Yellowstone Spring Trekking Adventure
Guided Backpacking Trips
3-4 Days, 2-3 Nights 20MI / 32KM
Trip Highlights
Our Yellowstone Spring Trekking Adventure is the earliest backpacking trip we have in Yellowstone because of high mountain snow melt. What this means for you is that the tourist season isn’t active yet and the wildlife will be far more active and visible than in the middle of summer. Starting our point to point hike at the junction of Helloroaring Creek and the Yellowstone River, you’ll traverse the Black Canyon, which runs along the drier and warmer northern boundary of the park. Cascading waterfalls, world-class trout waters, majestic hiking and camping, and abundant wildlife are just some of the hallmarks of this tour!
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Rich Spring Wildlife Habitat
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Beautiful Meadows
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Traverse the Yellowstone River
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Point to Point Thru-hike
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Wild & Scenic Yellowstone River
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Mountain Solitude
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Spectacular Night Skies
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Trip Details
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Trip Type
Guided Backpacking Trips -
Trip Length
3-4 Days, 2-3 Nights -
Daily Hiking Distance
5-9 mi -
Group Size
2-8 Guests
- day by day itinerary
- logistical and travel information
- gear and clothing lists and more
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Is This Trip Right For me?
This trip is mostly on well maintained trails, with moderate elevation change most days. During spring and early summer, there is only one significant water crossing without a bridge, and for late summer and fall there are two, as fording Hellroaring Creek cuts off over 4 miles.
Difficulty Level
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Solitude Level
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Trip Itinerary
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.
Day 1
Shuttle to Trailhead: 4-hour drive
Hiking Mileage: 6.6 miles
Elevation Loss: 600 feet
This Yellowstone backpacking trip starts with a 600′ drop in elevation to a suspension bridge across the Yellowstone River. Following a 3-mile detour up the scenic Hellroaring Creek valley to access a bridge we’ll continue our hike to camp on the banks of the Yellowstone River and the mouth of the Black Canyon of the Yellowstone.
Day 2
Hiking Mileage: 8.7 miles
Elevation Gain: 350 feet
Elevation Loss: 600 feet
Our hiking trip proceeds downstream over a beautiful knoll about 400 feet above the Yellowstone River. Views down to the river are spectacular. From here we hike on to Crevice Lake and make camp near the lake on the shores of the Yellowstone River. This day’s hike offers fantastic opportunities to see bison, elk, deer, wolves, coyotes, black bears, and grizzly bears. If the live animals elude us, the evidence of their ancestors won’t – the Black Canyon of the Yellowstone is a prime wintering ground for Yellowstone’s wildlife. As such, bison, elk and deer bones are strewn across many of the meadows and forests.
Day 3 (excluded on 3-day itinerary)
Hiking Mileage: 6 miles (optional day hike)
Elevation Loss/Gain: 500 feet
This is a layover day to enjoy our spectacular surroundings. You’ll have your choice of relaxing in camp, fishing, or hiking and exploring downstream to Knowles Falls (a broad waterfall on the Yellowstone River) and steeper parts of the Black Canyon. There are tremendous views of the Yellowstone as it thunders downstream, full of spring runoff.
Important: this trip is operated as either a 3-day or 4-day itinerary, and is confirmed as such in advance. Variation of trip length does not mean guests can choose to leave a trip or early or extend it a day.
Day 4
Hiking Mileage: 4.6 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,000 feet
Shuttle: 4-hour drive
From camp we’ll hike upstream along Blacktail Deer Creek to the trailhead. The creek ascends sharply, passing a nice set of cascades, before leveling off in a beautiful valley of huge meadows and isolated stands of trees. Now out of the canyon, views of the surrounding country abound. It is the perfect end to this wonderful spring Yellowstone backpacking trip.
Trip Dates
Click on a date to register. You can also click here to request new dates or book through customer service.
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What's Included
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Top-of-the-line tent, backcountry sleeping pad and multi-day backpack
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High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use)
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Use of 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 Jackson Hole, WY; Victor, ID or Driggs, ID
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Entrance fees and national park permits
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Bear safety equipment including bear spray cannisters and food-hanging gear
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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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Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Accommodations
BACKCOUNTRY SLEEPING
Tent Camping
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.
BACKCOUNTRY CUISINE
Fresh & Delicious
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your 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
Campsites vary 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 trekking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Logistics & FAQs
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 Details
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 several transportation companies provide airport shuttles.
- 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.
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
Reviews
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Scott O
5 months agoThird and best trip so far!
My Third Wildland trip and the best so far! Noah did an amazing job! Tireless, professional, passionate, knowledgeable, easy to be around. Did more than his share and back country meals were outstanding. Can not recommend Wildland or Noah enough
Amy C
5 months agoExceeded Expectations
My goal was to experience the Yellowstone backcountry safely as a solo female traveller and the trip completely exceeded my expectations. The booking agent was very helpful in suggesting which dates of this trip I would be suited for based on my fitness/ other demographics and I felt well prepared with the route matching the website description. I have experience in front country camping and a little of backpacking. This trip was a great way to take the next steps, I learned some good tips for backpacking but mainly learned more about my own abilities. Our guide Noah was really great and clearly enjoys his job. He paced the treks, meal times and general group organisation really well and was knowledgeable about Yellowstone and its history and had local insights too. The food he prepared was amazing and I'll probably be forever chasing the dream of eating fresh fruits and vegetables in the backcountry.
Jamie W
1 year agoWholeheartedly Recommend Wildland Trekking
This was one of the most incredible trips I have ever taken. It was much more challenging than I expected but our guide, Rosie, kept me confident and positive. Her expertise in hiking and camping was impressive. Her knowledge of Yellowstone"s ecosystem, wildlife and history made the trip so much more than a hike through the woods. The food was great and the equipment provided by Woodland was top-notch. I would wholeheartedly recommend Wildland Trekking to anyone looking for an incredible outdoor experience.
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