If you have spent time in Mammoth Lakes, you know the kind of unmatched beauty this place holds. The Eastern Sierra is exactly what it sounds like– the east side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, including the Owens Valley and the popular small cities of Bishop and Mammoth Lakes. From rugged mountain ranges to desert landscapes scattered with sage brush, from smooth sand dunes to textured granite boulders, and from luscious green forests to alpine lakes, choosing the best location for your elopement can be a challenge! Here are my best locations to elope near mammoth lakes. I hope these destinations inspire your imagination as you dream up the perfect day.
Why is the Eastern Sierra / Mammoth Lakes area perfect for an elopement?
The Owens Valley is the deepest valley in the United States. The floor sits at 4,000 feet, surrounded by the Sierra crest to the west, and the White Mountains to the east, with peaks ranging from 12,000 to 14,000 feet (including Mt Whitney!) Read more about the Owens Valley here.
The Owens valley has some of the easiest access to alpine areas and activities rock climbing, trail running, backpacking, day hiking, and paddle-boarding.
Mammoth Lakes and Bishop are extremely remote towns. The nearest “real” cities like Reno, Vegas, and LA are 4 hours away. You can find quieter, less populated areas that are just as stunning as Yosemite, with out the crowds. I’ve complied a list of some of my favorite local spots for engagements and hiking elopements. As with any place, weather will determine your experience in these magical places, and I’m here to help you figure out where to elope in the eastern sierra.
Best Locations to Elope Near Mammoth Lakes
All of these range from 20 minute drives, all the way up to 3 hour drives from Mammoth Lakes or Bishop California. Some of these involve challenging hikes, others are easy to drive to with little to no hiking.
- Owens River – (drive up, no hike, 20 min south of Mammoth)
- Convict Lake – (drive up, no hike, 20 min south of Mammoth)
- Hot Creek Geological Site / Bree’s Lookout – (drive up, no hike, 20 min south of Mammoth)
- Tuolumne Meadows / Yosemite National Park (Range of options from hiking or not hiking, 1 hour north of Mammoth)
- Alabama Hills – (drive up, no hike, 2 hours south of Mammoth Lakes)
- Blue Lake – (Challenging hike, 20 minutes from Bishop, 50 minutes south of Mammoth)
- Lake Sabrina – (drive up, no hike, 20 minutes from Bishop, 50 minutes south of Mammoth)
- Ruby Lake out of Rock Creek – (Intermediate hike, 40 minutes south of Mammoth)
- Independence Courthouse – (drive up, no hike, 1.5 hours south of Mammoht)
- Buttermilk Boulders (drive up, small hike)
- Death Valley National Park (Range of options from hiking or not hiking)
- Eureka Sand Dunes (intermediate hike)
1. Owen’s River
2. Convict Lake
Best Season: Accessible and beautiful through every season, but changes dramatically with the snow.
Access: One of the most epic, beautiful views for the least effort. The road is plowed all winter long.
Keep in mind that the vibe and options change between seasons. During summer months, you could use Convict Lake as a trailhead to hike into the mountains; you could paddle board or swim, have a picnic on the shore. During the fall you can find pops of color from aspens and rabbit brush. Winter season comes with snow and darker colors.
VIEW THE SUMMER PADDLE-BOARDING ANNIVERSARY SESSION
VIEW THIS WINTER ELOPEMENT AT CONVICT LAKE + HOT CREEK (coming soon)
3. Hot Creek Geological Site – Bree’s Lookout
Best Season: Hot Creek beautiful any time of year! It looks different depending on the season in terms of greenery and snow, etc.
Access: This is a drive-up location. This area can get crowded on weekends and holidays, so be considerate of others during peak times.
Hot Creek Geological site is a great sunset location at the end of the day. There is some incredible geological history to read about on this location too. It is a mere 10 minutes from Convict lake, and there are a lot of fun meadow-like spots, hot springs, and views of the Owens River to explore nearby as well!
VIEW THIS STYLED ELOPEMENT / ANNIVERSARY SESSION HERE
VIEW A WINTER ELOPEMENT AT CONVICT LAKE (also seen below)
4. Tuolumne Meadows / Yosemite National Park
Best Season: Summer and Fall are typically the best. If you want to access from the eastern sierra, Tioga Pass must be open. If you want winter vibes in Yosemite Valley, you can access from the bay area west side and enjoy the snow.
Access: You can drive through the park with a National Parks Pass. (Make sure Tioga Pass is open!) The photos you see here involved short, easy hikes, but there are plenty of longer, challenging hikes to choose from! You definitely need a permit for all weddings in the National Park!
VIEW FULL ELOPEMENT IN TUOLUMNE MEADOWS HERE
READ “HOW TO ELOPE IN YOSEMITE” HERE
5. The Alabama Hills
Best Season: Fall, winter, and spring. Very hot during the summer, but doable with an alpine (early morning) start!
Access: Drive to parking. No hiking necessary, but best views if you walk about half of a mile. 2 hours south of Mammoth Lakes, 1 hour south of Bishop
Do you like the idea of getting married within view of Mt. Whitney? the Alabama Hills are iconic for many reasons. The rolling granite hills and view of Whitney are so iconic, and hundreds of movies have been filmed in this area. You can easily stay in Lone Pine, or camp near the hills themselves. There’s lots of history to read about and information on camping and hiking via the BLM site. There are some important Leave No Trace principles that you will want to be aware of. Read more here.
6. Blue Lake
Best Season: This is a summer / fall only location! July – October would be perfect
Access: Drive to Sabrina Lake Trailhead. Hike 6 miles RT with 1500 ft elevation gain.
VIEW THE FULL HIKING ELOPEMENT HERE
7. Lake Sabrina
Best Season: Best to visit from June – October depending on the snow levels that year.
Access: This is a drive up location! No hiking necessary.
Lake Sabrina is an easy access alpine lake, surrounded by aspens. During summer months, there are great trailheads to explore, or this is also an easy access spot to end your day in an epic way. Cardinal Village Resort is an AMAZING place to stay if you want to plan an all day elopement near Bishop. Resting at 8500 ft, it stays relatively cool all summer, and is a winter wonderland during the winter. Read more about Cardinal Village here.
VIEW THE FULL WEDDING DAY HERE
8. Ruby Lake / Little Lakes Basin
Best Season: Another summer spot, June-October would be amazing!
Access: This is a 4 mile RT, 800 ft elevation gain hike.
Ruby Lake is set in the Mosquito Flats / Little Lake Basin area. It’s near Rock Creek Lake which is equidistant between Mammoth and Bishop. There are tons of alpine lakes in this basin, all of which would make great choices for an elopement.
VIEW THIS HIKING ELOPEMENT HERE
9. Independence Courthouse + Onion Valley Road
Best Season: This one could be year round, although summer would be hot. I suggest October through April.
Access: Easy access, no hiking necessary.
This is a unique venue for elopements, because it combines a classic courthouse elopement vibe with the outdoors.
10. Buttermilk Boulders
Best Season: Ideal in fall & spring, also good during winter but too hot during the summer
Access: This area is easy to access, although expect some washboarding on the dirt road. Most of the time, any car can make it out (though expect washboards), but sometimes the road washes away due to snow and rain. Always best to do some research to find out.
For the avid climbers, why not explore a beautiful climbing destination? The buttermilks remind me of the Alabama Hills because of the granite features. The view of the sierra range is stunning from here too.
11. Death Valley National Park
Best Season: Cooler temps are a must. I suggest visiting from November – March.
Access: The areas seen here are easy to drive to, with options to walk as little as much as you want to get the best views. You will need a National Parks Pass to enter the park.
Death Valley is a surreal landscape. There are a few extra rules here because it is a national park, but it’s still very easy to get permits! It can be hot year round, and winter is the ideal season to explore. You can find lodging at the hotel called Oasis at Death Valley, as well as designated campsites and dispersed camp areas.
12. Eureka Sand Dunes (Near Death Valley)
Best Season: Cooler temps are a must. I suggest visiting from November – March. You could encounter high winds, otherwise it is usually sunny and beautiful.
Access: You can drive to these dunes, and they are outside of the national park. However, the last 10 miles of the road are seriously washboarded, and after big storms it can get worse. You’ll be happier with a good 4×4 vehicle!
Desert sand dunes are one of the most stunning natural landscapes, and I’m obsessed with the dramatic light & shadow made possible by the curvilinear lines. The above photos were taken in the Eureka Sand dunes, on the edge of Death Valley. They are some of the tallest dunes in the lower 48 states.
VIEW THE FULL STYLED ELOPEMENT HERE
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