Fall Colors
Rainforest & Coast
Wildflowers
Season: Late June - Early August
Season: Late September - Early October
Season: Year Round
Typical Peak: Late July to Mid August
Typical Peak: Last week of September
Typical Peak: June - September
Summer in the PNW is an absolute paradise of meadows covered in wildflowers! Olympic is the first to get flowers, while Mt. Baker tends to bloom later in the season.
Washington's fall colors are different than other parts of the country. Here the ground cover turns bright orange and fiery red and the larches turn bright yellow. The moody mountains and these vibrant colors are incredible to see!
You can elope year round in the rainforest or out along the coast since it's more temperate. Late May until Early October is warmer, while you might have sunnier days sporadically from June through October.
September: The fireweed arrives indicating winter is on the way. The later into September, the cloudier/moodier it gets. Trails are still in great condition for eloping.
October: The first week of October is usually the last week that the mountain roads are open (varies by a few days every year). Anything before Halloween is still a great time to be out on the coast or in the rainforest.
November & December: Rainy, cold, and storms are rolling in off the ocean. It rarely snows in lower elevation areas but you can expect lots of rain.
January & February: Typically the coldest months with rainy and cloudy conditions.
March: Weather starts to warm up but you can still expect lots of rain. Occasional blue skies that feel like a sunny spring day.
April: Mixed conditions as we transition to Spring time. It could be warm and sunny or rain all day. Olympic would be the best location for April.
May: Warm weather but the trails are still covered in snow and most passes are still closed. May is peak season in the Columbia River Gorge with balsamroot flowers. So if you want to elope in the PNW in May, let me help you elope here!
June: Starts to feel like early summer but moody weather still hangs around. The mountains in Olympic are the first to become accessible.
July: Mid-July onward is officially summer season in the mountains with wildflowers blooming and most trails starting to be snow-free. Early July is doable but access will vary.
August: Wildflowers hang around until mid-August depending on how sunny/cloud it has been. All trails are snow-free by now. Most popular time to elope in Mt. Baker.
