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How to Elope at Paradise, Mt. Rainier | Full Elopement Guide

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What if I told you you could literally elope in paradise?? Well, Paradise with a capital P that is! It’s only one of the dreamiestttt places in the entire Pacific Northwest, located on the south side of Mt. Rainier National Park. I’ve already got a guide to eloping at Mt. Rainier as a whole, but I thought it would be helpful to get a little more specific and put together a separate guide for couples wanting to elope in the Paradise area. So here we are, I’ve got all the best trails that leave from Paradise, deets on how to get the best wildflower + mountain views, and lodging reccs that are close by! 

Where is Paradise at Mt. Rainier?

Paradise is an area located on the south slope of Mt. Rainier, sitting at around 5,400 feet with probably the most iconic and well-known views in the entire park. The Paradise area features magical wildflower meadows, a full Visitor Center with exhibits about the park & a gift shop, the historic Paradise Inn, and some gorgeous mountain views of course. If you look at the park map below from the National Park Service, you can see the Paradise area south of the mountain, with the Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center highlighted in green.

Paradise is about 2.5 hours from Seattle and 2 hours from the SeaTac airport, so I def recommend flying into Seattle if you’re coming from out of state! It’s a pretty easy drive, as long as you download a map beforehand since you’ll almost definitely run out of cell service once you get closer to the park.

Paradise Elopement FAQ’s

Can you get married at Paradise at Mt. Rainier?

Hell ya you can! Getting married at Paradise is easy, as long as you get a Special Use Permit through the NPS, which I’ll talk about in more detail later in this guide. You need to apply for this permit at least four weeks in advance of the day you want to elope, and there’s a non-refundable $250 application fee. But again, I’ll give you more deets a little later! 

How much does it cost to get married at Paradise at Mt. Rainier?

The cost to get married at Paradise depends on the specifics of your elopement, but the costs you can count on are the $30 single vehicle entrance fee and the $250 Special Use Permit application fee. There may be additional monitoring fees required with your permit, but you won’t know what those are until you go through the application process.

Do you need a timed entry reservation to visit Paradise at Mt. Rainier?

As of this past year, you do need a timed entry reservation to access the Paradise Corridor coming from the southwest or southeast (Ashford or Packwood), through the Nisqually Entrance or Stevens Canyon Entrance. A select number of timed entry reservations are available three months in advance, and next-day timed entry reservations are available on a daily basis. You can learn more about timed entry reservations here and book yours on Recreation.gov!

Are dogs allowed at Paradise at Mt. Rainier?

Sadly no, dogs aren’t allowed anywhere on Mt. Rainier’s trails or wilderness areas. You’ll have to leave them at home or at your Airbnb while you’re exploring the park!

If you’re a cat parent like me, check out this fun blog I put together with 8 Adorable Ways to Include Your Cats In Your Elopement!

Why Elope at Paradise at Mt. Rainier?

Let me tell you, the views from Paradise are to DIE for. And the best part is that you aren’t required to hike 10 miles to get to the top of a trail in order to get those amazing views! You can literally drive up Paradise Road, hop out of your car, and see some of the most incredible views in the PNW. But if you do want to trek a little further, Paradise is, well, paradise for hikers—it’s the starting point of TONS of the best trails in the park, including the Skyline Trail, Alta Vista Trail, and the Moraine Trail. More on those trails in the next section of this guide!

Plus, eloping in the mountains in general is such an awesome idea if you’re looking for a truly intimate, stress-free wedding experience. Imagine exchanging vows surrounded by spectacular scenery of Rainier, crisp fresh air, vibrant wildflowers blowing in the breeze, and the kind of breathtaking views that make you feel on top of the world—literally. There’s no pressure to invite all your cousins and their cousins or to make overly elaborate plans; just you, your partner, and nature doing its thing. You get to skip the chaos of traditional weddings and focus on what really matters: each other. It’s all about adventure, love, and making a memory that feels 100% yours! Whether you take a quick 10-minute walk to a waterfall or set out on a 6-mile hike through the alpine wilderness, this gorgeous area is yours to explore + admire on your elopement day.

And just so you know one of your other options when it comes to eloping at Mt. Rainier, Sunrise is the area on the northeastern side of Mt. Rainier, and is higher up + offers totally different views. It’s just as gorgeous in a different way, and you could absolutely visit both areas if you have enough time in your elopement itinerary! Sunrise is best if you want better views of the mountain itself (that’s subjective, of course—obviously the views are gorgeous everywhere), more challenging hikes, and higher elevation. Paradise is the more lush part of the park with its wildflowers, green meadows, and waterfalls. You can’t go wrong either way, they’re just different!

Best Hiking Trails from Paradise

Speaking of hiking trails, let’s go through a few of the most popular Mt. Rainier hikes that start at Paradise! There are TONS of options for all levels of hikers, from easy trails with barely any elevation gain all the way to challenging routes that take you to some of the highest points in the state. 

The only downside is that there aren’t many wheelchair-friendly trails that leave from Paradise—just the Myrtle Falls Viewpoint via Skyline Trail & Trail of the Shadows. If you’re looking for a more accessible elopement location, you may want to check out my guide with 8 Wheelchair-Accessible Elopement Locations in Washington instead!

Myrtle Falls Viewpoint

Difficulty: Easy/moderate

Round trip distance: 0.9 mi

Elevation gain: 160 ft

First up is Myrtle Falls Viewpoint, a super easy out and back trail near Paradise with an iconic waterfall. You’ll actually pass this waterfall on some of the other trails heading out from Paradise, but you can also just go straight to the waterfall and head back if you want a quick and easy adventure! Fair warning, Myrtle Falls gets superrrr busy because of how easy it is to get to, so it’s not a place you’ll want to have your elopement ceremony or anything—it’s best to just stop for a few portraits and continue on your way.

Moraine Trail

Difficulty: Easy

Round trip distance: 2.2 mi

Elevation gain: 400 ft

Moraine Trail is another easy trail with a bit more length, where you can get away from all the crowds near the visitor center. You’ll get gorgeous views of the Nisqually River Valley and what’s left of the Nisqually Glacier, as well as amazing views of the summit of Rainier!

Alta Vista Loop

Difficulty: Easy/moderate

Round trip distance: 1.5 mi

Elevation gain: 560 ft

If you’re looking to get those classic wildflower meadows that Rainier is so famous for, Alta Vista Loop is a great option, taking you by beautiful wildflowers and super dramatic views of Rainier. It’s easy to get to the trailhead from either of the Paradise parking lots, and most of the trail is paved with some rough spots here and there. The best time to see the wildflowers on this trail is between late July and late August, but know there might be some snow along the trail even in those warm summer months! 

For any of the trails on this list, you’ll want to make sure you have some good hiking boots to traverse the alpine terrain—here are some of the Best Hiking Boots for Adventure Elopements that I’d recommend.

Golden Gate Loop

Difficulty: Moderate

Round trip distance: 4.0 mi 

Elevation gain: 1,160 ft

If you head to Myrtle Falls and continue on across the bridge, you’ll find yourself at the Golden Gate Trailhead, which leads you through the wildflowers, past little mountain streams, and even a cool monument that pays tribute to the first person to climb Mt. Rainier back in the late 1800’s. The vibrant purple wildflowers that cover the lush green meadows along this loop are a dreammmm come true.

Skyline Trail Loop

Difficulty: Moderate

Round trip distance: 5.5 mi

Elevation gain: 1,450 ft

Skyline Trail is one of my personal favorite hikes from Paradise, offering a moderate 5.5-mile hike to some pretty insane views of Rainier. It’s probably the most popular route from Paradise, so expect to be hiking alongside plenty of other visitors during peak season! Everybody wants to see the beautiful waterfalls, colorful lupines, glaciers, and stunning subalpine meadows!

Panorama Point via Skyline Trail

Difficulty: Hard

Round trip distance: 3.9 mi

Elevation gain: 1,325 ft

Panorama Point is a scenic viewpoint accessible via the Skyline Trail mentioned above, taking you to some of the best views of Rainier in the park. You get all the best of Rainier on one trail: wildflowers, glaciers, meadows, snowfields, even views of the Tatoosh Peaks, Mount Saint Helens, Mount Hood, and Mount Adams on super clear days!

Camp Muir

Difficulty: Hard

Round trip distance: 8.0 mi

Elevation gain: 4,640 ft

Last but not least is the hike to Camp Muir, one of the more difficult treks on this list. Camp Muir is actually the highest point you can go to on Mount Rainier without a climbing permit, so you bet there’s some significant elevation gain to be found along the way! The views of Rainier are SO worth every step of the climb, especially in the fall when you get those breathtaking reds & oranges all around you. Wildlife sightings are popular along this route, so keep your eye out for some furry mountain friends (and maintain a safe distance of course)!

When to Elope at Paradise, Mt. Rainier

What is the best time of year to elope at Paradise at Mt. Rainier?

Picking your date is probably one of the MOST important parts of eloping at Mt. Rainier, since the weather will have a huge impact on when you’re able to elope. The weather patterns at Rainier are influenced mostly by the Pacific Ocean and the high elevation, with a generally cool and rainy climate. July and August are the sunniest months of the year and are the best months to elope at Mt. Rainier, since snow can remain on the ground well into July due to the high elevation! But keep in mind that rain is always possible, and very likely in spring, fall, and winter.

Most of the roads and park entrances around Mt. Rainier are closed for the winter due to snow, except for the Nisqually Entrance and Carbon River Entrance. The road from the Nisqually Entrance to Longmire is open year-round unless there’s extreme weather, and the road from Longmire to Paradise is also open year-round during the day, closing only at night except in the case of extreme weather. Basicallyyyy the majority of the park is inaccessible in the late fall, winter, and early spring, so you have to be careful + watch the weather forecast if you’re aiming for a fall or spring date.

You can monitor Mt. Rainier National Park winter weather alerts here, and road statuses here!

What is the best time of day to elope at Paradise at Mt. Rainier?

Paradise is breathtaking at any time of day, but if you want to avoid crowds as much as possible I’d recommend eloping at sunrise or later in the evening! Mid-day will typically be busiest on the trails since that’s when the weather is warmest and the majority of people are out exploring, so if you’re down for an early start to the day, sunrise will be your best chance at privacy (especially on the more popular trails). But again, you really can’t go wrong; Paradise looks gorgeous at blue hour, golden hour, in the fog, in the midday sun, you get the picture!

Wanna dive deeper into how to choose a time of day for your ceremony? Here’s a super helpful guide to the Best Time of Day for An Adventure Elopement!

Mt. Rainier Elopement Permits

Remember how I mentioned earlier that in order to get married in Mt. Rainier National Park, you need to get a Special Use Permit? Let’s talk a little more about that now!

A Special Use Permit at Mt. Rainier allows you to hold your elopement ceremony in the park, as long as you follow all the rules laid out by the NPS. Your ceremony can’t block off areas to other visitors or impede on the experience of others, involve loud noises, or include any large equipment. Groups of 1-12 people can use most of the approved locations in the park, including certain trails, picnic areas, and more, and the more people you have the more limited you are in your location options. That’s why I’d recommend having a very small elopement in the park, and if you want to celebrate with a larger group, do it outside of the park later on!

This permit costs $250 to apply for, and you have to apply at least four weeks ahead of your date. All you need to do is fill out this application form, email it to mora_special_use@nps.gov, and wait for further instructions to pay your application fee + wait for your final permit approval!

To learn more about how elopement permits work in Washington, read through this guide to What Permits You Need to Elope in Washington State.

Where to Stay Near Paradise, Mt. Rainier

The only place you can stay right at Paradise itself is Paradise Inn, a historic lodge with 121 guestrooms and a super cozy mountain experience. It’s a great place to stay if you want super easy access to the area and want a true escape, since there’s no Wi-Fi, TV’s, or phones inside of the lodge!

If you’d rather stay in a more modern Airbnb nearby, Packwood and Ashford are going to be your best bets. There are tons of amazing Airbnbs in both towns, including gorgeous A-frames in the woods, upscale renovated homes, and plenty of hot tubs!

Packwood Airbnb’s

Ashford Airbnb’s

Full Mt. Rainier National Park Elopement Guide

If you want to learn more about the different areas of Mt. Rainier National Park and figure out which one is right for your elopement, check out my full Mt. Rainier National Park Elopement Guide next! I include more beautiful elopement locations around the park so you can get an idea of all of your options, as well as some fun Mt. Rainier elopement ideas to make your day unforgettable.

Paradise, Mt. Rainier Elopement Photographer

Sooo what do you think? Are you ready to tie the knot in Paradise?! Because I’m so ready to take you on an epic adventure through this amazing area of Mt. Rainier National Park + help you create memories you’ll never ever forget! Reach out to me here and let’s get started planning your Paradise elopement at Mt. Rainier!


Want more super helpful elopement resources like this?? I’ve got some below for ya to check out next!

15 Epic Outdoor Adventure Elopement Ideas

Nontraditional + Gender Nonconforming Wedding Outfit Ideas

How to Create a Stress-Free Elopement Timeline

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