Best of Yellowstone Tour
Inn-Based Hiking Tours
5 Days, 4 Nights
30MI / 48KM
Description
Our Best of Yellowstone Tour features a diverse offering of 5 Yellowstone hikes that well represent the amazing attributes of America’s first national park. You’ll enjoy breathtaking mountain scenery, the most well-known and spectacular geysers in the park, and wildlife viewing. While driving, we can often stop at pullouts as animal sightings and additional attractions arise in this unpredictable ecosystem. You’ll also enjoy the luxuries of a lodge and rustic dining each evening in two to three different locations inside and around the Park. This trip is an exceptional way to soak up the magic of Yellowstone, to enjoy absolutely fantastic hiking, and to learn about America’s first – and truly spectacular – national park!
What sets the 5-day tour apart is the ability to see so much in one visit. Staying in different lodges and going on five diverse hikes creates a comprehensive experience that is truly unforgettable!
NEED TO KNOW: New Reservations
New reservations on this trip within 45 days of trip start date are highly unlikely due to Yellowstone National Park’s lodging cancellation policies. It’s highly recommended to book at least 46 days in advance!
Trip Details
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Trip Type
Inn-Based Hiking Tours -
Trip Length
5 Days, 4 Nights -
Daily Hiking Distance
5-7 mi -
Group Size
2-15 Guests
What's Included
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4 nights of double occupancy lodging (single occupancy requires an additional single supplement) -
Top-of-the-line daypack and trekking poles
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All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
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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.
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Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Bozeman, Montana
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Entrance fees and national park permits
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Bear safety equipment including bear spray cannisters
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Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device
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Mandatory 5% national park fee that passes through directly to Yellowstone
What's Not Included
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Clothes, raingear, and footwear -
Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
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Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
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Alcoholic beverages
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Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Day 1
Shuttle to Trailhead: 1.5 hours
Hiking Mileage: 5+ miles
Elevation Gain/Loss: 400+ feet
Shuttle to Hotel: 45 minutes
This Yellowstone Hiking Tour starts with a visit to one of the Park’s most iconic features and a perfect introduction to Yellowstone – the iconic Mammoth Hot Springs. From the boardwalks, we will view steaming travertine terraces streaked with colorful microorganisms.
Next, we will leave the crowds behind and head out on the Beaver Ponds Trail. This 5-mile loop leads us along a variety of different animal habitats. We will hike through a forest that is frequented by a variety of wildlife including bears, eventually reaching a clearing of small ponds where it is common to see waterfowl. Open scenic views will greet us as we emerge onto a grassy hilltop that is a known grazing area for pronghorn, deer and elk.
After hour hike we will enjoy a scenic drive through the Park, watching closely for wildlife. After checking into our rooms, we’ll meet for our kick-off dinner together in America’s first national park!
Day 2
Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,400 feet
Our second hike is one of the most beautiful in the park, a hike to the summit of Mt. 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 3
Shuttle: 2-hour drive
Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
Elevation Gain/Loss: 800 feet
a loop around Elephant Back Mountain, a moderate 3.6-mile hike with about 800 feet elevation gain and loss. The trail begins in an old growth lodge pole pine forest mixed with spruce and fir, an area also frequented by grizzly bears. After a mile of relatively mild uphill, we will climb switchbacks. Flecks of black obsidian will glitter beneath your feet. The ascent culminates to an awe-inspiring bird’s eye view of the lake. We can identify many prominent landmarks from our peak, before making our trek back down the Elephants Back. The glittering expanse of Yellowstone Lake will be the focal point of our next hike’s destination: 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 the 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.
Day 4
Hiking Mileage: appx 7 miles
Elevation Gain/Loss: minimal
We’ll start the day in the Upper Geyser Basin which hosts some of the park’s most iconic features. 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. Next we’ll travel a few miles down the road for a hike out to Lone Star Geyser. This is a beautiful hike along the aptly named Firehole River to the largest backcountry geyser in the park: Lone Star Geyser. Lone Star is found in a clearing surrounded by dense forest; it erupts from a shed-sized cream colored mound. At full tilt it sprays scalding water 30-45 feet into the air. The geyser erupts about every 3 hours and a log book is kept nearby so that we’ll know when the next eruption will occur.
Day 5
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 Bozeman and fond farewells. What a week it’s been!
Itinerary Note
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.
Packing List
IMPORTANCE OF BEING PREPARED
Your safety and enjoyment will depend on your level of preparedness. It is your responsibility to arrive with the items listed below. Our Gear Guide is a resource to find more information about these items and links to online options. If you have additional questions about what to pack, please ask your guide during the pre-trip contact (~10 days prior to the trip start date) or call our Adventure Consultants 7 days a week at 928-223-HIKE (4453).
STANDARD CLOTHING CHECKLIST
The following items are required for your trip unless otherwise noted. When packing, think layered clothing systems that work together and can be easily added or removed.
STANDARD CLOTHING CHECKLIST
(GG) Gear Guide: see for more info and links to product options
Supportive, lightweight, well-drained shoe or sport sandal for creek crossings and/or for camp comfort (Camp Shoes GG)
one pair for every day or two days of your trip. Hiking specific padded socks, no cotton please! (Socks GG) ( Note: wearing thin liner socks under your hiking socks can help prevent blisters )
Wide-brimmed hat or baseball cap/bandana combo (Sun Hats GG)
Lightweight beanie and light-to-mid weight fleece or wool gloves (Hat/Gloves GG)
non-cotton, breathable short sleeve and/or long sleeve shirts (Hiking Shirts GG – Sun Hoodie GG) (Note: long sleeve shirts provide better sun protection)
Mid-weight sweater or pullover of wicking material such as merino wool, fleece or polypropylene (Mid Layers GG)
Down-fill or synthetic-fill insulated “puffy” jacket or warm, heavy-weight fleece jacket (Mid Layers GG)
Nylon pants AND shorts, zip-offs or leggings (Shorts GG – Pants GG)
waterproof jacket and pants, breathable fabric such as Gore-Tex® or coated nylon. For the pants look for side zippers that will allow you to pull them over your boots. (Rain Jackets GG – Rain Pants GG)
comfortable clothes and shoes for evenings off the trail
recommended for June/July, usually when there is a significant amount of mosquitos and bugs in the area. Aug/Sept may be needed but will be weather dependent. (Repellent GG)
small duffel bag, suitcase or backpack – for extra hiking clothes and casual clothes (Duffels GG)
Important Note
Important Note : Please, no cotton hiking clothes and please feel free to call us if you have any questions or you can reference the Gear Guide .
Gear Checklist
2+ liters capacity, either water bottles or bladder/hose system and an additional water bottle (Hydration Bladders GG) ( Note: We recommend always having a bottle with 1 liter of capacity as a back-up in case of a hydration system failure and to use while in camp )
preferably with an L.E.D. bulb that works with AA or AAA batteries (Headlamp GG) ( Note: always test your headlamp before trips, travel/pack without batteries in device, and for longer trips (4+ days) consider a spare bulb and 1 set of spare batteries )
if you wear contact lenses, please also bring a pair of glasses – your contacts are likely to become dirty and may be difficult to clean
preferably a product containing at least 25% “DEET” (Repellent GG) ( Note: some people are sensitive to this product )
please inform your trip leader of any medications you are taking
for any shopping you would like to do and for consideration of tipping your guide
( Note: industry tipping recommendation is 10-20% of the trip cost based on your level of satisfaction )
OPTIONAL ITEMS
As a Wildland guest, you can enjoy a 20% discount off Leki trekking poles (reservation number required.) Click here for discount. Trekking poles are provided for guests who do not bring their own. (Trekking Poles GG)
consider bringing any joint braces that may be currently needed or from past injuries (i.e. knee, ankle, elbow, etc…)
DO NOT Bring
– per our terms and conditions no firearms or other weapons are permitted, including knives with blades longer than 4 inches
– including marijuana, which is illegal on federal lands and in national parks
TRAINING
Training is extremely important for you to maximize your enjoyment! The more physically prepared you are, the more fun you’ll have! Click below to read our training recommendations.
Travel, Transportation, Meeting & Lodging
VIRTUAL PRE-TRIP ORIENTATION
Your pre-trip orientation meeting will be done virtually on a conference call with your guide and the other guests at 5:00 PM the evening before your trip starts. Your guide will go through 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 meeting approximately 10 days before the trip start date.
Meeting Time and Location
This trip originates in Bozeman, Montana. Your guide will coordinate the time of pick up during the pre-trip orientation conference call.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE DATES
Travel to and from the trip starting point is not included in the cost of our trips. Please plan on arriving the day before the trip leaves and departing the day after getting back from the field.
TRIP CONCLUSION
This trip will conclude at approximately 7:00 PM on the last day with drop-off in Bozeman, Montana.
GATEWAY CITIES:
Billings or Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman has an airport served by United, Delta, Horizon Air, Northwest, Skywest, Allegiant Air and Frontier Airlines. One can also fly into Billings and drive to Bozeman. It is a 2.5-hour drive from Billings to Bozeman on good roads.
SHUTTLE FROM BOZEMAN AIRPORT
There is no regular shuttle service from the Bozeman Airport to a downtown location.
SHUTTLE FROM BILLINGS TO BOZEMAN
Greyhound (800-231-2222) offers transportation from downtown Billings (use a cab to get downtown) to Bozeman. $37.50 per person one way, $72 round trip. Advance reservations required (www.greyhound.com).
TRANSPORTATION TO & FROM THE TRAILHEAD
We will pick you up at your hotel room in Bozeman at 7 a.m. on the first day of the trip, and provide transportation back to your room in Bozeman on the last day of the trip.
STORAGE OF PERSONAL ITEMS & VEHICLES
You’re able to bring a reasonable amount of luggage on the tour. If this trip is part of a longer journey, and you have extra luggage, we recommend storying your luggage with the hotel you’ll be using before and after the trip.
PRE & POST-TRIP RECOMMENDED LODGING
Pre and post-trip lodging is your responsibility. We recommend the below-listed accommodations while in town. Make your reservations early as Bozeman is a tourist community and rooms book early.
Holiday Inn Express Bozeman West
Website / Phone: 406-582-4995
C’mon Inn
Website / Phone: 866-782-2717 or 406-587-3555
Hilton Garden Inn
Website / Phone: 406-582-9900
The Lindley House
Phone: 406-224-5873
Trip Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing trip insurance. We designed our terms and conditions with trip insurance in mind. When you register for a trip, your spot is no longer available to other guests. Therefore, if you discover that you are unable to travel, no refund is available past a certain point. With trip insurance, your payment to Wildland may be covered, but also your flights, hotels and other travel costs can also be insured.
Read more about our trip insurance recommendations.
Pack Weight & Contents
You will be hiking with a light day pack that we provide. You’re also welcome to bring your own. The contents will be what you need for the day – rain gear, an extra layer or two, snacks, water, sunscreen…etc.
ESTIMATED PACK WEIGHT: 10-15 POUNDS
Check The Weather Forecast For Your Trip
We recommend using NOAA’s website (www.weather.gov) for the most accurate 5-day weather forecasts. Click here to see a forecast for Yellowstone National Park.
Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit)
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| June | 70° | 42° |
| July | 80° | 47° |
| August | 78° | 45° |
| September | 68° | 37° |
Guide Shifts
Guides are required to take 10-12 hours off each 24-hour period to sleep, recuperate, take personal time, take rest breaks…etc. and be uninterrupted for a minimum of 8 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.
Tipping Your Guide
Tipping your guide is greatly appreciated! Wildland guides, and outdoor/backcountry guides in general, do much more than lead guests down the trail. Although supported by amazing in-town staff, they often work independently in the field due to permit and logistical constraints. The guide is responsible for the group’s safety, menu planning (including dietary restrictions), cooking for the group, prepping and taking care of the gear, handling livestock (on stock-supported trips), driving, complying with government regulations, ensuring guest satisfaction, and generally making sure the tour runs smoothly. They wear many hats and are extraordinary at what they do!
The industry standard tip amount for hiking and backpacking guides is between 10% and 20% of the tour cost per person, depending on your level of satisfaction. If you have any questions about tipping, feel free to call us 7 days a week at 800-715-HIKE (4453)!
Group Travel
Please take the time to clearly understand the trip you’re registering for, and select a tour that matches your ability level.
It is possible there will be a discrepancy in fitness levels on your trip. Consider that the trip may be a once in a lifetime opportunity for your fellow travelers and it is important to respect each guest’s individual condition, needs and desires.
Finally, guided groups are required by land management agencies to stay together on the trail. Hiking together can require patience and flexibility. If hiking at a very specific pace is extremely important to you, you may want to consider booking a private trip.
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.