April-OCT
Year Round
Lakes
RainForest
The Olympic Peninsula boasts some of the largest, clearest, and deepest lakes in all of Washington, surrounded by the towering Olympic mountains and rich river ecosystems full of fish, tributaries, and dramatic waterfalls.
More moss, ferns, shades of green, and towering trees than you can even imagine. There are countless species that grow in the temperate rainforests of ONP, with some of the oldest and largest specimens of many tree species.
Year Round
May-OCT & Winter Weekends
Coast
Mountains
Arguably the most famous part of the Olympic Peninsula, aside from its rainforest, is gorgeous rugged coastline with dramatic beaches, sea stacks, cliffs, abundant wildlife and crashing waves. There's hundreds of miles of beautiful coastline to explore.
My favorite part of the park is the Olympic mountains! Perpetually underappreciated, this beautiful range boasts such a variety of gorgeous accessible views of glaciers, peaks, ocean views, wildlife galore, and some of the best & quietest backcountry hiking around.
Hey friend, I see you've got like, 75 tabs open, all about eloping and planning and logistics...
You don't have to become an expert in elopements to have an incredible one. That's literally our job! We've been doing this for over 10 years, and we'll find you a perfect location, recommend vendors, build your timeline, and provide a ton of expert support.
Let us handle the heavy lifting, and let's get you that dream backpacking elopement, no stress required.
Access to the Olympic Peninsula is very variable, mostly because it's such a large place! The National Park has many entrances and roads that reach it, and parts of the peninsula are closer to Seattle than others. If you're coming from the downtown area, plan on about a 3-4 hour journey. Most roads to the Olympic Peninsula stay open year round, as d0 the WTA ferries that leave from Seattle and Edmonds.
How Accessible Is OLYMPIC NP?
In general, this park is huge but has so many beautiful accessible spots of jawdropping scenery right from your car. Some overlooks are paved, a few are ADA accessible, and many trails are light and easy for folks with limited mobility. There are also toooons of trails, ranging from easy to intermediate to challenging, making it the perfect place to elope.
What About Guests?
If you want to have guests on your elopement day, the Olympic Peninsula is a great place! With many easily accessible locations and a wide variety of biomes and ecosystems to see, it's a fantastic option for couples who want to incorporate guests into a portion of their elopement day at a beautiful spot that doesn't require much hiking, and then you can also make time to explore some longer, beautiful trails in the area & see completely different scenery.
What About PETS?
While National Parks are not typically pet friendly, Olympic National Park actually has quite a few pet friendly trails! Dogs are allowed on many of the beaches, and in most areas of Olympic National Forest (which borders the park, and contains tons of beautiful trails and overlooks), dogs and other pets are allowed, which makes it a great place to elope with your pets.
Do We Need a Permit?
While permit rules are always changing, there is currently no permit requirement in place for elopements of 5 people or less in ONP. For weddings that take place inside the National Park boundary, or inside the Olympic National Forest: different permit, use, and group size rules will apply. Always check with your photographer to figure out if you need a permit!
How Do We avoid Crowds?
Short answer? Avoid weekends and be willing to hike a little! You'd be amazed how quickly the people thin out after just a mile. Also, trust your photographer's guidance on locations! I know what trails are busy, and at what times and I'll work with you on finding the perfect location. And finally, elope in the shoulder season! Late spring & early fall are both spectacularly beautiful times in ONP.
CAn we reserve a trail or overlook?
No, you cannot reserve a space, overlook, or trail for your wedding. Other folks are always allowed to visit the trails, and recreate in the area where you are getting married, even if you have a special use permit. If you want a fully reservable space that you have exclusive use of for your elopement day, I highly recommend checking out our guide of outdoorsy small wedding venues in Washington for a list of phenomenal options!
What part of the park should we visit?
I love recommending an epic roadtrip through the peninsula to couples who come to Olympic National Park to elope, simply because it's such a massive place, with a huge diversity of ecosystems and scenery, different types of species, weather, cultures, and there's just so much to see! But in general: I always have a soft spot for the Olympic Mountains. Most people come here for the Twilight vibes and head straight for the rainforest or the coast (both beautiful) but I personally love the Olympic Mountains, where you can see both ocean and glaciers from a single ridgetop and maybe spy the Olympic Marmot, a species that lives nowhere else on earth.
There are several large towns on the peninsula: Port Townsend, Port Angeles, Seqium. On the smaller side, there's Forks, Hoodsport & Quilcene. In these towns, there are hotels along with many vacation rentals. Your best bet will be to check out vacation rental sites, like VRBO, Airbnb, or Hipcamp. The National Park also has 4 lodges they operate throughout different regions of the park: the Sol Duc Hot Spring Lodge, the Kalaloch Beach Lodge, the Lake Quinalt Lodge, and the Lake Crescent Lodge. For the more adventurous, there's plenty of amazing campgrounds to choose from too!
While there's so much amazing hiking & backpacking in the Olympic Peninsula, here are some other activities you can do on your elopement day! Star gazing, relaxing in a hot tub, kayaking, snowshoing, picnicking, , fishing, sailing, rock climbing, beach combing, tidepooling, 4x4 driving, biking, birding, etc.
You can also check out our big elopement activity idea list for lots more ideas!
Since many parts of the park are far away from town, the two keys for success when it comes to Olympic NP elopement food are: getting creative, and coming prepared! From making dinner in your vacation rental, packing a mountainside picnic, having a cookout at a campground, grabbing a burger at a local diner, or eating a sunrise breakfast of donuts and fresh coffee at the trailhead, there's lots of ways to make sure your elopement day is delicious from start to finish.
Need Inspiration?
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Kind words from past clients:
"It felt like we were hanging out in our wedding clothes on a beautiful mountain with two friends, chatting it up. I honestly forgot half the time that they were taking pictures of us; it felt so natural and easy."
Meet the team:
Theo & Bonnie
Devon
laura
Secondary Photographer
Backpacking, pikas, beanies, Tattoos,
Murder Mysteries
biking, rainy days, Birds, skipping rocks, science Fiction
your love belongs outdoors:
We are deeply committed to promoting diversity in the wedding industry and in the great outdoors. Our business is an open, loving space for all; we celebrate folks of every skin color, ethnicity, size, physical ability, age, gender, neurotype, and orientation. Your love story matters, and the wilderness is for every body. Welcome.
