Table of Contents:
- Where Is North Cascades National Park?
- 5 Best Places to Elope in the North Cascades
- North Cascades Wedding & Elopement Permits
- Getting Your Washington State Marriage License
- Where to Stay for Your North Cascades Elopement
- 5 Fun Ideas for Your North Cascades Adventure Elopement
- North Cascades National Park Elopement Photographer
Alrightttt I don’t know how I haven’t done this blog post yet but today we are FINALLY talking all things North Cascades. Where should you elope in the North Cascades? What permit do you need to elope in the North Cascades? Where should you stay?! I cover it all in this complete guide to How to Plan Your North Cascades Adventure Elopement!!
Where Is North Cascades National Park?
First of all, where even is North Cascades National Park? The national park covers a huge area of northern Washington, literally over 500,000 acres of epic mountain peaks, icy glaciers, bright blue lakes, dense forests, wildflower meadows. . . the North Cascades have it all tbh.
How far are the North Cascades from Seattle?
There are a TON of little mountain towns throughout the North Cascades, so it’s kinda hard to answer that question, but here are the distances from Seattle to a few of the more popular areas of the mountain range:
- Seattle → Rockport: 2 hrs
- Seattle → Mazama: 4.5 hrs
- Seattle → Methow Valley: 5 hrs
5 Best Places to Elope in the North Cascades
1. Winchester Lookout
Winchester Lookout is such a great location for your elopement because the hike is stunning, fairly easy, and the views at the top are INSANE. It’s located near the town of Maple Falls and provides epic views of Mount Baker, Mount Shuksan, Mount Larrabee, and even some Canadian peaks. If you get lucky, you’ll have the whole mountain & fire lookout to yourselves and get some privacy – which is more likely to happen during the spring and fall when the trail isn’t as busy!
Parking/entry requirement: Northwest Forest Pass
Hike length: 3.4 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: 1300 feet
Hike difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes, on leash
ADA-accessible? No
Other notes:
- You’ll need at least a high-clearance vehicle to make it up the road to the trailhead, and 4WD is even more helpful
For some real-life amazingggg Winchester Lookout inspo, check out Autumn & Matt’s elopement and Jared & Cameron’s elopement!
2. Washington Pass Overlook
Washington Pass Overlook is a MUST if you’re driving along the North Cascades Highway, as it’s literally just a rest stop off the highway that offers some of the most epic views in the park. All you need to do is park your car, walk a couple minutes, and bam – you get incredible views overlooking the North Cascades with barely ANY effort. There’s also a restroom, benches, and picnic table, so it’s a perf place to stop on your drive through the mountain range and get some stunning scenery, or take elopement portraits without having to hike!
Parking/entry requirement: None
Hike length: 0.25 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: 61 feet
Hike difficulty: Easy
Dogs allowed? Yes, on leash
ADA-accessible? Yes, but there are a few stairs on the trail past the overlook
Other notes:
- This overlook closes for the winter season, so you’ll only be able to visit it from late spring to early fall
3. Diablo Lake
You’ve probs seen photos of Diablo Lake before – it’s one of the many vibrant blue/turquoise lakes in Washington that makes you feel like you’re on a whole other PLANET. It’s located between Ross Lake and Gorge Lake on the Skagit River and is an amazing overlook along Highway 20 that’s also super easy to access. Just pull off the road, step outta your car, and walk up to the railing to take in the epic landscape! You can go canoeing or kayaking on the lake during the summer, enjoy one of the many hikes around the water, or simply enjoy the views from the overlook.
Parking/entry requirement: None
Dogs allowed? Yes, on leash
ADA-accessible? No
Other notes:
- Unfortunately photos are NOT allowed at the Diablo Lake overlook anymore, so we can enjoy the views from behind the railing but we’ll need to go somewhere else for photos! We can take another route such as the Thunder Knob Trail instead that will get us to similar views of the lake, where photos ARE allowed.
4. Blue Lake
Blue Lake is exactly what it sounds like – another stunning blue lake in the North Cascades. It’s located just a couple miles off Highway 20 via a fairly easy hike, and you’ll be rewarded with phenomenal views of the granite peaks & lush forests surrounding the vibrant water. This is a perfect stop if you want to take a hiking break from your drive along the highway, as the trailhead is right off the side of the highway, and you might even get some beautiful wildflowers around the lake if you visit during the right time of year!
Parking/entry requirement: Northwest Forest Pass
Hike length: 4.4 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: 1050 feet
Hike difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes, on leash
ADA-accessible? No
5. Heather-Maple Pass
Lastly we’ve got Heather-Maple Pass, which requires the longest hike out of any of these 5 North Cascades elopement locations. The loop trail is located west of Mazama and north of Lake Chelan, and is an awesome option for couples looking for a bit more of an adventure through the mountains for either their ceremony or just some epic mountain elopement portraits.
Parking/entry requirement: Northwest Forest Pass
Hike length: 7.2 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: 2020 feet
Hike difficulty: Moderate/hard
Dogs allowed? No
ADA-accessible? No
Check out Madi & Maddie’s epic North Cascades National Park Elopement – they completed the entire Heather-Maple Pass Loop and had their ceremony at the most epic spot in the mountains!
Honorary Mention: Mt. Baker
Now Mt. Baker isn’t technically a part of the North Cascades but it’s close enough that it definitely warrants a mention. I highlyyy recommend hitting up Mt. Baker if you can during your time in northern WA because the scenery is phenoemanl, and there are TONS of incredible hikes no matter what level of adventure you’re looking for!
Some of my favorite elopement locations at Mt. Baker include:
And because I love Mt. Baker SO much I put together a whole separate Mt. Baker Elopement Guide for you, where I go through all the best places to elope, where to stay nearby, the best time of year to elope, and more. Check it out here if you’re considering eloping at Mt. Baker!!
North Cascades Wedding & Elopement Permits
Do I need a permit to elope in North Cascades National Park?
Yup – to get married in North Cascades National Park, you’ll need to get a North Cascades National Park Special Use Permit! This permit allows you to have your ceremony at certain permitted locations in the park, all of which have different rules/restrictions and group size limitations.
How do I apply for a North Cascades National Park wedding permit?
To get your North Cascades wedding permit, you’ll need to:
- Contact the Commercial Service Office to get the application materials you’ll need
- Complete the Special Park Uses Application
- Pay the $50 non-refundable application fee via pay.gov
To learn about the permitting process for other Washington National Parks that ya might be considering for your elopement, check out my Washington National Park Elopement Guide!
Getting Your Washington State Marriage License
In addition to getting your North Cascades National Park Special Use Permit, you’ll also need to get your Washington State marriage license, of course!!
Here’s an overview of the important WA marriage laws that you need to know:
- You don’t need to be a resident of WA to get married here
- You need 2 witnesses over the age of 12 present at your ceremony
- You need to be at least 18 years old
- The license fee varies by county – for reference, here are the fees for each county in the North Cascades range:
- Okanogan County marriage license fee: $59
- Chelan County marriage license fee: $57
- Kittitas County marriage license fee: $39
- Skagit County marriage license fee: $64
- Whatcom County marriage license fee: $62
For more instructions on how to get your WA marriage license for your North Cascades elopement, head over to my Guide to Getting Your Washington State Marriage License!
Where to Stay for Your North Cascades Adventure Elopement
Because the North Cascades encompass SO many beautiful areas of Washington, there are tonsssss of options when it comes to amazing places to stay. I’ve included all the best lodges, resorts, & Airbnbs in some of the popular towns throughout the North Cascades that are great areas to stay for your elopement!
Best Places to Stay in Bellingham/Deming
- Rustic 70’s A-Frame
- Glacier’s Lagom Cabin
- Glacier Hideout
- Cedar Point Cabin
- Mt. Baker Cabin
- Bellingham Meadows
- The Hideaway
Best Places to Stay in Concrete/Rockport
Best Places to Stay in Mazama/Winthrop
- Mazama Haven
- Base Camp 49
- Howe Cabin
- Cozy Cabin in the Woods
- Cascade Cabin
- Peaceful Cabin in the Woods
Best Places to Stay in Stehekin
If you’re lookin’ for other cozyyyy & cute Airbnbs throughout the WA for your elopement, I gotchu – here are the 5 Best Airbnbs in Washington State for an Airbnb Elopement!
5 Fun Ideas for Your North Cascades Adventure Elopement
Here are 5 fun things to incorporate into your North Cascades elopement & your time in the area in general!!
1. Take a backpacking trip/trek through the mountains
2. Go boating on Gorge Lake, Diablo Lake, Ross Lake, or Lake Chelan
3. Go white water rafting on the Skagit River
4. Hike to Desolation Peak
5. Explore the little community of Stehekin
North Cascades National Park Adventure Elopement Photographer
Hey that’s me 😉 I’d loooove to be your North Cascades elopement photographer and come along with you to elope in one of the most magical parts of Washington. Contact me here and let’s make this thing happen
Lookin’ for more helpful PNW elopement guides like this one?? Check out a few of my recent faves below!
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