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How to Elope at Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument

So, you want an EPIC adventure elopement spot. You want to climb something insane…that requires absolutely no technical experience. Then look no further than Mt. St. Helens.

Mt. St. Helens is an active volcano that sits 50 miles northeast of Portland, Oregon. What makes it so unique, you ask? Well, in 1980, a massive eruption blew over 1300 feet of elevation off the mountain leaving a 2-mile long crater.

It’s truly spectacular. And whether you want to elope on the top or at its foothills, there are plenty of locations that offer an unbelievable PNW backdrop. In this post, I’ll cover the whens, the wheres, and the hows of planning your dream elopement at Mt. St. Helens. 

Mt. St. Helens in the Summertime

When to Elope

Summer at Mt. St. Helens

If climbing Mt. St. Helens is your goal (more on this later on!), make sure you plan on eloping in the summer. Late June – early October is when the weather and conditions on the mountain will be ideal for a stress-free climb. Anytime before or after you run the risk of snow, clouds, and avalanche danger.

Fall, Winter, & Spring

You can certainly still experience Helens in the winter if summiting isn’t a priority. Every road surrounding the volcano is open all year round, meaning you can always access the trails and turnoffs with the best viewpoints. Just keep in mind that sunny days are fewer and farther between at this time of year. 

What’s My Best Option?

So here’s what we’ll need to decide: winter wonderland, flexible days, and a stunning volcanic backdrop? Let’s do December! 

Summiting is not a priority, but you’re prioritizing better weather and still want snow on the ground? Pick spring!

Want to summit on a clear day? Then summertime it is!

Springtime Mt. St. Helens Ascent

Where to Elope

Mt. St. Helens is surrounded on practically all sides by trailheads and viewpoints. Here are some options with stunning backdrops, starting with the obvious…

Summiting Mt. St. Helens

Can you imagine?? Eloping on the rim of an active volcano, overlooking at least FOUR other active volcanoes. It’s a tough climb: 4.1 miles and 4600’ of elevation gain. But if we start early, we’ll be at the top before you know it. And don’t worry, I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve to freshen up your look when we have our ceremony at the top. 

It can be hard to score a permit for this climb from Recreation.gov, so I would suggest booking a guide to guarantee your date. Mt.St. Helens Institute and Adventure Tripr offer private guided climbs of Mt. St. Helens – perfect for me, you, your partner, your officiant, and your two Washington-required witnesses!

Surrounding Trails Perfect for Eloping

  • Hummocks Trail is just 2.4 miles round-trip and opens up to picture-perfect fields overlooking the northern crater side of the volcano.
  • Loowit Falls Trail combines volcanic scenery and a waterfall with constant views of Mt. Adams, great views of Mt. St. Helens, and even views of Mt. Rainier. The trail is 8 miles with 1171’ of elevation gain, so we can scout for our favorite spot to hold your ceremony and then continue on to take photos at the waterfall. 
  • Harry’s Ridge Trail is 7.8 miles and 1564’ elevation gain of volcano views and summer wildflowers! Perfect for adding pops of color into your elopement. 
  • June Lake Trail is just 2.5 miles and perfect for snowshoeing. 
Loowit Falls Image courtesy of Outdoor Project

Car-Accessible Viewpoints and Overlooks of Mt. St. Helens 

Hit Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens in One Go

Packwood is a town that sits pretty much directly in the middle of the south side of Mt. Rainier National Park and the east side of Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. So why not hit two volcanoes in one go? Elope at Helens, and then take photos on Skyline Loop Trail overlooking Rainier! It’s a no-brainer.

As Always…

Once we start working together, I’ll let you in on all my favorite locations so we can choose together. As always, I log hundreds of miles every month to find the best areas. And since we’re using public land instead of a costly venue, it’s our job to do what to protect our surroundings and practice the 7 principles of Leave No Trace

How to Elope at Mt. St. Helens

Permit Information

Mt. St. Helens is in Gifford Pinchot National Forest, so we have to follow the rules specified by the National Forest Service. You must contact Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument to inquire about a special use permit (we can work on this together – my job is to make this as easy as possible for you!) by calling their main line: (360) 449-7800. We’ll also have to acquire a commercial photography permit, which is $250.

Getting to Mt. St. Helens National Monument

Portland is the closest city/airport to Mt. St. Helens. It only takes about an hour and a half to get from the airport (PDX) to the southern viewpoints, and two hours to get to the northern points. If you plan on renting a car, make sure you choose one with all-wheel drive for the winter months. 

If Seattle is your preferred hub, plan for a three-and-a-half-hour drive.

Where to Stay

It can be a little tricky to choose a good central hub around Mt. St. Helens. I’ll make sure to indicate the best places to stay if you’re planning to summit vs. if you are planning on eloping on a surrounding trail. We will have to start early (think 3:00 am!) if we’re going to summit, so it’s important to pick a place close by.

Airbnbs

Packwood Airbnb’s (For Helens and Rainier)

BASECAMP – modern cabin Image courtesy of Airbnb

Campsites

Van Life It!

If you choose to rent a van, you can sleep at the trailhead you want to elope at. Meaning we can catch dawn golden hour before anyone else even gets there! Washington is the capital of luxury campervan rentals. Outdoorsy.com is like Airbnb for camper vans. Renting one of these souped-up vans makes it easy to continue your adventure after you elope:

Stay in Portland

If summiting isn’t a priority and you don’t mind a little extra driving, Portland is a no-brainer to set as home base. Plus, you can book a really nice hotel, like The Nines or Sentinel, and explore Portland and its surrounding areas with ease. If you go this route, let’s do an ultra-hot steamy session in that 5-star hotel room 😉

Mt. St. Helens Adventures

There’s so much to do and see at and around Mt. St. Helens National Monument – it’s central to 2 major PNW cities absolutely worth visiting, plus it’s surrounded by nature. Here are some adventures to consider in and around the monument:

  • If a winter elopement speaks to you, go snowshoeing!

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Inspired?

  1. Mrissy says:

    This was a well thought out blog with a ton of information in it. I loved the options Of where you could stay.

  2. Ann Marie says:

    What a great guide full of all the information needed and love the permit links! Always helpful! Beautiful and an iconic location in the pNW that often gets overlooked I feel like. Love this!

  3. it is amazing! beautiful locations <3 And there are a ton of information for couples

  4. Heather M says:

    Mount st helens is such an incredible And often forgotten Elopement location! I love that you pointed out the necess permit to summit mount st helens as this is often looked over!

  5. Nate says:

    This is an excellent guide! I see a lot of these coming out and yours nails it perfectly. I love that you also outlined car accssible locations for people. Sometimes people don’t want to hike or have mobility issues that prevent them from having the epic hike look. So having an alternative option is such a great way to be inclusive. Great work!

  6. siliva says:

    the most detailed and complete piece about mt st helens! thank you so much for providing all of the information, along with some pretty incredible pictures 🙂

  7. Az says:

    I’ve never been there before but after reading this I feel like I would be better prepared to have an elopement there. This has great information in it. Giving examples of where to stay is really helpful.

  8. Wow ! All the best information on when and where to elope !

  9. Justyna says:

    Gah….Washington and Pacific north west just gives me all the feels…one day I will move there…so many astunning places to elope and adventure!

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hey, i'm molly!

This ain’t an all-day photoshoot, I’m not here to get you to grin at a camera all day long, that would suck. I’m here to capture all the natural and organic moments of a beautiful day filled with things you two love to do the most together. Whether that’s hiking, backpacking, camping, rock climbing, sailing, biking, exploring cities, or sipping on microbrews; whatever your heart desires. 

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