Olympic National Park

Permit Information

Groups of 5 or fewer: no permit needed. 6+ people: $50 application fee, submit at least 2 weeks in advance (up to 1 year). 2 hour ceremony window including photography. No decorations, chairs, amplified music, or food service. Email olym_permits@nps.gov.

Seasonal Planning

Olympic's diversity means different areas peak at different times. The rain forests (Hoh, Quinault) are genuinely year round; winter rain intensifies the moss and keeps crowds away, making November through March the most atmospheric window. The coastal beaches are best in late spring and fall when storm light is dramatic but conditions are manageable. Hurricane Ridge opens fully in late June and peaks with wildflowers in July and August; the road closes in heavy snow, but limited winter access offers a snowscape backdrop. Lake Crescent is calmest in early morning from May through October. Summer (July August) is the driest and most accessible across the whole park, but also the most crowded. If you want Olympic to yourselves, come in January and stick to the rain forest and coast. Dress for rain regardless of season, it is part of the experience, not a problem.

Photography Notes

You can cover multiple ecosystems in one day. In the rain forests, overcast light eliminates shadows and makes the moss pop. On the coast, shoot at low tide for exposed sea stacks. Hurricane Ridge is best in morning before clouds build. Lake Crescent needs a calm dawn for reflections. Sol Duc Falls works at midday when diffused forest light fills the gorge evenly.

Planning Your Day at Olympic National Park

One-Spot Day

Olympic is really three national parks stacked into one: rainforest, wild Pacific beach, and alpine ridge. Most couples pick one world and stay there, the Hoh or Quinault rainforest for moss draped old growth, Ruby or Rialto or Second Beach for sea stacks and driftwood, or Hurricane Ridge for alpine meadows. Groups of 5 or fewer need no permit at all, which is rare in the national park system. The park is spread across a massive peninsula, drives between ecosystems are 2 to 3 hours each way. Pick your world first, the spot follows.

Ceremony + Portraits Split

Classic Olympic splits cross ecosystems: Hoh rainforest in the morning, Ruby Beach at sunset is a reasonable 30 minute drive on US 101. Lake Crescent and Sol Duc Falls are 20 minutes apart, both accessible from Port Angeles. Hurricane Ridge is its own commitment, an hour from Port Angeles up a winding road with no services at the top after the 2023 fire. Splits that include Hurricane Ridge need a full day with early starts. The 2 hour permit window (for groups 6 or more) is per location, so two spots means two permits and a tight schedule.

A Note on Light

Olympic is weather driven, rain is part of the experience in every ecosystem. The rainforests work best in overcast or light rain, flat light eliminates contrast and makes the moss glow. The Hoh gets about 140 inches of rain a year, the forest looks more like itself when wet. The coastal beaches face west, sunset is direct and golden, storm light in fall and spring is dramatic. Hurricane Ridge works in morning before afternoon clouds build over the peaks. Lake Crescent needs calm dawn for reflections, afternoon wind ruffles the surface. Sol Duc Falls works at midday when diffused forest light fills the narrow gorge evenly.

Ceremony Spots at Olympic National Park

• Hoh Rain Forest — Moss draped rainforest ceremony under ancient Sitka spruce, the defining Pacific Northwest elopement setting
• Ruby Beach — Sea stack ceremony with driftwood, crashing waves, and otherworldly Pacific coast scenery, the only mobility accessible beach in Olympic NP
• Hurricane Ridge — Alpine meadow ceremony with 360° mountain panoramas, wildflowers, and Strait of Juan de Fuca views
• Rialto Beach — Wild Pacific coast ceremony with sea stacks, driftwood, and heavy surf, quieter alternative to Ruby Beach
• Lake Crescent — Remarkably clear, deep lake ceremony in a glacially carved basin, mountain reflections, forest backdrop, and peaceful shoreline
• Sol Duc Falls — Intimate waterfall ceremony in old growth forest, a 48 foot cascade splitting into three to four channels through a narrow basalt gorge
• Second Beach — Secluded wild beach ceremony reached by a short forest trail, 13 named sea stacks, tide pools, and the highest concentration of sea stacks on the 73 mile Olympic coast
• Quinault Rainforest — Tranquil old growth rainforest ceremony, Hoh's quieter, lesser known sibling with enormous trees and deep solitude