Avalanche Picnic Area Shoreline
The first step in planning All Montana weddings held in Glacier National Park require a Special Use Permit ) for designated ceremony locations. You can find the list of approved GNP ceremony locations here
Perhaps one of the most under-utilized Glacier National Park ceremony sites on the west side, is the “Avalanche Picnic Area Shoreline”. It’s an absolutely stunning location, but is best for September-October wedding and elopement ceremonies. The parking for this site is at the Avalanche campground( and Trailhead , Which is the most popular hiking trail on the west side of Glacier along Going-to-the-Sun Road .
In the summer it is impossible to guarantee parking even with a ceremony permit, so I always recommend other beautiful locations for my couples at that time of year. This area is also high traffic with families and picnickers enjoying the rocky creek bed and shoreline, so there is very little privacy in the summer.
But in the fall when the crowds thin out and tourist season gives way to the bumper season, the Avalanche Picnic Area Shoreline is perfect for ceremonies and pictures. Another bonus of this location is that once you have parking, there are several scenic points you can access for photos without having to drive anywhere. Following my couples’ ceremonies, we spend the rest of our time taking pictures across the park at as many scenic locations as time will allow. So when we can get several backdrops with one stop, we take full advantage.
Then we hop back in our vehicles and we are off for more epic Montana backdrops that only Glacier can provide.
I hope this helps when choosing your ceremony location for your Glacier National Park Elopement or wedding. And if you are looking for a local Montana photographer who knows the ins and outs of Glacier, I’d love to visit with you more! Just fill out my contact form at the bottom of the page and let’s start planning your adventure!
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