Mt Lemmon Elopement

Eloping on Mt. Lemmon

If you are planning to elope near Tucson, you have probably already found out that most of the beautiful spots are places you visit and then leave. You drive up, you say your vows at a viewpoint, and then you drive back down to a hotel room in the city.

On Mt. Lemmon it works the other way. You can be married in the pines at roughly 8,000 feet, and then walk to a private cabin that is yours for the weekend. No drive back down the mountain. No rushing. You are already home.

Mt. Lemmon Hotel sits in Summerhaven, the village at the top of the Catalina Highway, about 45 minutes from northeast Tucson. It is typically about 30 degrees cooler up here than it is in the city, which is worth remembering when you are choosing what to wear.

What the Elopement Package Includes

The ceremony venue is reserved for guests of the hotel. For an elopement that is not a restriction at all, it is the whole idea: your cabin and your ceremony are a short walk apart, and the celebration does not end when the ceremony does.

What the Elopement Package Costs

One price covers the ceremony site and your cabin together, and there is nothing added on top.

Both packages are all-in. The ceremony site, the decorative chairs and lighting, and your cabin are covered, and so are the Arizona tax and the one-time cleaning fee. Nothing is added at checkout.

The weekday package includes the ceremony and one night in your cabin. The weekend package runs from Friday afternoon to Sunday morning and includes two nights: a Friday ceremony, a Saturday on the mountain with the people who came, and no rush to leave on Sunday.

Rates are for parties of up to 10 guests at the ceremony. Larger parties are welcome and priced higher, and we will quote that for you.

Bringing guests who want their own cabin

Your package covers one cabin for the two of you. Guests who want to stay the night book their own cabin at our regular nightly rates, from $144 to $229, and there are 21 cabins on the property. If you are expecting more than a handful of people, tell us early so we can keep cabins close together.

The Ceremony Site

The ceremony area sits among tall pines, with white folding chairs in two rows facing a wooden gazebo. Decorative chairs and lighting are included at the listed price. It is outdoors, it is quiet, and the only sounds are usually the wind in the trees and whatever you have chosen to play.

Eloping in the Snow

Mt. Lemmon gets roughly 180 inches of snow a season. Our snow season runs about December through March, with the biggest storms usually in December and February, and snow is possible from November into April.

That means a snow elopement is genuinely on the table here, and the photographs are unlike anything you can get in Tucson. It also means you should watch the road: when snow is on the highway, four-wheel drive, all-wheel drive or chains may be required. Call the Pima County Sheriff's 24-hour road hotline at (520) 351-3351 before you drive up, or check our road conditions and visitor essentials page.

Your Cabin, a Short Walk From the Ceremony

The hotel has 21 private cabins, and every one of them is self-contained: full kitchen with a stove, microwave and fridge, private bathroom, heat, its own Wi-Fi network, and free parking on site. Cabins sleep 4 to 10 guests, so if you are bringing parents or a couple of close friends, everyone can stay on the property.

Twelve of the 21 cabins are pet friendly with no pet fee and no pet deposit, and up to three pets are welcome. If the two of you are eloping with a dog, that is genuinely fine here, and there is an on-site dog park between the Arizona Cabin and the wedding venue.

Check-in is keyless — you get a four-digit door code by text before you arrive. Times depend on which cabin you book: cabins 1 through 15 check in at 3 PM and out at 10 AM; the Family Bear, Summerhaven Sky, Arizona and Rose Canyon Lake cabins check in at 4 PM and out at 11 AM; and the Ski Tucson and Hike Mt. Lemmon cabins check in at 5 PM and out at noon. If you would like to check in early or check out late, ask us — we do it at no cost whenever availability allows.

You can see the cabins and the property in our photo gallery, or compare cabin sizes on the cabins page.

Who Handles the Rest

The package covers the ceremony site and the cabin. We do not provide an officiant, a photographer, or flowers, and we are not going to pretend otherwise. What we do have is the local knowledge.

Food and catering

Sawmill Run Restaurant is our on-mountain food partner, and they handle larger meals and full catering. You are welcome to bring your own catering, but we do recommend staying local: it means no long drive down to Tucson on your wedding day, and no cooler sitting in the car for two hours. The village restaurants and the General Store are a short walk from the cabins.

Bigger celebrations

If your plans grow past a handful of people, the Mt. Lemmon Community Center is available with coordination included, at additional fees. Our wedding venue page covers the full venue details, and Tucson wedding venues explains how the mountain compares to getting married in the city.

The Best Time of Year to Elope on Mt. Lemmon

• Summer. The mountain runs about 30 degrees cooler than Tucson, so a July ceremony up here is comfortable when the city is unbearable.
• Fall. The aspens turn gold, usually peaking in mid to late October. It is the busiest few weekends of the year on the Catalina Highway, so plan for traffic and book early.
• Winter. Snow, and the photographs that come with it. Check the road before you drive, and pack for a real mountain winter.
• Spring. Mild and quiet, with the wildflowers starting.

Whatever the season, the evening is the part most couples do not expect. The sunset guide covers where to watch the light go down, and the stargazing guide covers what happens after dark. You are above most of the city's light up here.

Questions Couples Ask

Can we elope on Mt. Lemmon?

Yes. Mt. Lemmon Hotel has an outdoor ceremony site in the pines in Summerhaven, about 45 minutes from northeast Tucson, and it is set up for exactly this — a small ceremony with the people closest to you. The venue is reserved for guests of the hotel, so you book a cabin and get married a short walk from your door.

How much does it cost to elope on Mt. Lemmon?

The package is $800 on a weekday and $1,600 for a weekend, which runs Friday afternoon to Sunday morning. That price includes the ceremony site and your cabin together, and it is fully inclusive, so the Arizona tax and the cleaning fee are already covered and there is nothing added on top. The weekday package includes one night in the cabin and the weekend package includes two. Rates are for parties of up to 10 guests at the ceremony, and larger parties are priced higher. Guests who want their own cabin book at our regular nightly rates.

How many guests can we invite?

The ceremony site is set up for up to 10 guests, which suits an elopement or a small wedding. Larger parties are welcome and priced higher, and if your plans grow well past that, the Mt. Lemmon Community Center on the mountain is available with coordination included at additional fees. Text us and we will work out what fits.

Do we have to stay at the hotel to use the venue?

Yes. The ceremony venue is reserved for guests of the hotel. For an elopement this works in your favor: your cabin and the ceremony site are a short walk apart, so you are not driving anywhere on the day, and your guests have cabins on the property too.

Can you recommend an officiant or a photographer?

We do not provide an officiant, a photographer or flowers as part of the package, but we do have local knowledge. Tell us what you are looking for and we will share the options other couples have used on the mountain, including officiants, photographers and florists. Ask us early, since most couples book their vendors before they travel.

Can we bring our own food and drinks?

Yes. Sawmill Run Restaurant is our on-mountain food partner and they handle larger meals and full catering, but you are welcome to bring your own catering instead. We recommend staying local for the larger meals, because it saves you a long drive down to Tucson on your wedding day. The village restaurants and the General Store are a short walk from the cabins.

When is the best time of year to elope on Mt. Lemmon?

It depends what you want from the photographs. Fall brings the aspens turning gold, usually peaking in mid to late October, and it is also the busiest time on the highway. Winter brings snow, usually December through March with the biggest storms in December and February. Summer is comfortable because the mountain runs about 30 degrees cooler than Tucson. Spring is mild and quiet.

Can we get married in the snow?

Yes, and it photographs beautifully. Our snow season runs roughly December through March, with snow possible from November into April. The one thing to plan around is the drive: when snow is on the highway, four-wheel drive, all-wheel drive or chains may be required, and the road above Ski Valley can be gated. Call the Pima County Sheriff's 24-hour road hotline at (520) 351-3351 before you come up.

Can we bring our dog to the elopement?

Yes. Twelve of our 21 cabins are pet friendly, with no pet fee, no pet deposit and up to three pets per cabin, and there is an on-site dog park between the Arizona Cabin and the wedding venue. Dogs are welcome at the cabins and on the grounds; please keep them leashed outside your cabin.