How to Elope at Mount Baker
Your Guide to Mount Baker Elopements
Below is everything you need to know to plan an elopement or wedding in at Mount Baker in Washington state. As one of the most accessible mountain venues, it’s a truly unique and breathtaking place to elope in the summer for folks who love the Pacific Northwest. Keep reading to see more photos of Mount Baker elopements, plus
Why You Should Get Married at Mount Baker
Best Place to Elope at Mount Baker
Steps to Planning a Mount Baker Elopement
How to Get to Mount Baker
Best Time of Year to Visit Mount Baker
ADA Accessible Areas at Mount Baker
Things to Do at Mount Baker
Bringing Your Dog to Mount Baker
Mount Baker Photography Package
Why You Should Get Married at Mount Baker
You should elope at Mount Baker if you love the Pacific Northwest, mountain views, and beautiful alpine lakes. It’s the perfect area for couples who want to enjoy the beauty of nature, but might not want to hike far to see it. On the other hand, it’s also perfect for people who do want to hike longer distances, as far as they want, and then they can find a truly private space to say “I do.” The Mount Baker area truly has it all, and my list of ceremony locations is long—we’re certain to find your perfect place!
Best Place to Elope at Mount Baker
Artist Point
Artist Point is the end of Washington Highway 542. Drive east from Bellingham and the end of the highway is a huge parking lot with a lot of hiking trails branching off from it. It’s not a place to find privacy, because it’s one of the most popular outdoor locations in this area each summer, unless you want to meet there at sunrise. But it’s impossible to find another place so accessible, with such stunning views, and so the lack of privacy really isn’t going to dissuade me from continuing to recommend Artist Point to couples who love the mountains.
See more images from this sunrise elopement at Artist Point.
Picture Lake
Picture Lake is about 5 miles shy of Artist Point as you head up Highway 542. It’s near the Heather Meadow’s lodge at the Mount Baker Ski Area, and it’s an amazing place with views of Shuksan and Baker. There is a trail around the lake with a few stops for views that are just absolutely stunning.
See more images from this autumn elopement at Picture Lake.
Steps to Planning a Mount Baker Elopement
1) Create a list of your priorities
The first thing you need to do is set your list of priorities. What is most important to you? Is it the venue, photographer, date, another vendor, or something else? Whatever is your first priority, make it happen! If that first priority to make this event perfect is a vendor—reach out to them asap!
For elopements, it’s standard to begin with booking your photographer. You really want to prioritize connecting with someone who you will enjoy inviting into this special moment. Often, I’m the only other person present for an elopement, and it’s very important to me that each couple I work with feels supported to be fully themselves.
2) choose a Date
Book that top priority—venue, vendor, or other scheduling consideration. Choose a date and get it set! Once you’ve booking your top priority for a date, it’s time to start planning. You’ll be able to reach out to other vendors to check their availability, begin sending out save-the-date’s to any guests, and finalize so many other choices. It’s at this stage that you begin to find plans falling into place.
3) Choose a ceremony location
This decision can be made anywhere in the planning stage. If you’re bringing guests, you’ll need to know your ceremony location earlier. If you’re eloping just the two of you, you can decide on this up until the days before! Of course, you’ll need to know a general location. But, for example, if you’re eloping on a hiking trail and want to choose the best spot based on what feels right in the moment, I am happy to be flexible.
4) Reserve any bookings or reservations
Now it is time to make sure you have everything all set! A place to stay, your vendors, your travel arrangements, etc. You’ll also want to check up on any other permits that may be required, especially if you’re choose a ceremony location on public lands.
Olympic National Park does have a permitting system in place for weddings. However, I have spoken with the park rangers and multiple couples over the years who’ve been told you do not need a permit for a two-person elopement. You do need a permit if you plan to bring a group of guests along for the adventure, or if you want to do any kind of set-up. I recommend keeping it simple and letting the beautiful nature of the PNW act as your backdrop.
5) Have your dream wedding!
You’ve done the leg work, properly prepared, settled all the details, and now all that’s left to do is get hitched! Your wedding is going to be gorgeous in such a beautiful place—I can’t wait to celebrate with you!
Where is Mount Baker?
Mount Baker is a 90-minute drive east of Bellingham, WA and about 2.5 hours north of Seattle. The closest town is a little place called Glacier, WA and that’s the closest to the mountain you can get for lodging, restaurants, and rentals. There are so many cute cabins in the Glacier area, and from there it’s less than half an hour drive up to Picture Lake and Artist Point.
How to Get to Mount Baker
From Seattle
Begin by heading North on I-5. If you want to go through Bellingham, you’re going to be getting off at Exit 254 for Sunset Drive. Turn right onto Sunset, which turns into Highway 542, and you’re just going to continue straight for about 55 miles. Highway 542 goes through Maple Falls, Glacier, and ends at Mount Baker and Artist Point.
If you don’t go through Bellingham, you can save a little time by getting off I-5 at Exit 236 for Bow Hill Road. Turn right, and then continue straight onto Prairie Road. After about 9 miles you’re going to turn left onto Highway 9. After 16 miles, you’re going to take the first exit on the roundabout, from there you are on 542 and the road ends at Mount Baker.
Best Time of Year to Visit Mount Baker
Summer
Summer is the best time of year to elope at Mount Baker, especially if you want to go to Artist Point. The last 2.5 miles of the road to Artist Point closes when there is snow on the ground, and is only reliable open from July to the beginning of October. You can still reach Artist Point other times of the year, but you’ll either be hiking up a road that is not yet totally clear of snow, or snowshoeing.
Fall
Fall is personally my favorite time of year to be at Picture Lake. It’s a lot quieter than it is in the summer, with fewer visitors, but the fall colors around make for a truly stunning view of Shuksan. It’s not always guaranteed that you’ll be able to access Artist Point in the fall (unless you want to hike farther), but when you can it is the best view!
Winter
Winter at Mount Baker is ideal if you love skiing! The last few years the big storms have been coming later and later (February/March), so it can be a bit of a spotty place for snow early season. But, if you love a winter wonderland, there are a lot of trails that are great for snowshoeing or even just hiking out a little ways. You’re less likely to be guaranteed mountain views, because it might be socked in, but we still get some sunny days in the winter.
Spring
Spring at Mount Baker is a mixed bag. Usually it’s a continuation of winter, with a lot of the trails still mostly inaccessible and some of the more remote dirt roads still closed for the season. However, late Spring/early Summer produces wildflowers that I think make an optimistic May/June date totally within the cards. If you’re willing to risk the chance of a moody rainy day, spring can be a great time to get into the mountains before the busy crowds of summer.
ADA-Accessible Areas at Mount Baker
If you drive up to Artist Point, there are many views directly from the parking lot. There are also a mixture of paved and gravel paths to accommodate a mixed level of abilities. The only trail listed as ADA-compliant for sure is the Picture Lake Look, which is wheelchair accessible.
Picture Lake Loop Trail
Length: .4 miles
Elevation gain: 6 feet
Surface Type: Mix of compacted gravel, wooden boards, paved
Typical Trail Width: Between 3 and 6 feet
Accessible Parking: Roadside parking
Things to Do at Mount Baker
Mount Baker is the place to go if you love hiking, love the outdoors, and want to enjoy a beautiful time out in nature. You can rent out a cabin in Glacier, lounge in a hot tub, get pizza for dinner at Chair 9. Then, when you want to get out to explore, choose from dozens of trails for hiking, biking, and exploring!
Hiking in around Mount Baker
Lake Ann Trail (8.2 miles) is a beautiful out and back trail off the Mount Baker highway that can be turned into an overnight backpacking trip. The trailhead is halfway between Heather Meadows and Artist Point, near the Austin Pass Picnic Area.
Winchester Mountain Trail (3.4 miles) is a trail up to an old fire lookout. The road up to the Winchester trailhead is an 8-mile dirt road off the Mount Baker Highway, and it is possible to camp near the trailhead for an early morning summit. The lookout itself is first-come first-serve for overnight camping as well.
The Huntoon Point Trail (1.2 miles) is probably my favorite spot for couples who want to go to Artist Point for portraits, are willing to hike a little bit, but don’t want to go too far into the mountains. It’s still a busy spot, but gets far enough away from the parking area to find some privacy, especially at sunrise.
All overnight backcountry permits must be reserved online. Click here to get permits and more information on backpacking in the Mount Baker area.
Camping at Mount Baker
There a lot of camping and overnight sites within the Mount Baker area, many of which are along Highway 542. Whether you want a drive up campsite, a place to hike in to, or a spot that is even open in the winter, you’ll find it here.
Bringing Your Dog To Mount Baker
The Mount Baker area is split into two main kinds of land management—national forest, and wilderness. Dogs are allowed, leashed, in all of the national forest areas. Some of the wilderness areas are too fragile and dogs are not allowed. Of course, respect signage and always bring bags to pack out any messes!
Places You Can Bring Your Dog
Picture Lake
Artist Point
Lake Ann
Winchester Mountain Lookout
Most of the trails in the Mount Baker area
Places You Cannot Bring Your Dog
Table Mountain Trail
Within the bounds of the Mount Baker Ski Area during ski season
Mount Baker Elopement Photography Package
I offer all my standard photography packages for Mount Baker. It’s a beautiful place to host a two-person elopement or intimate family ceremony. There are plenty of rentals around Glacier, WA if you’re hoping to home-base here for a multi-day adventure, and of course you can choose to stay in Bellingham for access to more restaurants, and city amenities.
For longer elopement and wedding days it is easy to get the best of all the environments in the region around Mount Baker—you have the mountains, forests, and even the coast! From Mount Baker you’re about an hour drive to ocean.
I’d be happy to walk you through some sample timelines, and show you just what can be accomplished when you choose a wedding or elopement photography package for your Mount Baker wedding or elopement.
Mount Baker Elopement Photographer
Hey, I’m Jenn! When I’m not photographing elopements in epic locations, I’m home in Bellingham with my husband Dillen & our collection of foster-fail rescues, or off on my own adventure taking note of every beautiful spot that would perfect for a future elopement. I’m here to help you through the process of turning your dream into a reality, and I have an abundance of expertise to answer questions, make suggestions, and connect you with vendors/rentals/guides & more!
Click here if you’d like to learn more about my approach to elopements and outdoor weddings. If you’re ready to start planning, please send me a message!
Follow along on social media to see recent elopements, gather planning tips, and collect inspiration for your own adventure!
