Best Mountain Elopement Locations
New and curated for 2024, these are the 5 best mountain elopement locations! There are literally hundreds of incredible places to elope, so use this guide as a starting point in the dreaming and scheming phase of your elopement planning. Speaking of elopement planning, I want you to wipe the slate completely clean. Try to forget everything you know about what a “wedding” is. Throw it all away so you’ve got a blank page. Then fill in your day with things you two love. That could mean camping or hiking, but that isn’t required! Perhaps you like kayaking, or staying in a cabin reading. Maybe you’re a huge fan of hot springs, or are total foodies. Dream up what the best day of a hypothetical honeymoon could look like – then get married that day.
Tips for mountain elopements:
- Most mountain locations are high in elevation and experience wintery conditions through May and sometimes June, and close in early to mid Fall.
- Pack with layers! Flannel jackets, puffy coats, hats and gloves, and sometimes thermal layers should be on your list.
- Be wildlife aware and never approach bears, moose, elk, deer, mountain goats, etc. Don’t feed any animals either!
- Private locations with mountain views often require a bit of effort – hiking.
#1 Best Mountain Elopement Locations: Glacier National Park
Towering mountains, crystal clear lakes, waterfalls, icebergs, wildflowers and yes, glaciers make this iconic national park one of my all time favorites. Located in northern Montana, this huge park is an awe inspiring elopement location. Choose Glacier National Park if you feel at home surrounded by mountains. There are over 16 designated ceremony sites within the park. The best Glacier elopements would include a full day of watching the sun rise, hiking to a waterfall, eating huckleberry ice cream, mountain goat & grizzly spotting, camping or glamping in a nearby Airbnb. The best months for an elopement here are July to September when the high country is open and clear of snow.
Sample Glacier Elopement Timeline
6:00 Share thermos coffee at sunrise at Wild Goose Overlook. Change into your elopement attire on a blanket behind your car.
7:30 Get married at Big Bend in the wildflowers. Eat huckleberry cake for breakfast right there.
8:30 Arrive at Logan Pass and begin the epic hike to Hidden Lake. Look for mountain goats and their kids!
10:00 Photos at Hidden Lake. Read some letters from your loved ones and try not to cry.
11:30 Eat a packed lunch at the goat observatory deck. Get your National park passport stamped.
1:00 Explore the west side of Going to the Sun road, taking in all the scenic views
2:30 Relaxing bot tour on Lake McDonald
5:00 Steakhouse dinner at Apgar.
7:30 Slurp huckleberry ice cream cones as you walk hand in hand at the shore of Lake McDonald at sunset
NEXT DAY:
Explore the waterfall trails at east glacier, or go horseback riding, or hike to Avalanche or Iceberg Lakes, or paddleboard Lake McDonald
I have availability for 1 Glacier National Park Elopement in Late August or September, 2024.
#2 Best Mountain Elopement Locations: Grand Tetons National Park
This National park has the most scenic ceremony locations of all the mountain national parks. Located in northwest Wyoming, it takes a bit of effort to traven to Grand Tetons, but it is absolutely worth it! The 7 ceremony sites all have dramatic, big mountain peak views and none of then require a big hike to access. Sunrise is definitely best at this mountain range, so choose Grand Tetons if you don’t mind getting up early and want dramatic scenery. A fantastic Grand Tetons elopement will include a full day of watching the sun rise, taking a scenic boat ride on Jenny Lake, exploring Jackson Lake and looking for wildlife. The best times for an elopement here are in late June and late September.
Sample Grand Tetons Elopement Timeline
6:00 Sunrise first look at Schwabacher’s Landing. Look for moose together and take portraits in front of the mountains.
7:00 Charcuterie breakfast – cold cuts, crackers & cheese, veggies & dip and fruit
8:00 Have a dispersed ceremony in a field of wildflowers overlooking the mountains.
9:30 Take the scenic boat tour of Jenny Lake. Look for otters and enjoy the fresh air.
11:00 Eat a hot lunch at the Jenny Lake Lodge.
12:30 Go for a horseback ride, hike to Bradley lake, or take a scenic drive looking for Bison and Grizzlies.
Stroll hand in hand around Jackson lake and rent SUPs, or just take a dip!
5:00 Pizza and huckleberry Ice Cream at the shore.
7:00 Sunset first dance at the historic barns
8:30 Tent photos and smores at your campfire
9:30 Epic astrophotography over your tent as you settle in for the night.
I have availability for 1 more Grand Tetons Elopement from September 10th to 21st, 2024.
About me – Mountain Elopement Photographer
I’m a nomadic and colorful elopement photographer with an obsession for mountains, hiking, and my cats. My photography style emphasizes the epic landscape of your dreams and the authentic moments that make you two.. well, you two! I love my job and my nature-loving clients. Maybe I’ll see you out there!
#3 Best Mountain Elopement Locations: Crested Butte, Colorado
Crested Butte is a mountain town in central Colorado, about 4 hours drive from Denver. This hidden gem is known as the wildflower capitol of Colorado, and because it isn’t a national park, that affords you a bit more solitude! Mountains are absolutely everywhere in this town, and there are no permits needed for simple elopement ceremonies in the national forest. Choose Crested Butte if you love backcountry dirt roads, privacy, and colorful views. The best months for an elopement are July for the wildflowers (but avoid the festival week!) and late September when the aspens turn gold.
Sample Crested Butte Elopement Timeline
7:30 Make breakfast together in a cabin & get dressed
9:00 Have your first look in the woods behind your cabin. Joy!
9:30 Pickup your jeep and picnic lunches.
10:00 Head into the mountains on a jeep road! Stop to see the wildflowers everywhere you want.
11:00 Hit a short trail to a lake and spread out a blanket on the shore for your lunch.
1:00 Go deeper into the mountains and explore the waterfalls along Crystal River.
2:30 Your private elopement ceremony at a thundering summer waterfall.
4:00 Stop to skip stones at Emerald Lake. Read together or take a nap in a hammock.
6:00 Catch dinner at a local spot in town
8:00 Watch the sunset from a short trail filled with flowers
9:00 Hit the hot tub at your Cabin and watch the stars come out
I have availability for 1 more Crested Butte Elopement from September 20th to 24th, 2024.
#4 Best Mountain Elopement Locations: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Yes, it’s a volcano on an island, but hear me out! Hawaii Volcanoes National park is centered on the massive cone of Mauna Loa and Kileaua, which are active volcanoes. The hiking in this remote park is severely underrated – it feels like another planet while still giving you that top-of-the-mountain vibe. Choose Hawaii Volcanoes if you want something totally unique and unforgettable, like hearing the lava roar at night in the crater, or hiking under jurassic fern-trees. The stargazing here is well known as one of the best, if not THE best in the world. There is no bad time for an elopement at Hawaii Volcanoes, but you should avoid the holiday weeks like Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Sample Hawaii Volcanoes Elopement Timeline
7:00 Sunrise first look at a black sand beach
8:30 Take the scenic drive through Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
9:30 Jetboiled coffee and breakfast burritos at the Sea Arch
11:00 Explore the Nahuku lava tube
12:00 Visit the Winery for lunch
1:30 Hike down and explore the crater floor (or take a nap.)
4:00 Begin a short hike through the jungle
4:45 Elopement ceremony on the edge of a volcanic crater
5:30 First dance under a rainbow in the Lava field
6:00 Sunset dinner at the Volcano House overlooking the crater
7:00 Hike to the lava viewpoint to hear the volcano and get a night portrait
I have availability for 1 Hawaii Volcanoes Elopement from December 20th 2023 to April 30th, 2024.
#5 Best Mountain Elopement Locations: Yosemite National Park
No list of epic mountain elopement locations would be complete without Yosemite! Yes, it’s a very popular park, but it will take your breath away no matter how many times you’ve visited. Yosemite is located in Central California. The famous Yosemite Valley is open year round, but the alpine Tioga road and the Glacier road viewpoint are only open from June to September. You should pick Yosemite if you want to be blown away by the Sierra mountains and the tallest waterfalls on the continent.
Sample Yosemite Elopement Timeline
7:00 Breakfast together – make French toast!
7:30 Getting ready at Tuolumne Meadows Lodge
8:30 First look at Tenaya lake
9:30 Intimate ceremony at Tioga road viewpoint. I know a spot that is AMAZING.
11:30 Lunch in Yosemite Valley restaurant
12:30 Hike to a waterfall in Yosemite Valley – Vernal, Nevada, Bridal Veil, or Lower Yosemite. Go climbing. Or ride E bikes around the valley. Or set up hammocks in the shade around a meadow.
5:00 Cool off in the Merced river. Write your names in the beach sand.
6:00 Stop for photos at Valley view on your way to Glacier point
7:30 Hike to Taft point for a Picnic dinner
8:00 Sunset first dance & watch the stars come out
I have availability for 1 Yosemite Elopement from August 29 to September 4, 2024.
Other Mountain Elopement Locations:
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Aspen, Colorado
Telluride, Colorado
Kings Canyon National Park, California
Mammoth Lakes, California
Ouray, Colorado
Breckenridge, Colorado
Maroon Bells, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Mt Evans, Colorado