How To Have Your Engagement Session in Mt. Rainier
Mt. Rainier is the perfect location for engagement photos! The park is full of magical locations that provide extraordinary backdrops. Like many places in Washington there is something for everyone to enjoy. Not to mention that you can find killer sunrises and sunsets at Mt. Rainier. I am so excited to share my favorite reasons why you should have your engagement session here and how to do so!
The Best Time of Year to have your Engagement Session in Mt. Rainier
The good news is that no matter what time of year you are planning on having engagement photos done, Mt. Rainier is open year round! However, like many locations there are definitely better months to visit. I personally think that the best time of year to have your session is mid July - mid September.
The snow in the park generally starts to melt off in early July and sometimes in September you can see a light dusting of snow on the peaks of the mountains. Additionally, the summer months offer you much more variety when choosing a location. This is when all of the roads and hiking trails are open. During the summer months, the weather is also the warmest and driest of the year. AND! If you are looking to chase wildflowers they typically bloom from mid-July through mid-August.
How to Get to Mt. Rainier
Getting to Mt. Rainier is fairly easy and the park has four different entrances that you can enter through. I typically stick to the White River / Sunrise: Northeast Entrance and the
Nisqually: Southwest Entrance. Both of these entrances are going to give you amazing views of the mountain with little hiking effort needed. These are a great option due to the ease of access and the variety they provide upon entering the park. Some of the spots you can find near these entrances do require a short hike but I promise it's so worth it! Also, we can shoot outside of the park and still get views of Mt. Rainier.
Permitting and Logistics
Mt. Rainier does require that you have a national park pass or to purchase a day pass upon entering the park. Additionally, some of the locations within the park require other land passes. When planning your engagement session it is always a good idea to check their website and call the ranger office to get a clear idea of what is required of you. You will most likely need a Commercial Use Permit or Special Use Permit in order to have your session take place.
Top 5 Planning Tips
You should plan to have your session on weekdays to help avoid crowds!
If you plan on hiking to your session location - make sure to bring comfortable walking/hiking shoes and then change into your ‘fancy’ shoes when you arrive at the location.
Dress in layers! It’s always a good idea to bring a coat to the mountain because the weather can change quickly. Bringing a raincoat is never a bad idea too!
Always make a plan to meet at a spot close to the entrance of the park that still has cell phone service. There isn’t very good signal in the mountains so you will want to meet-up before losing service so no one gets lost
Many couples want to bring their dogs to their sessions which is super fun; however, most of the trails within the park don't actually allow dogs on them. Although, there are a handful that do. If including your pup is super important to you, this is something you're going to want to think about ahead of time and will limit which trails you can do.
Ready to Start Planning Your Mt. Rainier Engagement Session!?
I would love to help you plan your engagement session in Mt. Rainier. It is one of my most favorite places to photograph couples. I can give you all the insider information you may need to have a stress-free session. Reach out here so we can start chatting about your vision!