Eklutna Lake Wedding Guide:
How to Elope at Eklutna Lake
In Chugach State Park, Eklutna Lake is a brilliant turquoise-colored glacial lake surrounded by beautiful mountains. This peaceful oasis is perfect for hiking, kayaking… and tying the knot! Just under an hour's drive from Anchorage, an Eklutna Lake wedding is ideal for an outdoor getaway to celebrate your love! With over 15 miles of shoreline and plenty of trails through the mountains, you're guaranteed to find your perfect ceremony location. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about an Eklutna Lake elopement!
Getting to Eklutna Lake
Eklutna Lake is in Chugach State Park. It costs $5 for a parking pass for the park - you'll pay the fee when you arrive - but if you have an Alaska State Park annual pass, it's included! If you want to buy a pass, you can do so online, and get one for $60. This is a great deal for those who visit Alaska’s state parks often.
Eklutna Lake has a beautiful campground, too! It's $20 for a campsite, and the 50 sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. They even have 2 cabins available for rent to make your elopement an epic adventure.
The Best Time for an Eklutna Lake Elopement
Though visiting Eklutna Lake is fun year-round, you'll want to consider the changes in weather, crowds, and activities when you plan your elopement in Alaska. Keep in mind that no matter what season, you'll want to plan what you wear carefully, since Alaska’s weather can be pretty wild.
Summer peaks in July, but it's definitely not beach-wear weather. Highs average in the mid-60s, so while it's a great time to head out on the lake with a kayak, you won't want to swim in the cold lake! The days can be 19 hours long in the summertime, so you'll have plenty of time to hike the trails of Eklutna Lake. Since it's a popular recreation area, it's pretty busy on the weekends! If you want to avoid the crowds, plan for a sunrise or sunset wedding or have your elopement on a weekday.
The winters at Eklutna Lake are cold and typically below-freezing. Snow falls 7 months of the year (October through April), which is perfect for cross country skiing, ice skating, and hikes to the glaciers. The days are short, sometimes only 5 and a half hours in December, so you'll want to plan accordingly if you want to catch the daylight hours!
For nice weather, fewer crowds, and average daylight hours, fall and spring are amazing for an Eklutna Lake elopement! The leaves change colors in the fall, making a beautiful backdrop of oranges and yellows behind the blues of the lake. The wildflowers start to bloom after the snow melts in late spring, bringing beautiful shades of pink, yellow, and purple to the landscape!
Getting Legally Married When You Elope at Eklutna Lake
Now that you've thought about when you want to elope, you'll want to start thinking about getting your marriage license so you can make this thing official! We'll go over everything you'll need to do when you elope in Alaska!
To get your marriage license, you'll need to send an application with the $60 license fee to the clerk's office in Palmer or Anchorage. You can drop off your application in person, mail it, or fax it in - just know there's a 3 business day waiting period for your license after the office has your application and payment in hand. After the 3-day waiting period, you can pick up your license for your ceremony!
You'll need an officiant and two witnesses to sign your license. You can have a friend or family member get officiated through the Universal Life Church to be your officiant, or we can be your officiant and provide witnesses for you! After your ceremony, you'll need to return your license to one of Alaska's vital records offices. The closest one to Eklutna Lake is in Anchorage, but it can also be mailed to the office!
Things to Do When You Elope at Eklutna Lake
The best thing about eloping is being able to turn your wedding day into an adventure! You can make it anything you want, whether that's cozying up by the fire or hiking to a glacier. There are so many things to do when you elope at Eklutna Lake, but here are a few of our favorite activities!
Go Hiking
There are 4 popular trails at Eklutna Lake that range from easy to difficult. Eklutna Lakeside Trail is the easiest trail. It's flat but is 13 miles long - you can do the whole trail, or just do part of it. For a little more difficult trail, take Eklutna River East Fork Trail - this moderate 6-mile trail is narrow and goes over a couple of small streams. Twin Peaks Trail and Bold Ridge Trail are both more difficult, but both offer gorgeous, panoramic views of the lake and park from the top. You can go berry picking on the Twin Peaks Trail in the fall!
Kayak or Canoe
Summer is a great time for water activities at Eklutna Lake! If you have a kayak or canoe, it's a short walk from the parking lot to the lake, so you can launch right there. If you don't have one and want to try it out, there are huts near the shore that rent out kayaks and offer guided trips on the lake! Since the water is glacial runoff, it's really cold, so you probably won’t be swimming.
Ice Skating
Winter turns Eklutna Lake into the perfect ice skating rink! It's best to skate before the snow gets too deep, or after a good wind blows a lot of the snow away, so check out the snow reports before planning to skate to make sure you can go in the current conditions.
Eklutna Lake Elopement Packages
We know how exciting - and maybe a little stressful - planning your elopement can be. That's why, as elopement planners, it's our goal to make sure your elopement is the best day ever. Our Eklutna Lake elopement packages are specially curated just for you - from vendor recommendations to timeline planning, we'll be there every step of the way to plan an elopement that's as unique as your love!
If you're ready to plan your wedding day or want to chat more about our Eklutna Lake elopement packages, contact us, and we can talk about planning a wedding day that's full of adventure, and all about your wild hearts.
Photographer: Kristian Irey
Videographer: Megan Freeman
Planner: Alaska Wild Hearts Events
Florist: Lily of the Valley