easy. You can literally drive right up to this area and hold your ceremony on the side of the road. There are other nearby trails to choose from should you want a bit more of an adventure. 

Off-roading locations

Speaking of adventure, I’ve got lots of other hidden gems and off-roading locations that I’ve discovered over the years. Want to learn more about these hidden gems? Simply reach out to inquire. 

Best time of year: This will all depend on the location, but I generally recommend eloping in these areas during the summer and fall months as this is when the roads are driest.  

Nearest town: Multiple locations throughout the park

Accessibility factors: If you plan to do any off-roading during your Olympic National Park elopement, be sure you have access to a high-clearance vehicle.

Pro Tip – check road conditions and permits beforehand.

Forest and Lake Elopement Locations

Lake Crescent

One of the most peaceful and serene views in all of Olympic National Park is Lake Crescent. Nestled at the base of the Olympic Mountains, Lake Crescent is a pristine lake surrounded by lush mountain views. 

Best time of year: For the best water conditions and the most ideal scenery, I recommend visiting from spring to early fall.

Nearest town: Port Angeles

Accessibility factors: Lake Crescent is easily accessible by car and offers several scenic spots along the shore with the option to explore nearby trails. 

Hoh Rainforest

Hoh Rainforest is perhaps one of the most iconic locations in Olympic National Park. It is the largest rainforest in the continental U.S. getting over 14 FEET of rain per year (for comparison, Seattle gets 36 inches of rain a year!).  

Best time of year: You can visit the Hoh Rainforest any time of year, but I recommend late spring to early fall for the best weather and trail conditions.  

Nearest town: Forks

Accessibility factors: Hoh Rainforest is accessible by car and has multiple hiking trails throughout the forest. Be prepared for mud though as this area gets A LOT of rain! 

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When is the Best Time to Elope in Olympic National Park

You can’t go wrong planning an Olympic National Park elopement at any time of year (in fact, it is the only Washington national park that is open year-round). The park experiences all four seasons, but because it has ecosystems that vary wildly in terms of climate, there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing the best time to elope in this national park.

Summer

Planning a summer elopement in Olympic National Park will offer you the most in terms of where you can go. There’s nothing quite like summertime in Washington and Olympic National Park is no different. The weather is beautiful and the entire park is accessible giving you the most options to choose from for your Olympic National Park elopement.

Warmer weather though also means more visitors. This can make it hard to find a secluded area for your elopement. I recommend choosing a lesser-known location for your ceremony or eloping during sunrise or sunset to avoid the crowds.

Fall 

Fall is one of the quieter seasons in Olympic National Park, but it is also one of the most beautiful. The park comes alive with beautiful shades of red, yellow, and orange and the rainy weather gives off the ultimate PNW mood! Most areas in the park are still accessible during these months but keep in mind that snow may start to fall in higher elevations, limiting access to certain areas within the park.

Winter 

The quietest season in Olympic National Park is winter. These months bring heavier rain to the park and options are more limited, however, this also means that there are relatively few visitors, making this the best time of year to avoid the crowds. While you may not get to experience some of the mountain locations, areas like Ruby Beach and Hoh Rainforest are open year-round and are great locations for a winter elopement in Olympic National Park.

Spring 

After a long winter season, spring brings new life to the park. Most of the locations are at their peak with lush forests, cascading waterfalls, and bursting wildflower fields, just to name a few. During the spring months, you can spot more wildlife in the park and areas like Hurricane Ridge start to come alive with beautiful wildflowers. The weather can still be a bit unpredictable and trails can remain muddy after the long winter rain (especially in the rainforest) but this can be a great time to visit the park and enjoy the beauty in its full glory. 

What Activities to Include In Your Olympic National Park Elopement

Choosing what adventures to include in your Olympic National Park elopement is one of the most exciting parts of elopement planning. The park is filled with gobs of activities and locations to explore! 

If you’re trying to figure out what you want to do on your elopement day, think about some of these questions: What are your favorite activities to do together? What do we do for fun on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis? What have you always wanted or dreamed of doing, but never gotten around to? How can you incorporate what you love to do on your elopement day?

Those are just a few starting points to come up with ideas that will make your elopement uniquely your own. If you’re looking for a few more ideas though, here are some things you can consider including in your Olympic National Park elopement. 

• Hiking
• Kayaking
• Rock climbing
• Star gazing
• Play on the beach
• Have a picnic
• Explore a waterfall
• Whale watching
• Off-roading
• Explore Forks and the Twilight Museum (heyyyy twi-hards!)
• Visit a lavender farm (when in season)

How to Get Legally Married in Olympic National Park

Apply for a Washington Marriage License

The first step to get legally married in Washington State is to obtain a marriage license. 

You can obtain a marriage license in any county in Washington State and the easiest way to apply is online. Note, that Washington does have a three-day waiting period, so if you are traveling from out of state, I highly recommend applying for your marriage license in advance. Licenses are good for up to 60 days so you can apply any time within a two month period before your elopement. 

Once you have applied and paid the $69 permit fee, your license will be issued and the three-day waiting period will begin.   

To obtain your Washington marriage license or learn more, visit the King County website here (or any Washington County website of your choice). 

Obtain a Special Use Permit

If your elopement ceremony takes place in Olympic National Park you will also need a special use permit. The permit gives you rights to use the land on your selected day and time and is necessary to help keep track of events taking place within the park. The cost of an Olympic National Park elopement permit is $50 and the application can be submitted online by visiting the national park website. Applications can take 3-4 weeks to process so I recommend applying early so as to avoid any delays. 

Officiant, Witnesses, and More

In order to elope in Olympic National Park, you will need an officiant and two witnesses. You can either hire an officiant to perform your ceremony or ask a friend or family member to become ordained (this can be done for free online through the Universal Life Church).

If you plan to have guests at your elopement, you can have one or two of them serve as your witnesses. If you don’t plan on inviting any guests, that’s ok. I am happy to serve as one of the witnesses and we can always ask another vendor or even other park visitors to sign as well. In my experience, they are always more than happy to help! 

Olympic National Park Elopement Resources and Inspiration

Olympic National Park Elopement Packages

Now that you know how to elope in Olympic National Park, let’s talk nuts and bolts. While I’m based out of the southwest, I travel to Washington often (especially in the Summer- it’s like my summer camp!), and am very familiar with the area.

Also! I don’t charge travel fees for any stateside elopement or adventure wedding. This means that you don’t have to worry about additional travel costs to get me from here to there. So what’s included in an Olympic National Park elopement package?

• Unlimited planning assistance from yours truly complete with all things elopement-related. This includes Olympic National Park elopement location guides, vendor referrals, timelines, packing lists, local gems to check out, and an overall hype woman.
• Online gallery of high-res images and full printing rights (so you can print your pics on stamps, billboards, whatever floats your boat).
• All packages include photographer travel expenses 

Four hours: $6400 | Eight Hours: $8400 | One 8-hr day + 4 hr day: $11500

Meet Your Olympic National Park Elopement Photographer

Hi, I’m Aimee, and I am so stoked you are considering eloping in Olympic National Park! I’m based in the southwest United States, but love to travel to Washington every year (especially during the summer months). I am so much more than just an Olympic National Park elopement photographer though. I’m also a storyteller. Your storyteller. And while I’m here for the epic, magazine-cover-worthy, totally bananas moments, I’m also here (and to be totally honest, live for) those goofy, silly, unexpected moments that adventure always seems to bring. I’m here to tell your story in the honest and epic fashion it deserves. Throughout our planning process together, I will help guide you through every step of your Olympic National Park elopement experience. 

Ready to Reach Out and Plan Your Olympic National Park Elopement?