Welcome to Yellowstone National Park! We talk about our first love being Glacier National Park but just across the Montana border is Yellowstone in Wyoming, and daaaamnnnn is it something to see. We have you covered with everything you need to know when you elope at Yellowstone National Park. 

Can you get married at Yellowstone National Park?

Absolutely! If you’re getting married and having a ceremony you’ll need a Yellowstone National Park Permit. If you are only reading vows, you can skip the permit process. Permits are granted for 2 hours max. You can fill out the permit here along with the payment form. Print the form and submit it with the $250 permit fee to: Visitor Services Office, PO Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190.

Then Email YELL_SUP@nps.gov with confirmation (Evan). 

OR you can call 307-344-2110 to submit payment over the phone.

What we also love about Yellowstone is their preference for elopements. They specifically state on their website,  “if you want to have a large, exclusive or decorated celebration, please consider locations outside of the park for your event or visit the Yellowstone National Park Lodges wedding webpage.” Like okay boo, we see you. We promise to bring the sweet and intimate celebration only. We can do a kick ass celebration at a later date if we so choose.

Marriage Application

How do you get eloped in Wyoming? First, separate from the permit, is the marriage application. Complete your Yellowstone marriage license application which is valid for 180 days. There is no waiting period so if you are coming into town right before, you can pick this up.  Streamline the process by filling out the application here.

When to elope at Yellowstone National Park

You can definitely elope in Yellowstone year round, but there are some challenges. With a summer wedding comes easy roads and predictable weather but it also comes with potential overcrowding. And maybe you are the person who dreams of a winter wedding.

If you are opting for winter, be aware that roads to the interior close November 1st. The North entrance – (Lamar valley into cooke city) is plowed. If you want to access the other areas of the park, you’ll need to go over snow. This means snowmobiles, or snow coaches.

Whether you are interested in a winter wonderland or a summer celebration, Honeybee Weddings is here to make your elopement an adventure of a lifetime!

Ceremony Locations

There are a ton of great spots for your ceremony when you elope at Yellowstone National Park. For our last yellowstone couple we put together a 56 page guide for them. If you know in your bones that this is where you want to go, let’s get started.

Contact Kelsey

Artist Point

Deemed the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is Artist Point. Trails and walkways wind along the rims and into the canyon. The canyon is roughly 20 miles long, more than 1,000 feet deep, and 1,500 to 4,000 feet wide. Lean over the rock walls of a cliff 700 feet over the Yellowstone River and you’ll see a steamy canyon of pastel yellow, pink, and orange colors. There is a huge waterfall smack in the center of your view. Get married with epic sunsets and beautiful water features. This is a ceremony to remember.

Distance/Difficulty: .9 loop, 13ft elevation gain (easy), takes 15 minutes to complete

Starting/finishing point: Artist Point – directions

Trailhead Accessibility: 1 hour from Mammoth 2wd car

Leave No Trace Information: Keep on trail & durable surfaces, avoid fragile sedimentary rock, don’t cross restoration barriers. DO NOT get near any animals.

Privacy/Seclusion (estimate): Very popular spot in Yellowstone, it will be crowded.

Max Group Size in Peak Season: 15

Stay at Canyon Lodge and Cabins

Canyon Lodge & Cabins is just a few minutes away from Artist Point. Welcoming guests from the beginning of June through early October, Canyon Lodge is a beacon for nature lovers and explorers alike. They have an onsite restaurant and bar for a celebratory dinner and drink after your best day ever!

Elope at Yellowstone National Park in Lamar Valley

Ranked #5 on Trip Advisor for things to do in Yellowstone is Lamar Valley. Located in the northeastern corner of the park, the Lamar Valley, along the Lamar River,  is often called America’s Serengeti for its large and easy-to-see populations of large animals.

Among its most famous inhabitants are the Junction Butte and Lamar Canyon wolf packs; wolf enthusiasts gather with spotting scopes most days hoping to see these impressive canines in action. In addition to wolves, other animals roaming the Lamar include large herds of bison, pronghorn, badgers, grizzly bears, bald eagles, osprey, deer, and coyotes. Many pullouts line the road, so keep your eyes peeled and park in the nearest one if you see any active wildlife.

Distance/Difficulty: Short walk from the car

Starting/finishing point: Lamar Valley 

Trailhead Accessibility: 1 hour from Mammoth 2wd car, close to Yellowstone Lake

Leave No Trace Information: Keep on trail & durable surfaces, avoid fragile sedimentary rock, don’t cross restoration barriers. DO NOT get near any animals.

Privacy/Seclusion (estimate): Chose a pullout, it is one of the busiest areas of the park.

Max Group Size in Peak Season: 5 – Groups may choose an empty pullout along the road in Lamar Valley the day of the ceremony.

Yellowstone National Park Adventure Session

Barronette Meadows – Lamar Valley

Once you’re in Lamar Valley, you HAVE to check out Barronette Peak. It is a spectacular place to view mountain goats and bighorn sheep. The cliff face of Barronette Peak is a 3500 foot sheer drop covered with waterfalls, petrified wood, mountain goats and bighorn sheep. 

The meadow itself is so serene. Exchange vows with the glassy water in the background and add a champagne pop during the sunset!

Distance/Difficulty: 1.2 mile loop, 209 ft elevation gain, ½ mile steep incline (moderately challenging). Takes 40 minutes to complete.

Starting/finishing point: Barronette Peak Overlook – directions

Trailhead Accessibility: 1 hour from Mammoth, 2wd car.

Leave No Trace Information: Keep on trail & durable surfaces, avoid fragile sedimentary rock, don’t cross restoration barriers. DO NOT get near any animals.

Privacy/Seclusion (estimate): Chose a pullout, this is another one of the busiest areas of the park.

Max Group Size in Peak Season: 20

Elope at Yellowstone National Park in Mammoth Hot Springs

We loooooove a good hot springs elopement! It’s fun, it’s steamy, it’s nature’s gift. Walk on boardwalks above the steaming hydrothermal features or take a drive around the vibrant travertine terraces. In the winter, you can ski or snowshoe among the whiffs of sulfur along the Upper Terraces. Check out the Mammoth hot springs webcam. 

You’ll find that some lodging options when you elope at Yellowstone National Park close down in the winter. One that is open year round is Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Cabins. It is just below the terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs, a short distance from the park’s north entrance.

Distance/Difficulty: Short walk from the car, short boardwalks

Starting/finishing point: Mammoth Hot Springs – directions

Trailhead Accessibility: 1 minute from Mammoth 2wd car

Leave No Trace Information: Keep on trail & durable surfaces, avoid fragile sedimentary rock, don’t cross restoration barriers. DO NOT get near any animals.

Privacy/Seclusion (estimate): Expect to see other people.

Yellowstone River Overlook at Hayden Valley

Hayden Valley, centrally located in Yellowstone National Park, is the first place to go to see wildlife in Yellowstone. As you drive along this beautiful, broad valley you are likely to see herds of bison, scattered elk (and the occasional herd), and the occasional grizzly bear. You are also likely to see waterfowl, including ducks, Canada geese and pelicans, swimming in or lounging near the Yellowstone River.

When you elope at Yellowstone National Park you can get married on the river’s edge in a patch of wildflowers. The closest in-park camping and lodging near Hayden Valley is at Canyon Village, only a few miles away. Psstt this is where we recommend you stay for a ceremony at Artist Point as well! When you book a full day elopement you get several location hops, we are going to make the most out of your best day ever!

Distance/Difficulty: Short walk from the car

Starting/finishing point: Yellowstone River Overlook at Hayden Valley – directions

Trailhead Accessibility: 1 hour and 10 minutes from Mammoth 2wd car

Leave No Trace Information: Keep on trail & durable surfaces, avoid fragile sedimentary rock, don’t cross restoration barriers. DO NOT get near any animals.

Privacy/Seclusion (estimate): Very popular spot in Yellowstone, it will be crowded.

Full Day Elopement

So let’s talk about timing. What does a full day elopement look like? 8-12 hours of adventure bliss. You waking up, eating breakfast, hopping in the Jeep with the top down, driving to the trailhead blasting your favorite tunes. Getting your pack on and carrying your wedding clothes and flowers. Lacing up those hiking boots. The journey to the top! Saying your vows, putting a ring on it (cue Beyonce dance) – it’s really here! It’s actually happening! Your first champagne toast, your first dance under the starlit sky. Then reliving the day sitting by the campfire as you cuddle up under a blanket, not wanting the moment to end.

Can you have a wedding at the Yellowstone Ranch?

Yes, BUT the Yellowstone Ranch is not in Yellowstone. The Yellowstone Film Ranch is actually in Livingston, Montana. While you won’t get the same national park experience, you will get a full ranch wedding if that’s your jam! In addition to the show Yellowstone (have we ever told you Beth is our hero?) This property is also in iconic Western movies like The Gunslinger, Murder at Yellowstone City, or The Old Way. Check out the deets at Yellowstone Film Ranch Events.

How to choose between Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park

It is definitely worth looking into Grand Teton if you are considering Yellowstone. Just 30 miles away from Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park is the place to be for a unique mountain elopement in Wyoming. These rigid mountains offer beautiful valleys, lakes, and rivers making it an awesome place to hike, ride a bike, kayak, fish, and GET MARRIED! 

Jackson Hole website points out that in Grand Teton, you can drive from one end of the park to another in less than an hour and tour the highlights of the park in a mere 42-mile scenic loop. Spending less time in your car can mean more time on the trail, if that’s your thing!

If you opt for Grand Teton, our hands down ceremony location is Schwabacher Landing. Which gives way to a large beaver dam. Beaver constantly work to enlarge and reinforce their dams. Have your ceremony midday and check out the beavers when they are most active around dawn and dusk. When the wind is calm, the pond reflects the central Teton Range framed by spruce and cottonwood trees. Swoooon.

Back at the badassery of Yellowstone is the oldest and largest bison herd in the US. Viewing these majestic creatures grazing freely in their natural habitat, one can catch a misty-eyed glimpse of the untamed spirit of the true Old West. What do you think? Where does your heart take you?

Best US Mountain Elopement Locations

Regardless of where you elope, make sure you know bear etiquette (yep, it’s a thing) and bear safety before you go – running into a Grizzly Bear is no joke!! To start with epic wedding planning, incredible photography, and drone options, let’s connect!