Best of Yellowstone Tour

Bozeman, MT
5.0 (87 reviews)

Trip Highlights

  • Comprehensive Hiking Experience
  • Iconic Yellowstone Sites
  • Geysers & Geothermal Features
  • Cozy Accommodations & Wonderful Meals
  • Amazing Natural & Cultural History
  • Yellowstone Meadows & River Valleys
  • Potential to See Wildlife
  • Guides Choice Trip

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: Hotel Deadline

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!

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From USD
$3865 Per Person
$970 Single Supplement  

$970 Single Supplement

The single supplement guarantees your own room. If you would like to forego the single supplement, you can request to be paired with a roommate of the same gender. If we are unsuccessful in pairing you with a roommate, the single supplement will apply.

Trip Type: Inn-Based Hiking Tour
Difficulty Level:
Solitude Level:
Group Size: 2-10 Guests
Trip Length: 5 Days
Distance: 30MI / 48KM

DIFFICULTY LEVEL 2

Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult

SUMMARY OF DIFFICULTY
The majority of trails on this trip are well used and well maintained. The starting elevation and elevation gain on the Day 2 ascent of Mount Washburn can be more strenuous for guests that live close to sea level. Expect moderate distances and difficulty levels throughout this tour.

Hiking Distances:

5-7 mi

Backpack Weight:

10-15 pounds

Terrain:

Lightly Rugged

Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:

1384 ft

Heights Exposure:

Light

Please Note: Terrain, Elevation Gain and Heights Exposure ratings reflect the section or day of the trip with the maximum difficulty of each. Much of the trip is at easier levels. See the trip itinerary for more detailed information.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP

  • Hiking uphill or downhill with a 10-15 pound backpack for 5-7 hours
  • Maintaining balance and footing on lightly rugged terrain
* For an official and complete list of physical requirements, please see our Essential Eligibility Criteria.

SOLITUDE LEVEL 2

1 least solitude, 5 most solitude

We rate this Yellowstone hiking tour a solitude 2. You can expect as much as an hour of solitude at a 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 2
  • 4 People: Rate x 1.5
  • 5+ People: Rate x 1.15

*all rates are per person and single supplements apply

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ITINERARY

ITINERARY

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!

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

TRIP DATES & BOOKING

Click on a date to register. You can also click here to request new dates or book through customer service.

Available to Book

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

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

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

Trip Details

What's Included

  • 4 nights of double occupancy lodging (single occupancy requires an additional single supplement)
  • Top-of-the-line daypack and trekking poles
  • All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
  • 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.
  • Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Bozeman, Montana
  • Entrance fees and national park permits
  • Bear safety equipment including bear spray cannisters
  • 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
  • Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% 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

We provide all your meals from breakfast the first day through lunch the last day. Your guide will prepare breakfasts and lunches with a variety of hot and cold meals that are appropriate for the day’s activities. Feel free to tell us about your food preferences, as we’re more than happy to tailor the menu to your needs/desires. For dinners, we’ll visit local restaurants you’re sure to enjoy!

Gear We Provide

We provide all group gear which includes the following:

  • Deuter or Osprey backpacks
  • Leki trekking poles
  • Bear spray cannisters
  • 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.

Trip Logistics

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 Bozeman, Montana.

Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.

Travel Details

This trip begins and ends in Bozeman, Montana. Bozeman has a regional airport serviced by several carriers, some of whom offer direct flights from several major American cities.

Start/End Times

Your guide will inform you of the first day’s pick-up time during the pre-trip communication. Generally, you can expect it to be between 5 and 8 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)

MonthHighLow
June70°42°
July80°47°
August78°45°
September68°37°

Accommodations

Accommodations

Canyon Lodge in Yellowstone National Park

Canyon Lodge

Canyon Lodge in Yellowstone National Park
2 nights

All trip dates include two nights at Canyon Lodge, which 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.

Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park

Old Faithful Inn

Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park
0-2 nights

Some trip dates include two nights at Old Faithful Inn, which is the large, prominent, historic lodge right next to Old Faithful. Built in 1904 with local resources and wonderful architecture, it provides us excellent access to Old Faithful and the surrounding geysers and thermals, Yellowstone Lake and more.

Old Faithful Snow Lodge, Yellowstone National Park

Old Faithful Snow Lodge

Old Faithful Snow Lodge, Yellowstone National Park
0-2 nights

Some trip dates include two nights at Old Faithful Snow Lodge. This is Yellowstone’s newest and most modern full service hotel. It won the prestigious “Cody Award for Western Design” and Travel and Leisure’s “Inn of the Month.” As the name implies, it’s near Old Faithful and gives us amazing access to many Park highlights.

Grant Village Lodge in Yellowstone National Park

Grant Village

Grant Village Lodge in Yellowstone National Park
0-2 nights

Named in honor of Ulysses S. Grant, who was president when Yellowstone was formed in 1872, this comfortable lodge is located not far from the shores of Yellowstone Lake. It boasts views of the lake and a perfect location for the last 2 nights of our adventure.

* These exact accommodations are not guaranteed. In some instances alternative accommodations of similar quality and location may be used.

Trip Reviews

Trip Reviews

  • Average Customer Ratings:

  • 5.0 (87 reviews)
James A.
4.0

Enjoyable Hikes

5 years ago

Prior to trip Ann Marie did a great job of accommodating our trip changes. Audreyanne did a nice job as a guide on our day hikes.

Brian W
5.0

Amazing Trip

3 months ago

The registration and follow-up process for our hike was incredibly simple and easy. If we had any questions or issues the team at Wildland was responsive and addressed them quickly and efficiently.

Barbara W
5.0

Truly one of the most special experiences we have done!

3 months ago

The “best of Yellowstone” is aptly named, we had one of the most amazing adventures and we didn’t want the experience to end. We learned so much and had glimpses of lesser known areas as well. Chris and Max were outstanding!

See All Guest Reviews!

Go to our reviews page

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