Best Mount Hood Elopement Locations: Mt Hood Village is the area you drive through at the very base of the mountain made up of the towns of Welches, Rhododendron, Zigzag and Brightwood. But to most people this area is just know as Welches which was named after one of the original homesteaders of the area.

I absolutely love this area. Not only is it one of my favorite places to photograph couples, it’s one of my favorite areas to hike. It’s home to the perennial favorite, Salmon River Trail, Ramona Falls and has access into some of Mt. Hood National Forests most beautiful locations.  It’s also a fantastic spot to grab an Airbnb. There are some really amazing cabins tucked away in this forests.

1. Salmon River Trail
   – The old trail and most popular stretch of it follows the Salmon River for 2 miles meandering through lush old growth forest. It’s always the first place I bring visitors to get a sense of “PNW vibes.” The trail is flat and easy and the scenery is fantastic. If you’re feeling more adventurous you can hike into the new section of the trail and up the mountain. This would be better suited for overnight elopements. Ever since the Clackamas River Corridor burned this summer this area has been my go to for hiking.
2. Paradise Park Trailhead
   -A short drive up the mountain from Welches and you arrive at the trailhead parking for Paradise Park. Paradise Park can be accessed from this location or from above via the Timberline trail I’d recommend the upper route if you plan on going to the Paradise Park meadows which are filled with wildflowers. Although the trail head sits along a beautiful stretch of forest and river and is as good as any place if you’re wanting lush, green elopement vibes.
3. Lolo Pass
   – Lolo Pass connects with Lost Lake via an old forest road. I don’t recommend this but it does have some amazing views on the way up as well as access to the Pacific Crest Trail. Your best bet here is getting on the trail towards Ramona Falls or going up to the top and picking a vista ridge. Beware though, this is bigfoot country.
4. Still Creek Campground
   – Still Creek Campground along with a few others tucked away along the highway up Mt. Hood are fantastic spots for people that don’t want to invest too much time or energy into locations. These campgrounds are almost always empty in the fall and winter months and provide a great old growth forest backdrop with minimal walking/hiking to the location. Great if you’re bringing grandma along but still want outdoor aesthetics

Accommodations Advice:

There aren’t many hotels in the area but there are a TON of great Airbnb listings. Below are a few of the Bed and Breakfasts in the area. If you want to stay in the area I’d recommend an Airbnb or a stay up at Timberline Lodge.

Sandy Salmon Lodge
Airbnb Listings

Best Mount Hood Elopement Locations: Government Camp sits along the highway over the mountain. It’s below Timberline Lodge but is on the road up. There’s a few great hiking spots that start here as well as a well known ski area and wedding venue. Depending on how much work you want to put in you can get some amazing views here.

1. Mirror Lake 
   Mirror lake is a very popular high that starts near Government Camp. It’s not as epic as Trillium or Lost Lake but is a great outdoor location. I recommend if you’re willing to hike to Mirror Lake keep on going to Tom Dick and Harry for a huge vista payoff.
2. Trillium Lake
   -If instagram was a person this is where they’d live. Trillium is a short drive off the highway and easily accessed all seasons except winter where you have to snow shoe in if you want to visit. It’s one of the best views for the least amount of effort on the mountain. The view here is pretty incredible and honestly never gets old. The downside is it is extremely busy. It’s the Cannon Beach of Mt. Hood. So if you decide to elope here plan early or plan on a weekday. Weekends are insane. But worth it.
3. Tom Dick and Harry Mountain
   – If you want big views, this is your spot. It’s a hike though…7.7 miles to be exact. This is the kind of spot you want to spend all day at and camp. The view here is incredible and you don’t want to rush it.This is probably my overall favorite spot in this category but it does take some work(and bug spray).
4. Skibowl
   – Skibowl is the local ski resort in Government Camp. It’s also a very popular wedding venue. They have a beautiful rustic Chalet you can take the lift to. The best spot though is if you take the lift to the very top past the chalet you overlook Mt Hood with little to no hiking. It’s really epic on a clear day. Downside is the lifts don’t run late so you’d have to hike down and it’s pretty steep.

Accommodations Advice:

There are quite a few options here. Many airbnb’s and a decent sized hotel which is quite generous for a small town. I highly recommend the airbnb cabin rentals.

Best Western
The Lodge at Government Camp
Collins Lake Resort
Airbnb Offerings

Best Mount Hood Elopement Locations:. Hood is really quite epic. Over 11,000 feet tall and home to 6 ski areas this place does disappoint no matter what season it is, it’s always drop dead gorgeous. I love it in the winter and I love it in the summer. They’re totally different environments but absolutely gorgeous.

1. Silcox Hut + Timberline Lodge
   – The Silcox hut is a rust stone hut built by the WPA in 1939. Originally intended to be a warming hut and starting point for mountain climbers it fell into neglect. Fortunately it was resurrected and has become a popular wedding venue on the mountain. It’s perfect for smaller intimate weddings we a few friends and family. In the summer you can take the lift but in the winter they’ll usually drive you up in the snowcat which is a blast.                                                                                                                            The Timberline Lodge sits at 6000 feet and was also built by the WPA. It’s masterfully crafted by local artisans. The wood and iron work is famous. It’s home to the longest ski season in the country(all year). So if you want to get married in July and then hit the slopes, it’s totally possible! Timberline is a great place to stay if you’re eloping on the mountain and still want a bit of comfort. It’s quite a nice hotel/lodge.
2. Timberline Trail 
   -From the Timberline lodge you can walk out the front door and start hiking on the Timberline trail which circumvents the entire mountain in about 40 miles. There’s tons of amazing viewpoints along the trail from the high meadows near White River to the Cairn Basin and beyond. You don’t have to go all in to reap the rewards of eloping here either. Doing a quick day high to capture the mountain vibes is a very popular alternative to hiking the whole loop which usually takes around 3 days.
3. – Paradise Park
   – This place is stunning in the spring and summer. It’s a giant meadow filled with wildflowers. You can access it from below the mountain near Welches or you can hike it from above via the Timberline trail. I recommend the top down route because you get better views and last time the lower trail had tons of deadfalls and branches. This is fantastic overnight location. All you need is a backcountry wilderness permit(free) and you’re good to go.

Accommodations Advice:

I’d recommend staying at Timberline Lodge or down in Government camp. They also offer the Silcox Hut for just under $2000/night but it can hold 10 people so it would be the perfect spot for a smaller intimate wedding if you want to sleep up on the mountain for the night.

Timberline Lodge
Silcox Hut

Best Mount Hood Elopement Locations: eastside of Hood(and North) are quite a drastic change from the west side. It’s much drier and more akin to something you’d find in Bend. I love how you can drive 20 minutes and end up with a totally different climate. Below I’m listing a few of my favorite spots on the east and north side which is closer to Hood River.

1. Tamawanas Falls
   – This is a great little waterfall. The hike in is short and quite beautiful. The waterfall itself has nice basalt columns and has a ton of fallen rock at the base which gives it a different look. I really enjoy the hike in on this one. The waterfall itself is not the most impressive but it’s one of the few on the east side and is close to a bunch of great trails so I wanted to include it.
2. Sno Parks
   -Mt. Hood has tons of sno-parks. If you’re wanting a winter elopement these would be perfect. The snow is deep and heavy up here and it coats the trees completely. If you’re into cross country skiiing or snowshoeing this would be the perfect adventure wedding spot in the winter. In the summer these double as great forest venues. My favorite in the winter is Barlow Pass which is quite easy to access and a popular spot for cross country skiers. It’s a winter wonderland.
3. Hood River(the actual river)
   – Hood River runs down the east side of hood all the way to the Columbia River where it meets up at the aptly named town of Hood river. The river itself is quite small but runs strong all year. The shore line is often a great place for a summer or fall ceremony with a post ceremony hike nearby. There’s plenty of pull offs on the highway which runs right next to the river for most of the way.
4. Lost Lake
   – Probably my favorite on the east side. You can access it from the fruit loop drive near Hood River. The drive in winds you through national forest and you will lose all cell phone reception. The pay off is a great lake with tons of amazing hiking and camping options. They have a lodge, cabins and yurts available. This would be a great spot to spend the weekend hiking around and exploring. Sunsets and sunrises here are spectacular. This can also be accessed via Lolo Pass but the road is is much rougher than the main route.
5. Clackamas River Zone  – The Clackamas river zone outside of Estacada is one of my personal favorite areas to explore. It’s full of river pullouts, hot springs, campgrounds and really great views. All within an hour or so drive of downtown Portland.

Accommodations Advice:

Most of your accommodations on this side are going to be close to Hood River. There’s a few good BnB options but Hood River also has some larger hotels which are worth considering.

Bigfoot Lodge
Columbia Cliffs Villas
Best Western Hood River
Lost Lake Resort
Old Parkdale Inn

Another great option is Cooper Spur Resort. Which is a small hotel with cabins but also is a wedding venue placed on the mountain side.