Ultimate Yellowstone Adventure
Yellowstone National Park, WY
Trip Highlights
- 4 Days Llama Trekking
- 3 Days Inn-based Hiking
- Pristine Wilderness
- Geothermal Features
- Rivers & Waterfalls
- Iconic Wildlife Habitat
Description
Join us for the ultimate exploration of Yellowstone National Park! On this epic itinerary, we combine a 4-day backcountry adventure with three days of inn-based hiking. We first head into the gorgeous Gallatin Range on a llama-supported excursion to discover the wild side of Yellowstone. Stunning mountain views, vast meadows sliced by meandering trout streams, fields of wildflowers, dense forests, alpine lakes, wildlife habitat and more are the highlights of the first four days. We will also hike to the summit of Mount Holmes (10,336′), sit around roaring campfires and sleep under a spectacular night sky.
On the afternoon of day 4 we return from the backcountry and begin the next phase of our journey. For the following three days we will explore the must-see attractions of Yellowstone on a diversity of hikes to geyser basins, waterfalls, canyons, mountain summits, wildlife and more. Each night we will return to the luxury of hotels and lodges in and around Yellowstone.
If you want to make the absolute most of your visit to America’s first national park, this trip is the way to do it! Give us a call at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to learn more or book your spot today.
$4950 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 2
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
This trip follows well maintained trails on the first and last day, with moderate distances, elevation changes and backpack weights. The day hikes on day 2 and/or 3 are off trail and require hiking on moderately rugged terrain with rocky, log-strewn, loose and vegetated sections.
Hiking Distances:
5-10 mi
Backpack Weight:
10-20 lbs
Terrain:
Moderately Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
2700 feet
Heights Exposure:
Light
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 10-20 lb backpack for 5-7 hours
- Maintaining balance and footing on moderately rugged terrain (while day hiking)
- River and creek crossings on slipper rocks and/or logs
SOLITUDE LEVEL 3
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Yellowstone trip a solitude 3. For the first three days, you can expect to see a couple of other groups per day. On the last two days, expect to be around other people most of the time.
MINIMUM OF 2 GUESTS
If a trip does not reach the minimum number of guests, you may choose to transfer to another trip date or another trip, be refunded your payments in full, or you may have the choice to pay a supplemental fee to run the trip with fewer guests. We make the final determination for these trips 4-6 weeks before the departure date, and notify guests of changes and options immediately.
PRIVATE TRIPS
Travel in perfect company by booking a private trip exclusively for your group!
Our sliding scale for private trips is based on the final number of guests in your group. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax, national park fees or guide gratuity. The final rate is based on the actual number of guests on the trip and may adjust based on cancellations or additions.
Please Note: you can also enjoy a private trip at our normal scheduled rates by filling any empty tour to capacity. However, if group members drop from the tour those spots will automatically become available on our website for instant booking. By purchasing a private trip at the rates listed below, your trip will remain exclusive to your group regardless of cancellations.
PRIVATE RATES FOR THIS TRIP
- 2 People: Rate x 2.5
- 3 People: Rate x 1.75
- 4 People: Rate x 1.25
- 5+ People: Rate x 1.15
*all rates are per person
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ITINERARY
Day 1
- Shuttle to Trailhead: 3 hours
- Hiking Distance: 5.5 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 800/500ft
This trip starts off with pick up at your hotel in Jackson, WY or Driggs, ID. We enjoy a gorgeous drive along the western edge of Yellowstone to our trailhead. Our hike starts with picturesque views as we head from the parking lot straight into open meadows that burst with wildflowers most of the Summer. We quickly gain open views high on a hillside, giving us a great vantage of Grizzly Lake. The trail continues through meadows often dotted with red, yellow, purple, and pink flowers before descending into a classic Lodgepole Pine forest. Along a babbling creek, we set up a cozy backcountry base camp, which is our home for the next three nights.
Day 2
- Hiking Distance: optional day hike – 10.5 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 2700ft
We enjoy our first backcountry breakfast before setting off for a good day’s hike. Today is an attempt at summiting Mount Holmes, the southern terminus of the Gallatin Mountain Range. We’re in for a full day of breathtaking views! The trail starts with a gradual ascent but gets us above tree line very quickly. We spend most of the first couple miles traversing the lush southern hillside below a prominent point. We’ll make sure to keep our eyes peeled for bears, raptors, and herds of elk. As the trail gets steeper, we’ll marvel at the changes in plants, trees, and open space of each microclimate. Approaching the summit offers renewed, spectacular views of Antler Peak and Dome Mountain, as well as the glacial-fed lakes below them. The summit features the remnants of a fire watch tower that burned down after a lightning strike. This 360-degree view will take your breath away as you survey Electric Peak to the North all the way to the Tetons to the South on a clear day.
Day 3
- Hiking Distance: optional day hike – 5 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 1000ft
For today’s hike, we will wrap around the foothills on the opposite side from the Mount Holmes route. After a short tromp through luscious riparian zones, we ascend a great hill that quickly earns us wide open views of Gardners Hole, Swan Lake Flats, and Bunsen Peak. From there, we head into a dense old growth forest that is so lush, it is feels like the Pacific Northwest. Our destination is a hidden gem of a lake, literally and figuratively. This algae-laden lake is tucked away by the density of the surrounding forest and the towering peaks above it. It is a charming, quiet spot to see what fish or woodland critters may be around.
Day 4
- Hiking Distance: 5.5 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 500/800ft
- Shuttle: 1 hour
On the last day, we will break down camp, enjoy a delicious breakfast, pack up the llamas and say goodbye to our pristine mountain creek. We will reverse the hike from Day 1 back to our trailhead, this time enjoying entirely new views. After unloading the llamas, we’ll embark on a scenic drive to tonight’s hotel in Gardiner, Montana at the northern entrance to Yellowstone. After much deserved showers, we’ll meet for dinner together out on the town.
Day 5
- Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,400 feet
Today’s hike is one of the most beautiful in the park, a hike to the summit of Mount Washburn at over 10,000 feet. The trail to the summit travels through picturesque subalpine parkland where wildflowers abound. Bighorn sheep are sometimes seen grazing along the hillsides. This is one of the only places in the park where hikers can get close up views and photos of the majestic sheep as they are habituated to the presence of hikers. It is a steady climb over 3 miles to the summit where we’ll have a tremendous view of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone – a giant rift in a landscape of forested hills. Other sites include Yellowstone Lake, the Teton Range, Electric Peak, and an overall sense that the entire park stretches out below your feet. Following this beautiful hike, we’ll drive to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone for a short stroll out to Artist Point for one of the more phenomenal waterfall views in North America – the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River. The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is an amazing feature at 20 miles long, 1,200 feet deep, and a mere 4,000 feet in width on average. It was formed approximately 10,000 years ago when a large glacial ice dam in Hayden Valley burst, flooding the canyon and creating the two thunderous waterfalls and multicolored canyon walls it is known for.
Day 6
- Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
- Elevation Change: minimal
The glittering expanse of Yellowstone Lake will be the focal point of today’s first hike: Storm Point. This relatively flat 2.3-mile loop leads to a stunning vista of the largest lake above 7,000 feet in North America. In spring, the lakeshore is a corridor for grizzly bears. The hike begins at Indian Pond, a favorite locale for bison, and continues through a lodge pole pine forest to a bluff overlooking the picturesque shore of this hydrothermal fed lake. Before completing our loop, we will walk past enormous boulders, which are home to a colony of yellow-bellied marmots. If we are lucky, we may see one basking in the sun. We’ll then jump back in the van for a drive to Old Faithful where we will explore the Upper Geyser Basin. Yellowstone is home to 60% of the world’s geysers and most of them can be found here, including Old Faithful itself. Walking the boardwalks we’ll experience the basins’ diverse array of geysers from thin fountains to massive eruptions. It is an impressive scene.
Day 7
- Hiking Mileage: 5.4 miles
- Elevation Change: 200 feet
- Shuttle: 2.5-hour drive
Our final day’s hike takes us through classic Yellowstone meadows and lodgepole pine forests to Fairy Falls, a 200-foot waterfall plunging off a pine-studded cliff. After we soak up the sights and sounds of Fairy Falls, we will end our tour with a stop at the Grand Prismatic overlook. The Grand Prismatic is the largest hot spring in the United States and one of the most iconic features in the park. It’s a great way to close out our Yellowstone adventure. We will conclude our trip with a shuttle back to Jackson Hole and fond farewells. What a week it’s been!
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- Pack llamas to transport the majority of gear and food for the first 4 days
- 3 nights of hotel accommodations
- Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
- Top-of-the-line tent, backcountry sleeping pad and backpack
- High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use) – or bring your own.
- Use of trekking poles
- All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
- Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Jackson Hole, WY; Victor, ID or Driggs, ID
- Bear safety equipment including bear spray cannisters and food-hanging gear
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device (InReach Explorer or satellite phone)
- Mandatory 5% national park fee that passes through directly to Yellowstone
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear, and footwear (see recommendations)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Alcoholic drinks during restaurant dinners
- Waterbottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-15% of trip cost)
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.
Meals: What to Expect
On the 4-day llama trekking portion of this trip, your guides will prepare all the meals. The very tasty and diverse meals are packed full of critical carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We carry foods that travel well in the backcountry – rice, pastas, lentils, beans, couscous, packaged meats, nuts, breads, oatmeal, granola, and more. For optimal taste and energy, we supplement all our meals with spices, herbs, oils, cheeses, butter, sugar, and fruits and vegetables (fresh and dried). In addition, we provide you with with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.
For the final, inn-based section of the trip, we will enjoy a combination of meals prepared by your guide(s) and restaurant meals.
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
Gear We Provide
We provide all group gear which includes the following:
- Deuter or Osprey backpacks
- Sierra Designs, Kelty or Big Agnes tents
- Sierra Designs, Big Agnes and Mountain Hardware synthetic-fill sleeping bags (or bring your own)
- Thermarest or Big Agnes sleeping pads
- Leki trekking poles
- Cooking stoves and cookware
- Bear spray cannisters and food-hanging gear
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device(s)
Guest Packing List
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with a detailed packing list specific to this trip (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, a recommended clothing system, a headlamp or flashlight, a hydration system (water bottles and/or bladder) and other items specific to each trip.
Additionally, some guests choose to bring their own sleeping bag. We supply high quality, synthetic fill bags that are professionally laundered after every trip. Synthetic fill is non-allergenic, insulates when damp and stands up well to repeated washings, but is heavier and bulkier than down. If you’re able to bring your own down sleeping bag, there are multiple benefits. If not, we’ve got you covered!
Trip Logistics
How Do I Register?
Reserve your spot today! In the Trip Dates & Booking section of this page, the green and red dates are bookable online by simply clicking on the date, and blue dates must be booked through our customer service team for a variety of possible reasons. To email our customer service team, you can click here to get the ball rolling. Our adventure consultants will confirm availability, and if you’re ready to register we’ll email you a link to a registration profile. You’ll have 72 hours to complete your profile (and that of any dependents) and pay the deposit.
Feel free to call us for more info – we’re here 7 days a week!
Where Do We Meet?
At 5:00 PM the evening before Day 1, your guide will conduct a virtual orientation meeting (via conference call) at 5:00 PM to review the packing list, communicate the first day’s logistics and answer any last minute questions you have. Your guide will give you the phone number for this call during the pre-trip contact, approximately 10 days before your trip start date.
Early on the morning of Day 1 your guide will pick you up from your accommodations in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Driggs, Idaho; or Victor, Idaho.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Travel to Jackson, WY
This trip begins and ends in Jackson, WY, with pick-up also available in Driggs and Victor, ID.
You can fly into:
- Jackson Hole – some hotels and A Black Car Service (307-413-2572, advanced reservations recommended) provide airport shuttles. Daily shuttles to Driggs and Victor provided by START Bus (Teton Valley Commuter)
- Idaho Falls – small, more affordable airport; Salt Lake Express (208-656-8824) offers 2 daily shuttles between Idaho Falls and Jackson.
- Salt Lake City – Salt Lake Express (208-656-8824) and Alltrans (800-652-9510) offer daily shuttles (4.5 hours). Advance reservations required.
Pre and Post-Trip On Request Lodging
We secure limited amounts of pre and post trip lodging in Jackson, Wyoming as an optional add-on for guests of this trip. This lodging is on request, and is available on a first come, first serve basis. If interested, please reach out directly to our team to check availability.
Start/End Times
You can expect the first day’s pick-up time to be between 5 and 7 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day no later than 7 PM.
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Essential Eligibility Criteria
Essential Eligibility Criteria (“EEC”) have been specifically identified to help you understand the skills and abilities necessary to participate on each Wildland trip, and they apply uniformly to all potential trip participants, irrespective of the presence or absence of any disability.
Once you identify a trip in which you may be interested, please carefully review the EEC and itinerary details. If after reviewing the EEC that apply to your desired trip, you determine you need an accommodation in order to meet the EEC, please contact us prior to registering to discuss your requested accommodation.
The EEC exist for your own safety and the safety and enjoyment of all participants. If you are unable to meet the EEC for the trip, with or without an accommodation, you are not eligible for that trip. If you register and arrive for a trip for which you do not meet the EEC, you will be disqualified from participation on the trip and will be dismissed or evacuated from the trip without a refund.
Guide Working Parameters
Guides are required to take 8 hours off each 24-hour period to sleep, recuperate, take personal/down time…etc. In addition, as part of the 8 hours off they must sleep/rest or be in their tents/rooms uninterrupted for a minimum of 5 hours each night. We ask guests to respect these requirements and to not interrupt guides’ off time and sleep time unless there is a true emergency.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
Weather in Yellowstone
Being a Northern mountain environment, Yellowstone is prone to sudden temperature and weather shifts. This is an exciting aspect of being in Yellowstone. On the Spring/Fall Trekking Adventure in June, snow is a slight possibility, and the rest of the summer you’re likely to get rained on at least once during your trip. To be fully prepared, please follow the recommended clothing list closely (this list comes as part of your trip packet when you register). See below for average summer temperatures in Yellowstone:
Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit)
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| June | 70° | 42° |
| July | 80° | 47° |
| August | 78° | 45° |
| September | 68° | 37° |
Accommodations
Tent Camping
3 Nights
Sleeping on backpacking trips is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and synthetic-fill sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
Roosevelt Hotel
1 Night
In the northern gateway town to Yellowstone is the charming town of Gardiner, Montana. This hotel is perfectly situated for our night in Gardiner. Clean, cozy and consistently very well-run, always appreciate our nights at the Roosevelt Hotel.
Canyon Lodge
2 NIGHTS
Canyon Lodge is a large, historic national park hotel, featuring some of the most popular accommodations in Yellowstone. Situated on the east side of the park near the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River and Upper and Lower Falls, it puts us right in the action.
*These exact accommodations are not guaranteed. In some instances alternative accommodations of similar quality and location may be used
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