How to Plan Your Glacier National Park Elopement in 2023
Home to 1,500 mountain goats, 26 glaciers, and one award-winning road, Glacier National Park quickly scales the ladder of being one of the best places to elope! With various lodging options, stunning locations, and super fun activities, this little corner of Montana is any adventurous couples paradise.
This comprehensive resource covers the basics for planning a Glacier National Park elopement in 2023. While I haven’t been to Glacier National Park yet, I think it would make an epic wedding location so I wrote this guide with general information to help jumpstart your own research! As always, my best suggestion is to hire a local wedding planner or a planner with experience in Glacier who can help with the nitty gritty logistical details specific to the area. You’ll be able to enjoy your day more and I’ll focus on getting you epic wedding photos!
Where to Elope in Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park has over 700 miles of hiking trails to explore. Rivers, mountains, and lakes are a few of the different sceneries you will come across. Below are some of the best places to elope in the park.
Lake McDonald
Lake McDonald is the largest and one of the most popular lakes in the park. Known for its colorful rocks, crystal clear water, and snow-capped mountain peaks, this location will be sure to blow your mind.
Logan’s Pass
At a staggering 6,646 feet, Logan’s Pass is the highest-elevation location reachable by car. Known for its paved path and mountain views, Logan’s Pass is a great accessible location for all couples. Unfortunately, ceremonies are not permitted at this location, but portraits are.
Big Bend
Big Bend has arguably one of the best views of the park. At this spot, you’ll be surrounded by jagged mountains and wildflowers. The scenery is quite dramatic and makes a stunning backdrop.
Bowman Lake
Bowman Lake is the third largest lake in the park. It’s primarily known for kayaking and its distance from other popular areas in the park. This is one of the better lakes if you’re looking for something more quiet.
Swiftcurrent Lake
Swiftcurrent Lake is a peaceful lake near Saint Mary. The lake itself has a 2.6 mile path that loops around it. It will be fully ADA accessible in 2024. This is a great spot to elope with friends and family.
Trail of the Cedars
Trail of the Cedars is perfect for couples looking to incorporate various sceneries on their elopement day. This location is wheel-chair accessible and offers some incredible views of the cedar trees. It does share a parking lot with the more popular location, Avalanche Lake, so consider eloping here during sunrise or sunset.
When to Elope in Glacier National Park
Technically, July and August are the best months to visit the park due to weather and openness, as in, all trails and shops are open. However, if privacy is important to you, avoid this time of year. While the weather will be nicer, you’ll experience traffic, high prices, and crowds.
Personally, I recommend the months of June, September, and October. In June, the park is usually completely open, but hasn’t hit the summer rush. In the fall months, the crowds are smaller and the fall colors are beautiful.
If you’re wanting a winter wonderland wedding, November - April is a great time to elope. Most locations and shops will not be open. However, Lake McDonald and West Glacier are open year-round which are both beautiful elopement locations.
PRO TIP: Avoid getting married during a holiday weekend. Most national parks experience an influx of visitors.
How to Get an Elopement Permit For Glacier National Park
In order to elope in Glacier National Park, you’ll need to obtain what’s called a special use permit. The permit is $125 and can be applied for one year before your elopement date. Check out the steps below to see how to obtain your permit.
Fill out the special use permit application. Be thorough and specific with your responses.
Send the completed application and $125 in the form of check or money order to the address below.
Glacier National Park
Attn: Special Park Uses
PO Box 128
West Glacier, MT 59936
If you prefer, you can send the application via email to glac_sup@nps.gov and make a note that you would like to pay with a credit card. They will then give you a call to have you pay with your credit card over the phone.
4. Once the park processes your permit and payment, they will send a final permit through mail or email. You then need to sign and return a copy to them in either the self-addressed envelope they will include with your permit or by replying to the e-mail.
Check out all the details about special use permits here.
How to Get a Montana Marriage License
The closest place to get a marriage license is in Kalispell, which is located about 45 minutes from the park.
You don’t need to make an appointment to get a marriage license. Simply walk-in anytime Monday through Friday between 8am-4:30pm.
Be sure to bring all necessary documents as well as $53 for the application.
If you want to save time, you can fill out the application beforehand, which can be found here.
Best Glacier National Park Airbnbs
The towns near Glacier National Park have some of the cutest Airbnbs around. Below are a few of some Airbnbs that would be perfect for not only staying in, but for photos as well.
Whitefish
Whitefish Pine Cabin on 5-Acres
Kalispell
Glacier
What to Pack
If you decide to elope in Glacier National Park, be sure to bring the following items to help you have a seamless elopement experience.
Layers. It gets cold in the park, especially during nighttime. Be sure to bring layers to stay warm.
Good shoes. The park is rugged. Hiking boots or shoes you don’t mind getting dirty are necessary to have an enjoyable experience.
Bear spray. Glacier is known for its thousands of grizzly bears. It’s important to study up on bear safety and bring bear spray to be safe.
Your permit and marriage license. Without these two documents, you can’t get married in the park!
Must-Know Glacier National Park Elopement Info
The Going-to-the-Sun Road is the most popular road in the park and is well-worth the drive. However, the upper portion of the road closes due to snow. While lower locations are still accessible during the winter months, it’s important to be prepared, as the road can close anytime due to the snow.
Pets are not permitted on trailheads. However, there are other developed areas in the park that do allow animals, as long as they’re leashed.
The cost to enter the park is $35 per car. As of 2021, the park has instituted an online reservation system (ticketed entry) for the Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor between the park’s West and St. Mary Entrances. This may be subject to change in 2023. If it doesn’t, be sure to regularly check the website for updates on when ticket sales open.
The park is very large and has numerous entrance points. Check out the map below to get a better idea of what side of the park you’d like to stay on.