Bechler Waterfalls & Hotsprings Loop
Yellowstone National Park, WY
5.0 (8 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Amazing Waterfalls
- Vast Meadow Systems
- Moderate Hiking
- Natural Hot Springs
- Rich Wildlife Habitat
- Scenic Camps
- Llama Trip Companions
Description
This trip explores the stunning Bechler River meadows, waterfalls and hot springs of Southwest Yellowstone. We spend multiple nights at two of the camps, which allows us to settle in and explore the waterfalls and hot springs without the logistical complexities of moving camp each day. This trip is a diverse, wonderful hike accentuated and enriched by our wonderful llama trail companions. The llamas will carry the bulk of the supplies as we hike in comfort, without the heavier backpacks of a more traditional backpacking trip. We will eat like kings and queens, enjoy unforgettable Yellowstone meadows, keep a sharp eye out for wildlife, soak in hot springs, sit beneath waterfalls, swim in mountain rivers, and soak up the serenity of Yellowstone National Park‘s vast backcountry.
$2725 Per Person
$3155 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 2
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
The hiking in this area is on well-maintained trails with minimal elevation change and easy creek and river crossings. If your trip includes the “Union Falls Variation” then you can expect longer days of hiking (up to 11 miles.)
Hiking Distances:
4-7 mi
Backpack Weight:
10-20 lbs
Terrain:
Lightly Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
700 ft
Heights Exposure:
Light
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 10-20 lb backpack for 6-8 hours
SOLITUDE LEVEL 3
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Yellowstone llama trip a solitude 3. Expect hours of solitude at a time.
This trip begins and ends in Jackson, Wyoming. Jackson has an airport served by United, Delta, and American Airlines. A Black Car Service (307-413-2572) provides private airport shuttles (advance reservations are recommended.)
You can also fly into:
- Idaho Falls – small, more affordable airport; can meet your guide in Driggs, ID instead of Jackson; requires a car rental
- Salt Lake City – Salt Lake Express (800-356-9796 or 208-656-8824) and Alltrans (800-652-9510) offer daily shuttles (4.5 hours). Advance reservations required.
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.Â
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
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private TripsITINERARY
Day 1
- Shuttle to Trailhead: 2.5 hours
- Hiking Distance: 6.5 miles
- Elevation Change: minimal
This Yellowstone llama trek starts off with pick up from your hotel in Jackson Hole. We head west over Teton Pass from Jackson, WY, where we meet up with our llamas and continue on to our remote trailhead. We will take time at the trailhead to get packed up and to get you introduced to your llama. Today’s hike takes us through pine forests, vast open meadows, Teton views, and at least one water crossing. We will set up a homey camp next to a cool refreshing creek, and relax over a hearty backcountry dinner.
Day 2
- Hiking Distance: 6 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 700 feet
Today is a layover day for hiking up the Boundary Creek watershed for waterfall views and soaking in hot springs. Leaving the llamas at camp, we can travel as far up canyon as the group desires, and regardless will spend substantial time at Dunanda Falls. These falls are special due to a variety of thermal springs and hot pools right in the creek downstream of the waterfall. The view of the falls while sitting in a hot spring next to a rushing mountain river is an amazing experience, and one not soon forgotten. After a wonderful picnic lunch, plenty of time at the falls, and as much hiking as the group desired, we will return to our camp from night one, so we can relax and enjoy another great dinner and relaxing evening.
Day 3
- Hiking Distance: 4.5 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: minimal
Today after a delicious breakfast, we will pack up our gear and llamas and head east, exploring more of the Bechler River Valley. Our mileage for the day is short, which allows us to take time departing in the morning and to enjoy all the Bechler River Valley has to offer. Our campsite for this night is adjacent to the Bechler River. We spend most of the day in the expansive Bechler Meadows, with a chance to enjoy a refreshing swim at one of the river crossings.
Day 4
- Hiking Distance: 6 miles
- Elevation Gain: 700 feet
- Elevation Loss: minimal
Today is a layover day to soak up the beauty of this amazing canyon. We have a variety of options in regards to hikes, heading north along the Bechler River to Colonnade Falls or Ranger Lake. Leaving the llamas at camp again allows us to explore more of what the Bechler Valley has to offer. You’ll have time to enjoy a good book, relax, do some exploring on your own, or possibly some fishing if that’s your thing. Once we have lunch, we will make our way back to our campsite, to check in on the llamas, relax and enjoy another delicious backcountry dinner and (weather permitting) campfire under the stars.
Day 5
- Hiking Distance: 6.5 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: minimal
- Shuttle to Jackson Hole: 2.5 hours
Our last morning of the tour, we will rise early, have our last breakfast of the trip and pack up our gear and llamas. After a final, nearly seven-mile hike through meadows and beautiful stands of lodgepole pine we’ll arrive at the Bechler Ranger Station, which marks the end of our llama trek. We’ll shuttle back to Jackson Hole and say our good-byes.
Union Falls 7-Day Variation:
We can add an extra 2 days to this trip which allows us to visit Union Falls, the 2nd largest waterfall in Yellowstone National Park. On the 5th day, instead of hiking 6.5 miles to the Trailhead, we will continue southeast, towards the southern border of the Park. After a short break for lunch, we will reach our campsite for the next 2 nights. This sets us up for a nice layover day to explore Union Falls. This is an excellent option for folks interested in a longer trip and Yellowstone’s amazing waterfalls.
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
- 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 multi-day 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 Jackson to the trailhead and back
- 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
- You will receive a Lifetime Hiking Membership entitling you, your spouse and your kids to a lifetime discount of 10% off any Wildland Trekking hiking trip after your first one!
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear, and footwear (see recommendations)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- 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
All of our hiking and backpacking tours include a diversity of tasty meals 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.
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 or Mountain Hardware tents
- Sierra Designs, Kelty, Big Agnes and Mountain Hardware synthetic-fill sleeping bags (or bring your own)
- Thermarest or Big Agnes sleeping pads
- Leki trekking poles
- Mountain Safety Research cooking stoves
- Mountain Safety Research 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
Where Do We Meet?
Your guide will conduct a virtual orientation meeting (via conference call) at 5:00 PM the evening before your trip begins 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.
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.
Weather Around Yellowstone
Being a Northern mountain environment, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is prone to sudden temperature and weather shifts. This is an exciting aspect of being in Wyoming’s mountains. On trips 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 around Yellowstone:
Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit)
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| June | 70° | 42° |
| July | 80° | 47° |
| August | 78° | 45° |
| September | 68° | 37° |
Accommodations
BACKCOUNTRY SLEEPING
Tent Camping
Sleeping on llama treks 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.
BACKCOUNTRY CUISINE
Fresh & Delicious
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your trekking guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.
AMAZING CAMPSITES
In the Action
Of course campsites vary tremendously by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your llama trekking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Reviews
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Kathleen W
Amazing trip!!
Amazing trip!! Our guides (Brett and Marshall) were professional, informative and made everyone feel safe. They are a great guide team. We started off the day with "best" coffee on any trip I have been on. Amazing meals as well. Just a superb trip - we will return!!
Cindy S
Wonderful
This trip tested my stamina and was a bit of a challenge, however I felt so good to be able to keep up with it. The guides (Brett and Marshall) were so helpful and fun to be with. They sure knew how to treat us a guests. I was surprised at how much I liked my llama. The emotions that rose in me when the walk was done and I handed my llama over to its owner, were a testament to how wonderful the trip was for me.
Chris Z
Loved it
Great fun on my first backcountry trip! Loved the llamas, loved the beautiful scenery, and the guides were great.
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