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Oregon / Washington · Permit Guide

Columbia River Gorge

Last verified: March 2026

Verify before you apply: Permit fees, guest limits, and policies change. This page was last verified from the official source in March 2026. Always confirm current requirements directly with the park or agency before submitting your application.
Permit Fee
No permit required for private ceremonies with fewer than 75 guests
None for small private ceremonies. Commercial events (races, paid events) require a permit with fees.
How Far in Advance
No application needed for private elopements under 75 guests. Commercial event proposals accepted September 1 to November 1 for the following year.

Guest Limits by Location

  • —Under 75 guests: no permit required on National Forest System lands
  • —75 or more guests: contact the Columbia River Gorge NSA permit office

Photographer Policy

No permit or CUA required for private ceremonies. Your photographer can work freely alongside you without any separate authorization.

What's Not Allowed

  • ×Waterfall corridor, Angel's Rest, and Sandy River Delta: no organized events April through September
  • ×Dog Mountain: no organized events April through July
  • ×Catherine Creek and Coyote Wall: no organized events March through June
  • ×No events on the White Salmon Wild and Scenic River
  • ×No events in active fire closure areas
  • ×No events utilizing the Pacific Crest Trail
Worth Knowing

The Columbia River Gorge is one of the most accessible elopement destinations in the Pacific Northwest precisely because small private ceremonies require no permit. Just show up, get married, and enjoy the waterfalls. The blackout areas and seasons listed above apply to organized commercial events, not private elopements.

Official Permit Page