Soft, Romantic and Mountain-focused
Morgan and Jake, from Indiana, wanted an elopement reflective of their adventurous nature and their love for the outdoors. In their words, they wanted to spend their elopement week “gallivanting in the mountains.” Morgan shared her mood board with me, and we landed on an overall creative direction that was soft, romantic, and mountain-focused. They knew they wanted to start their week of travel in Olympic National Park, but now we had to narrow down locations.
Picking your Olympic National Park Elopement Location
Importantly – Olympic National Park is massive, and not necessarily accessible – it’s a National Park that surrounds a National Forest. National Forests differ from National Parks for a variety of reasons, one of them being that they are not centered around accessibility and recreation. The National Forest here is dense; a lot of it would be considered backcountry, and some of its most beautiful gems require a half day of hiking to get to. It’s a backpacker’s paradise – but not ideal for folks who dream of driving to all of its hot spots in one day.
Thanks, Paula.
I actually love Olympic National Park for this reason. It feels a lot more rugged and a lot more remote. You likely won’t have service here, and you’ll have to keep your eye out for wildlife. That said, when we’re building your timelines and thinking about locations, we’ll factor in the time it takes to get from one point to another. Unless we’re doing a full day together, or multiple days, you have to be strategic about which part of the park to prioritize.
There are definitely no wrong answers here. Both parts are equally stunning.
Port Angeles or Forks
The area near Port Angeles offers the best access to lakes, forests and alpine ridges. Port Angeles itself is humble, but it still has plenty of restaurants, coffee shops, and places to say. Port Townsend, about an hour away, is a charming small town packed with everything you need. You’ll find world class seafood, breweries, darling hotels, and even a few spas and outdoor soaking tubs. If you’re planning on luxuriating a little bit, itt’s worth adding the extra travel time and staying in Port Townsend.
The other section of the park I’d refer to as the Forks area. Forks is, of course, best known for being the filming location for Twilight. It’s known for its damp, moody, cloudy weather, and a lot of couples are attracted to it for that reason. Nearby Hoh Rainforest is lush, deep green, and famous for its moss-laden trees. It gets its name from the amount of rain it gets annually – 3.5 – 4.3 meters. This is where you’ll get really dense, quiet forest trails where you can just smell the petrichor through the photos.
Because folks have asked (seriously), unfortunately this is not the kind of rainforest with monkeys or sloths. You’ll still find Washington’s typical wildlife like deer, squirrels, and the very rare bear or cougar sighting.
Nearby is Washington’s coastline, with locations like Ruby Beach, where you get rocks, driftwood, sea stacks, the smells, and the sounds of the sea. It’s just beautiful, especially in really dark, moody, cloudy weather.
A Deer Park Elopement – The Best of Both Worlds
Knowing Morgan and Jacob wanted both mountains and forest, we opted to stay north near Port Angeles.
There are a few different options in this area to access stunning mountain views. These two were up for a little more of an adventure, so we chose a more secluded option near Deer Park Campground. The two wanted the light to barely peek over the horizon as they said their vows.
So we met, as total strangers, at the trailhead in the dark and started making our way up the trail. We ended up getting some absolutely out-of-this-world colors that morning, with the mountains changing from blue to purple to pink and then eventually a soft orange as the sun fully came up over the horizon.
Capping the Adventure off at Marymere Falls
The hike to Marymere Falls is relatively short and easy, and lined with tall old growth to play with for photos. If we’re meeting in the mountains or at the coast, I tend to schedule us around sunrise and sunset for softer light. In the afternoon, when the sun is at its highest point, the forest is the perfect place for photos. We don’t have to fight harsh light on your face or in your eyes, but you end up with gorgeous, interesting pockets of light to use intentionally.
The Best Time of Year for Each Location
If we’re meeting in the summer, I aim to adventure in the more alpine settings on the Port Angeles side. There is, of course, Hurricane Ridge, and an abundance of less populated tall peaks and alpine views if you’re willing to do just a little bit of hiking. The nearby lakes and forests are perfect for exploring in all seasons.
In the fall, I lean towards the Forks side. We can take advantage of the Twilight vibes and just enjoy the scenery as it’s meant to be seen – under the hood of a rainproof jacket. Either way, you really can’t go wrong. All angles of the park are just absolutely stunning at all times of the year. The only thing to keep in mind is that the mountainous areas do tend to close off around October once snow starts to hit higher elevations.
Starting From Port Angeles
If you’re making Port Angeles your home base for your elopement, try:
Places to Eat
- Kokopelli Grill – handcrafted Southwest cuisine downtown, with waterfront views from the upstairs bar
- Next Door Gastropub – elevated pub fare made with locally sourced ingredients
- Chestnut Cottage – a homey breakfast spot that fills up on weekend mornings with hikers heading into the park
- Downriggers on the Water – seafood lunches, voted best fish and chips in Clallam County
- First Street Haven – a local favorite for breakfast
Places to Stay
- Domaine Madeleine – sea-facing B&B with six contemporary suites and cottages inspired by the natural surroundings
- Colette’s Bed & Breakfast – luxurious five-bedroom B&B on ten acres of ocean-facing gardens
- Olympic Lodge by Ayres – one of the top-rated hotels in town
- Lake Crescent Lodge – historic lodge inside the park, about 30 min west (seasonal)
- Red Lion Hotel Port Angeles Harbor – waterfront location downtown with sunset views
Popular Hikes
- Hurricane Hill – about 3.1 miles round trip with 944 ft of gain
- Marymere Fall – a 90-ft waterfall near Lake Crescent, under 2 miles round trip
- Mount Storm King – starts by the Storm King ranger station at Lake Crescent; roughly 3.9 miles with 2,250 ft of gain
- Lake Angeles – alpine lake hike starting just outside town
- Spruce Railroad Trail – flat, paved lakeside trail along Lake Crescent
