How Do You Plan an Epic National Park Elopement?

For almost a decade, I have been helping couples elope in Kauai on some of the world’s dopest beaches. Sounds dreamy, right? Yeah…it really has been. However, last year I made the career-altering decision to expand my adventure elopement photography biz to the western mainland. In particular, to some of my favorite national parks, where I’ve spent a TON of personal time exploring over the years. 

A brief background: I actually moved to the Grand Canyon for six months after graduating college, I’ve spent 40 days and 40 nights backpacking through Yosemite, shot the milky way over the Great Sand Dunes in Colorado, and camped out with mountain lions in Crater Lake 😱. I’ve skinny-dipped in a BEAUTIFUL alpine lake up in Glacier and longboarded through a blizzard in the Rockies. There are a whole lotta more parks and adventures I’ve experienced, but these are a few of my faves. 🤘

There’s a reason I spend so much of my free time in the national parks. It’s basically because, well, they’re freaking mind-blowing! Low key, I’m kind of a scenery snob 😂, but the national parks always find a way to drop my jaw and keep me deeply inspired. Sure, there’s traffic and crowds. The Pandemic in particular has increased people’s awareness of just how spectacular these places truly are, and there’s been an obvious increase in visitation. There are also permit fees, but compared to a cheesy venue fee — are you kidding me?! 

Don’t let either of these two barriers get in the way of planning the national park elopement of your dreams. Trust me as your guide; I know allllll the spots tour buses don’t (and can’t!) go! 😂 We totally got this. Your national park elopement will be intimate and incredibly beautiful, and the photos are gonna be so killa! LET’S GO! 🤘🤘🤘

How to elope in a national park

Before we dive into the list of my favorite national parks to elope in, I want to quickly talk about something many people don’t know. In order to get married in a national park, you must secure a permit in advance — sometimes far, far in advance, like a year or so out. These permits come along with fees, of course, which range from about $250 to $500, depending on the park. 

As your adventure elopement photographer, this is something I will help you with! I like to discuss it right away, though, because the reality is that if you want to elope in Rocky Mountain National Park two months from now (or even seven or eight months from now), well, that just isn’t realistic. However, with some proper planning in advance, you can easily have the national park elopement of your dreams!

Best locations for a national park elopement

Glacier National Park elopement

I’m not sure what took me so dang long to get up to Glacier and explore, but you guys, this place is pure magic. From the mirror-still, Gatorade blue alpine lakes and waterfalls galore to the crazy-scenic Going-to-the-Sun Road and the actual glaciers, Glacier National Park is unlike anywhere else. There are two sides of the park, West Glacier and East Glacier, and the east side is far less crowded because it’s more remote. The effort is well worth it, especially for your Glacier National Park elopement, because you can catch sunrise, hike, paddleboard, or even fish without fighting crowds. Like I said, I skinny-dipped in one of the glacial lakes and there wasn’t another soul around! IT WAS EPIC!😉

Best time of year for a Glacier National Park elopement: Hands-down, summer, and early fall are best for a Glacier National Park elopement. Northern Montana gets snowy and COLD starting in the fall and lasting through late spring. In fact, there is snow in parts of the park all year long!

Grand Canyon National Park elopement

I know I’m a LITTLE biased because the Grand Canyon is the first place I lived when I headed west after college 😂, but this park is honestly spectacular for a national park elopement. Looking out over the impossibly vast canyon walls will truly take your breath away! And if you really want to experience the Grand Canyon in all its glory, you gotta get down into the canyon and do some hiking. Don’t worry, there are way more options besides the super popular, super crowded trails and the strenuous 24-mile Rim-to-Rim hike — and since I lived in the Grand Canyon for several months, I know exactly where to take ya! 

Best time of year for a Grand Canyon National Park elopement: Spring and fall are the best times to elope in the Grand Canyon. Both summer and winter temperatures are extreme and in the winter months, a large portion of the park (the North Rim) isn’t even accessible.

Read more about Grand Canyon National Park elopements in my guide on how to elope in Arizona!

Great Sand Dunes National Park elopement

Colorado is well-known for its ENORMOUS mountains and epic views. I love those too (see below! 😜), but it’s hard to beat the Great Sand Dunes. This enchanting park doesn’t seem like it belongs in Colorado (or anywhere on Earth, for that matter) and will surprise you at every turn. For one thing, there are rarely ever crowds, because the park is pretty remote. A Great Sand Dunes National Park elopement also means incredible, unique views and adventures. Indulge your inner child by hiking up the sand dunes and sandboarding back down as many times as you can handle it, then settle in for a night of crystal-clear stargazing. 

Best time of year for a Great Sand Dunes National Park elopement: Late spring (May) and fall are the most ideal times to elope in Great Sand Dunes National Park. The park gets lots of snow and even blizzards in the winter, and the sand often gets scalding hot in the summer months. 

Rocky Mountain National Park elopement

Few things inspire me the way the Rockies do. Just seeing their incredible, vast beauty makes me ball like a baby. I’m actually being serious…. Rocky Mountain National Park offers couples both romance and adventure, with some of the most picturesque hikes anywhere, scenic drives, alpine lakes and waterfalls to explore, and so much more. It’s also just an hour and a half from Denver, so you can elope in the park while enjoying access to many other attractions in the Mile High City. 

Best time of year for a Rocky Mountain National Park elopement: Like other mountainous regions, the best time for a Rocky Mountain National Park elopement is summer and early fall. The fall color in the Rockies is absolutely stunning and the entire park is really only accessible in the summer months. 

Learn more about the ins and outs of Rocky Mountain National Park elopements in my guide to eloping in Colorado!

Yosemite National Park elopement

Ahh, Yosemite. It’s honestly difficult to even put into words just how special this particular national park is. I backpacked through Yosemite, spending 40 incredible days and nights in the backcountry, I’ve summited Half Dome multiple times, and I’ve shot several elopements in the park. Needless to say, you’re in excellent hands for your Yosemite National Park elopement! Yosemite is kinda the epitome of beautiful nature and epic adventure, so whether you want the iconic Sierras and rock formations, cascading waterfalls, giant Sequoias, or forested meadows, this national park checks all the boxes. 

Best time of year for a Yosemite National Park elopement: There is honestly no bad time to elope in Yosemite National Park — each season offers unique beauty and scenery! However, fall and spring are the best for a few reasons. The fall color is absolutely insane and the weather is near-perfect, plus the park is a bit quieter after the long Labor Day weekend. In the spring, particularly late spring, the waterfalls and rivers are roaring and wildflowers blanket everything. IT’S SO DOPE!!!!!

I hope this national park elopement guide is helpful, regardless of where you are in the planning process. No matter where you ultimately decide to tie the knot, the most important thing to remember about your adventure elopement is that it should be entirely about you and your partner. 

Finally, although I didn’t dedicate entire sections to them, there are two other national parks I’m stoked to explore more this fall: Zion National Park in Utah and Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. If you’re eyeing either of those locations for your national park elopement, reach out and let me know — I have some dates set aside for both in 2022!

Still have a few questions (like what the heck to pack for your adventure elopement?!) or are you curious when I’ll be in these parks shooting next Connect with me below and let’s chat! I can’t wait to meet you!