Your Guide To Eloping At Mount Rainier National Park

Mountain Rainier National Park is a popular choice for couples choosing to elope in the Pacific Northwest, and for good reason! The park is 369 square miles of lush old growth forests, rushing rivers and waterfalls, peaceful lakes and beautiful views of Mount Rainier.

So you’re thinking about eloping at Mount Rainier National Park? Let’s go over the best spots to visit, coziest cabins to stay in, hiking trails with the best views, permit information, and so much more!

Best Hikes Near Sunrise:

This is my favorite area to visit whenever I’m up at Mount Rainier! If you love 360º views, this is the perfect option for you! The Sunrise Visitor Center is the highest point (elevation 6,400’) in the park you can reach by vehicle. If you’re looking for a bit of an adventure, and want to get up and personal with Mount Rainier, there’s some really wonderful hiking trails that start at the visitor center here!

Mount Fremont Lookout: (5.7 miles, 1,108’ elevation gain) A hike with continuous views as you head up to a fire lookout looking out at Mount Rainier. Seeing chipmunks, marmots, pikas and mountain goats isn’t uncommon for this trail.

Naches Peak Loop: (3.5 miles, 659’ elevation gain) If alpine lakes are more your jam, then this is the hike for you! But don’t worry, you’ll still be rewarded with a view of Mt. Rainier during your trek.

Burroughs Moutain Trail: (9 miles, 2,437’ elevation gain) A personal favorite of mine since you climb over 2,000’ in elevation from the parking lot - meaning the views fell like you’re almost on the side of the mountain. A breathtaking spot that is well worth the effort!

Best Hikes Near Paradise:

Famous for it’s wildflower display in spring, Paradise is the most visited area in the park. There’s a good variety of hikes in this area depending on what you’re most drawn to.

Skyline Trail to Myrtle Falls: (1 mile, flat) Paved and wheel chair friendly. Features a waterfall and beautiful views of the mountain. Can be very busy, so plan accordingly.

Skyline Loop: (5.7 miles, 1,768’ elevation gain) Beautiful loop trail with views of the mountain and surrounding areas.

Bench and Snow Lakes: (2.2 miles, 449’ elevation gain) Easy stroll to two different lakes with mountain views.

Favorite Rentals Near Mt. Rainier

Airbnb and rentals are a great option to consider if you’re planning an elopement or micro wedding. Just be sure to check in with the Airbnb host before booking. Here’s a few beautiful rentals that would be gorgeous for an intimate elopement.

Heartwood Cabin at Mt. Rainier Located near the town of Packwood, this beautiful A-frame has many wonderful qualities. It features a cedar hot tub for you to enjoy a soak after a long day of exploring the National Park.
The Little Owl Cabin: This wonderful Airbnb has been featured in Apartment Therapy, Sunset Magazine and many other publications. Remote and beautiful A-frame cabin that features a cedar hot tub.
Cabin at Mt. Rainier Escape to this cozy cabin just 5 miles from Mt. Rainier Nat. Park! This tranquil property includes a private hot tub, sauna, fire pit, grill and more.
Cabin in Packwood A beautiful original 1960’s A-frame cabin that’s just a stone’s throw away from the Cowlitz River. Beautiful views of the river and surrounding mountains. And yes, this Airbnb also features a relaxing cedar hot tub!
Iron & Vine Treehouse Nestled in a towering grove of 100+ year old Doug Fir trees, this treehouse is worth checking out!
*Photos of cabins are from Airbnb

Best Venues Near Mt. Rainier

If you’re planning on having guests attend your elopement or intimate wedding, you may have to consider a venue that accommodates your group size. The National Park’s rules and guidelines limits the amount of attendees for your wedding, but thankfully there’s some beautiful venues near the park!

Wellspring Spa If you’re looking for a beautiful Pacific Northwest forest setting to get married in, this is it!

Crystal Mountain Resort If you’re wanting the views you’d get from an elopement, but without the hiking (and have the ability to invite up to 200 of your friends and family) check out Crystal Mountain’s “Mt. Rainier Platform”. You even get the opportunity to take a gondola ride up to the mountain top ceremony platform!

Mounthaven Resort Located on 7 heavily wooded acres right outside of Mt. Rainier National Park. 10 cabins are on the resort grounds as well as RV sites if your guests need accommodations.

Permit Information

Like with most National Parks, Mount Rainier requires a special use permit to get married within the National Park. Here’s the steps you’ll need to take to get one of these permits:

Complete this application on the National Park website.
Be sure to submit your application 6 weeks or more (the earlier the better) before your desired elopement date to the following email address: mora_special_use@nps.gov
Once they have received your permit application you will be given instructions on paying a non-refundable $175 application fee.
Upon approval you will receive your special use permit. Be sure to sign and return this permit to the park office so that it’s official!
You can rest easy because you planned ahead and have your permit in hand!

National Park Group Size Specs:

Depending on how many people will be with you celebrating (if any) will determine where you can and can’t elope. It really depends on what trails or area you are looking into.

When applying for your permit it is best to talk to the National Park Service directly about how many guests you plan to have attending. From there they can offer recommendations that will fit your needs. For now, to give you a rough idea, this is what the National Park website says about party sizes:

1-12 people group size: may use select trails, picnic areas, roadside locations and campground amphitheaters.
13-24 people group size: may use picnic areas, roadside locations and campground amphitheaters.
25-60 people group size: roadside locations and campground amphitheaters.
60+ people in group: campground amphitheaters.

If you plan to have a larger party of guests it might be the best option to explore renting out one of the nearby venues listed above in this guide.

A Note On Leave No Trace

I am a strong advocate for following LNT principles. I’m all about getting out and enjoying the great outdoors, but we need to be sure to have a minimal impact on our environment. Leave No Trace is a center for outdoor ethics who’s mission is to protect the outdoors through teaching and inspiring others to enjoy the outdoors responsibly. They have seven principles that are a great guide for influencing people’s decisions when they’re enjoying the outdoors.

The principles are:

Plan Ahead and Prepare
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces in Designated Campsites
Dispose of Waste Properly
Leave What You Find
Minimize Campfire Impacts
Respect Wildlife
Be Considerate Of Other Visitors

Please, please, please don’t be “that person” that doesn’t pack out your trash or tramples the wildflowers. Most of these environments we visit, such as Mt. Rainier, are extremely fragile.

You can find more information on Leave No Trace here!

Why Investing In Your Photographer Matters

There’s so many benefits to investing in your elopement/wedding photographer. While this guide is a good starting point, there are so many additional resources and personalized information I provide to my clients. I’ve spent countless hours exploring the Pacific Northwest and can provide personalized location recommendations based on your vision for your day. Need food or activity recommendations? I’ve got you! Maybe you want to be sure you’re able to bring your dog, or you want a private spot to exchange vows, these are all things to take into consideration and I’ll help you every step of the way!

If you’d like to reach out and chat about your vision for your Oregon Coast elopement or wedding, feel free to reach out and fill out my contact form here!