Yosemite National Park is filled with breathtaking cliffside views, stunning waterfalls, beautiful meadows, beautiful forests, and epic mountain tops. Choosing to elope at this iconic national park will fill your special day with the most memorable and magical memories. 

You can elope anywhere in the national park and you can make this destination a reality with just a permit. There are so many places to elope at Yosemite National Park, so here’s a guide to help you choose the right location for you!

Taft Point

• Location
  • Taft Point – 2.5 hour drive from Fresno Yosemite International Airport
• Permitting
  • The permit cost is $150 
  • Parking is $35 per vehicle; the America the Beautiful Pass is an annual pass and can be purchased for $80 and will get you in any national park for free
  • If event monitoring is required, then you will be charged an additional $50 per hour
  • You can’t get a wedding permit during holiday weekends of holidays
  • Permits and reservations can be schedule up to a year in advance and more than 21 days prior to your event
• Accessibility
  • 2.2 miles (3.5 km) round trip easy hike
• Nearby Activities
  • Hiking, biking, camping, stargazing, kayaking, swimming, picnics, guided tours, birdwatching, fishing, horseback riding
• Crowd Levels
  • Heavily crowded, due to the incredible sunset views and cliffs, so recommended to come on a weekday or during off season

A quick note about Taft Point! The road up to Taft Point will be closed all of 2022, only accessible via a long hike up from the valley! Keep this in mind while planning!

El Capitan Meadow

• Location
  • El Capitan Meadow – 2.5 hour drive from Fresno Yosemite International Airport
• Permitting
  • The permit cost is $150 
  • Parking is $35 per vehicle; the America the Beautiful Pass is an annual pass and can be purchased for $80 and will get you in any national park for free
  • If event monitoring is required, then you will be charged an additional $50 per hour
  • You can’t get a wedding permit during holiday weekends of holidays
  • Permits and reservations can be schedule up to a year in advance and more than 21 days prior to your event
• Accessibility
  • Easy to access by leaving the park through Northside Drive and parking on the side of the road near the Merced River that takes you into the meadow
• Nearby Activities
  • Hiking, biking, camping, stargazing, kayaking, swimming, picnics, guided tours, birdwatching, fishing, horseback riding
• Crowd Levels
  • This is a public place that anyone can easily access, however there is enough space to spread out have a semi-private space to shoot
  • You get the lovely scenery of the meadows and majestic granite walls of El Capitan

Glacier Point

*Will be closed in 2022 due to rehabilitation

• Location
  • Glacier Point  – 2.5 hour drive from Fresno Yosemite International Airport
• Permitting
  • The permit cost is $150 
  • Parking is $35 per vehicle; the America the Beautiful Pass is an annual pass and can be purchased for $80 and will get you in any national park for free
  • If event monitoring is required, then you will be charged an additional $50 per hour
  • You can’t get a wedding permit during holiday weekends of holidays
  • Permits and reservations can be schedule up to a year in advance and more than 21 days prior to your event
• Accessibility
  • Super accessible and an easy walk from the parking lot
• Nearby Activities
  • Hiking, biking, camping, stargazing, kayaking, swimming, picnics, guided tours, birdwatching, fishing, horseback riding
• Crowd Levels
  • This place can be pretty crowded during peak season because it has incredible views of the Half Dome, so recommend to come here during the weekday or off-peak season

Cook’s Meadow & Sentinel Meadow

• Location
  • Cook’s Meadow & Sentinel Meadow – 2.5 hour drive from Fresno Yosemite International Airport
• Permitting
  • The permit cost is $150 
  • Parking is $35 per vehicle; the America the Beautiful Pass is an annual pass and can be purchased for $80 and will get you in any national park for free
  • If event monitoring is required, then you will be charged an additional $50 per hour
  • You can’t get a wedding permit during holiday weekends of holidays
  • Permits and reservations can be schedule up to a year in advance and more than 21 days prior to your event
• Accessibility
  • Easy to access from a parking lot. This is a flat and short 1 mile hike that can be accessible for wheelchairs as well. 
• Nearby Activities
  • Hiking, biking, camping, stargazing, kayaking, swimming, picnics, guided tours, birdwatching, fishing, horseback riding
• Crowd Levels
  • This place can be pretty crowded, however similar to El Capitan Meadow, there is enough space to spread out through the meadows, walkways, and woods for a semi-private shoot

Bridal Veil Fall

• Location
  • Bridal Veil Fall – 2.5 hour drive from Fresno Yosemite International Airport
• Permitting
  • The permit cost is $150 
  • Parking is $35 per vehicle; the America the Beautiful Pass is an annual pass and can be purchased for $80 and will get you in any national park for free
  • If event monitoring is required, then you will be charged an additional $50 per hour
  • You can’t get a wedding permit during holiday weekends of holidays
  • Permits and reservations can be schedule up to a year in advance and more than 21 days prior to your event
• Accessibility
  • Easy to access from a parking lot. This is a 0.5 miles roundtrip walk. 
• Nearby Activities
  • Hiking, biking, camping, stargazing, kayaking, swimming, picnics, guided tours, birdwatching, fishing, horseback riding
• Crowd Levels
  • Heavily crowded so recommended to go during weekdays and off season
  • Gorgeous waterfall views

Tioga Pass

• Location
  • Tioga Pass – 2.5 hour drive from Fresno Yosemite International Airport
• Permitting
  • The permit cost is $150 
  • Parking is $35 per vehicle; the America the Beautiful Pass is an annual pass and can be purchased for $80 and will get you in any national park for free
  • If event monitoring is required, then you will be charged an additional $50 per hour
  • You can’t get a wedding permit during holiday weekends of holidays
  • Permits and reservations can be schedule up to a year in advance and more than 21 days prior to your event
• Accessibility
  • Easy to access from a parking lot. Due to unpredictable weather and higher elevation, this location is typically only open from May through October
• Nearby Activities
  • Hiking, biking, camping, stargazing, swimming, picnics, walks
• Crowd Levels
  • Tioga Pass is a great drive away from the crowd for magnificent views, so this area is relatively quiet and private

Yosemite Valley

• Location
  • Yosemite Valley – 2.5 hour drive from Fresno Yosemite International Airport
• Permitting
  • The permit cost is $150 
  • Parking is $35 per vehicle; the America the Beautiful Pass is an annual pass and can be purchased for $80 and will get you in any national park for free
  • If event monitoring is required, then you will be charged an additional $50 per hour
  • You can’t get a wedding permit during holiday weekends of holidays
  • Permits and reservations can be schedule up to a year in advance and more than 21 days prior to your event
• Accessibility
  • Extremely accessible and easy to walk to from the parking lot
• Nearby Activities
  • Hiking, biking, camping, stargazing, kayaking, swimming, picnics, guided tours, birdwatching, fishing, horseback riding
• Crowd Levels
  • Highly trafficked and crowded, however there are a variety of locations within Yosemite Valley to choose for elopement photos and ceremonies:
    • Cascades Picnic Area
    • Lower Yosemite Fall Paved Trail 
    • Swinging Bridge Picnic Area
    • Cathedral Beach Picnic Area
    • Sentinel Beach Picnic Area
  • Ceremony locations can be reserved and scheduled up to a year in advance

Which Yosemite National Park location is calling your name? There are so many options to choose from, all incredible options with spectacular views. Want more elopements? See more on the blog and my Instagram!

Cheers!

Allison