Get In Touch
On one side of Washington state you’ll find rocky, moody beaches, and on the other you’ll find vast desert landscapes – and in between, there are mountains, alpine lakes, waterfalls, and forests; it is seriously such a dream. The scenery is so diverse, it gives you countless options for the best places to elope in Washington state. This guide could be infinitely long, but I’m going to stop at 7 of my favorite spots for you to consider for your adventurous elopement day!
Best Places to Elope in Washington State:
- Mount Rainier National Park
- Olympic National Park
- North Cascades National Park
- Mount Baker
- Leavenworth
- Snoqualmie National Forest
- Seattle
1. Best Places to Elope in Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier is one of the most iconic places in Washington state – its peak is featured on all of our license plates, and you can see it from the highway on a clear day (which still excites me, having been raised in Florida!) The park offers a variety of trails and views, but here are some of the best:
Tipsoo Lake
Tipsoo Lake is a small lake, with mountain views in the background and stunning wildflower meadows that bloom in early summer! It’s an easily accessible elopement location, and if you want to do some hiking, the Naches Peak Loop Trail starts here and heads through forest groves and wildflowers, yielding some incredible mountain views.
Skyline Trail
The Skyline Trail at Mount Rainier National Park is one of the best places to elope in Washington state, offering a variety of scenery – from glaciers, rivers, waterfalls, and incredible views of the surrounding mountains! It’s a little harder, but rated as moderate, perfect for a little adventure on your elopement day.
2. Best Places to Elope in Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park covers almost the entire Olympic peninsula, with spots on the coast, in the mountains, and even in the temperate rainforest. It’s one of the best places to elope in Washington state for diverse scenery!
Ruby Beach
Ruby Beach is a popular elopement location on the Pacific coast, its rocky shoreline and the sea stacks poking through the water creating a gorgeous moody backdrop! It’s a great spot for couples hoping to elope on the beach, and there are several nearby beaches to explore as well.
Lake Crescent
Lake Crescent is located near the town of Port Angeles, and is a stunning blue lake surrounded by mountains. You’ll find easily accessible waterfalls and steep mountain hikes, along with incredible views of the lake!
3. Best Places to Elope in North Cascades National Park
The North Cascades are an incredibly underrated part of Washington state; it’s one of the least-visited national parks in the country! But that’s good news for you, since there are far fewer crowds to compete with compared to almost any other park in the US. Known as the American Alps, the jagged peaks and alpine lakes make for some incredible scenery.
Heather Maple Pass Loop
This trail has the added bonus of being dog friendly, unlike most national park elopement locations! The hike is 7.2 miles long, but you’ll be rewarded with views of the ridgeline, alpine lakes below, and mountain peaks as far as you can see.
Steheikin
Steheikin is one of the most remote locations you can choose when you elope in Washington – there are no roads leading to this mountain town! You’ll need to take a boat, seaplane, horse, or just lace up your hiking boots and go – which means this is the ultimate private, quiet destination for your elopement and honeymoon. Explore the lake, wander around town, and enjoy the views!
4. Best Places to Elope at Mount Baker
Mount Baker is a stunning peak in the North Cascade mountain range, covered with glaciers. It’s a popular spot for skiing and snowboarding, and offers some of the best places to elope in Washington state!
Artist Point
It’s hard to believe how beautiful Artist Point is when you look at how easily accessible it is! You can drive up the mountain and reach the most stunning views, and if you hike just half a mile along the path, you’ll have nearly 360 degree mountain scenery around you.
Skyline Divide
The Skyline Divide trail is long, and the first few miles are steep, but it’s well worth it for the incredible views of the ridgeline! The trial is 9 miles roundtrip, but you can turn it into a shorter hike – the views start just two miles in.
5. Best Places to Elope in Leavenworth
Leavenworth is a Bavarian style village in the mountains, famous for German restaurants, breweries, and festivals. It’s especially magical around Christmas time, as the whole village is lit with string lights and there are holiday festivities all around!
Minotaur Lake
The remoteness of this spot makes this one of the best places to elope in Washington state! The hike is less than 2 miles each way, but the elevation gain is no joke. After almost 2,000 feet of climbing, you’ll be greeted with Minotaur Lake, and if you climb just a little higher, you’ll see a valley and an array of peaks in the backdrop!
Lake Wenatchee State Park
This spot is easily accessible, and Lake Wenatchee is a great place for fall foliage! Whether you enjoy the mountain views from the shore, or you kayak over the still water, this is one of the best places to elope in Washington State.
6. Best Places to Elope in the Snoqualmie National Forest
The Snoqualmie National Forest is just an hour drive from Seattle, offering some gorgeous scenery! It’s a great place to see waterfalls and forest views, and there are plenty of mountain hikes around too.
Gold Creek Pond
Gold Creek Pond is popular because of its gorgeous scenery – a lake surrounded by mountains – and easy access. There’s a short, barely 3 minute walk from the parking lot to the lake, and it’s accessible year round – though the walk is a little longer in the winter, and you’ll have to trek through some snow.
Franklin Falls
Franklin Falls is a 2 mile round trip hike, and a great place to elope for couples who don’t want to work too hard for great views. You’ll end up at the gorgeous Franklin Falls, a cascading waterfall that’s even more scenic in the winter, when the water freezes!
7. Best Places to Elope in Seattle
Of course, one of the most popular places to visit in Washington state is the city of Seattle – known for the coffee and the nearby natural landscapes. You don’t have to go far for incredible views – there are places to see mountains right in the city, and parks perfect for exploring! And if you drive just a little outside of town, you’ll find hiking trails and gorgeous scenery.
Discovery Park
One of the best places to elope in Washington state is Discovery Park, a scenic park located in Seattle. You can take a trail through wildflowers and forest groves, ending up at the beach! There are some bluffs over the ocean, and boulders along the shore that you can climb and explore.
Golden Gardens
For a beach elopement, there’s no better place in Seattle than Golden Gardens! The ocean water is bordered by mountains, so if you want to go out for a paddle, this is the perfect spot to take off. There are fire rings on the beach perfect for celebrating after the ceremony, and the sunsets will take your breath away.
Rattlesnake Ledge
This one’s a bonus – it isn’t in Seattle, but it’s less than an hour away! Rattlesnake Ledge is 4 miles roundtrip, and offers a panoramic view of the mountains once you reach the top. At the trailhead is Rattlesnake Lake, another gorgeous elopement location that’s easily accessible!
Find the Best Place to Elope in Washington State
Your perfect elopement location is going to be different from any other couple – because every elopement is so unique! As an elopement photographer, my job is to customize your day so that it’s perfect for the two of you, and that includes finding the perfect spot to say your vows.
If you’re ready to start planning, and to find the best place for your elopement, contact me! For more information on Washington State elopements, head here.
