Titcomb Basin Llama Trek
Jackson, WY
5.0 (23 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Ambitious Llama Trek
- Off Trail Hike into Stunning Cirque
- High Peaks & Alpine Lakes
- Dramatic Night Skies
- Mountain Solitude
- Pristine Campsites
- Guides Choice Trip
Description
This iconic Wind River Range trip is for the traveler who wants a real adventure and to experience as much as possible over 5 days. Despite being only five days in length, this trip feels more like a seven day llama trek because of the amount of country we see and breadth of experiences.
Our trip begins in Jackson Hole, where we pick you up at your hotel for a shuttle to the trailhead (about 2.5 hours). Our route takes us along creeks, past towering cliffs, and then into the high country. We reach the alpine quickly on this trip and stay high for most of the trip (above 10,000 feet). We’ll set up camp the first night on the shores of an alpine lake, and the second night deep in the wilderness with fantastic views of the towering summits of the Continental Divide. On Day 3 we’ll leave camp set and explore Titcomb Basin, one of the most challenging and stunning backcountry mountaineering destinations in the United States. We’ll be staring up at sheer cliffs guarding the summits of 13,000+ foot peaks like Jackson Peak and Fremont Peak. We’ll discover the meandering alpine creeks, wildflower-filled meadows, crystal clear mountain lakes, and generally awe-inspiring scenery of this truly amazing area. After our day in Titcomb, we’ll head back out of the mountains, again soaking up the solitude and beauty as we hike and camp our way out.
The Wildland Trekking Company operates under a permit issued by the Bridger-Teton National Forest, and is an equal opportunity employer.
$2225 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 4
Our difficulty ratings are based on a scale of 1-5, tours with a rating of 1 being least difficult, tours with a rating of 5 being most difficult
- Backpack Weight:
- 10 pounds
- Daily Hiking Distances:
- 7-9 miles
- Most Elevation Loss:
- 1120 feet
- Most Elevation Gain:
- 1120 feet
- Quality of Trails:
- Maintained trails and off trail
- Additional:
- We’ll be traveling on and off trails. The off-trail sections are in meadows, forests, boulder fields and across talus-covered ground.
Participants should:
- be active and healthy
- regularly exercise vigorously
- be comfortable hiking, biking, running, or swimming for several hours without many breaks
SOLITUDE LEVEL 3
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Wind River Llama Trek a solitude 3. You can expect to have hours of solitude at a time, while seeing several other groups of hikers per day.
Learn More about our Rating SystemTRAVEL TO JACKSON
All Beyond Yellowstone trips begin and end in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Jackson Hole has an airport served by United, Delta, and American Airlines. One can also fly into Salt Lake City and drive to Jackson Hole. It is a 4.5-hour drive from Salt Lake City to Jackson Hole on good roads.
Shuttle from Jackson Airport to Town
Alltrans (800-443-6133 or 307-733-3135) provides a shuttle from the Jackson Airport for $16 one way or $31 round trip. Advance reservations are recommended.
Shuttle from Salt Lake to Jackson
Salt Lake Express (800-356-9796 or 208-656-8824) and Alltrans (800-652-9510) offer daily vans from Salt Lake City to Jackson Hole. Advance reservations required.
Private Trips
Traveling in perfect company is a wonderful thing! With our private trip offerings you can book a trip exclusively for your group. Whether it’s with family, friends or colleagues, private trips are a fun and enriching way to explore the outdoors.
Private trip pricing is based on a sliding scale, depending on the number of people in your party. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax and national park fees (where applicable) or guide gratuity. Give us a call at 800-715-HIKE to get the ball rolling!
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2
- 3 People: Rate x 1.3
- 4 People: Rate x 1.1
- 5+ People: Rate x 1
*all rates are per person
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private TripsITINERARY
Day 1
- Shuttle to Trailhead: 2.5 hours
- Hiking Mileage: 7 miles
- Elevation Gain: 950 feet
- Elevation Loss: 200 feet
For this Wind River Range llama trek, we’ll pick you up at your hotel in Jackson Hole for an early start on Day 1. It’s a beautiful 2.5-hour drive to our trailhead at Elkhart Park. We’ll conduct a llama orientation, get them loaded up and hit the trail. Our hike takes us along a beautiful mountain stream (Faler Creek), below towering cliffs at the top of which is Photographers Point (10,095 feet), and then up to near treeline. We rise above 10,000 feet and for the last 2 hours of our hike have constant, fantastic views of the Continental Divide. We’ll camp tonight at one of the Wind River Range’s beautiful high country lakes, where we’ll set up camp and enjoy a hearty dinner before turning in for a peaceful night’s sleep.
Day 2
- Hiking Mileage: 4 miles
- Elevation Gain: 600 feet
On Day 2 we’ll have a relatively relaxed morning and big breakfast as we break camp. Although not the pinnacle of this trip, today could easily be the highlight of nearly any other mountain trip in Wyoming. We stay over 10,000 feet for the duration of the day, passing multiple alpine lakes including Seneca Lake, Little Seneca Lake, and Island Lake. The soaring peaks of the Continental Divide beckon us throughout the day, foreshadowing the adventure that awaits us on Day 3. We’ll set up camp at one of several options, all of which are on the shores of alpine lakes or streams with stunning views of the Divide.
Day 3
- Hiking Mileage: 9 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 600 feet
Today gives this trip its name and is a truly unforgettable day! We’ll leave our camp set up and hike with only day packs toward the Continental Divide. Our goal is to explore the wonder and beauty of Titcomb Basin, a mountain cirque with legendary mountain scenery. The basin, which was explored by two brothers (the Titcombs) in 1901, is a quintessential U-shaped, glacial-carved valley. We’ll hike through wildflower-covered meadows with one of the most stunning ridge crests in the world towering above us. We’ll be surrounded by an array of stunning mountain peaks and towers including Fremont Peak, Mount Sacagawea, Mount Helen, the Titcomb Needles, the Great Needle, and the Buttress. We’ll rock hop and trek higher and higher into the mountains until we’re literally surrounded by glaciers and granite, where we’ll enjoy a picnic lunch one the shore of one of the high lakes. We’ll relax, take pictures, maybe attempt a summit of one of the lesser peaks (for very ambitious groups) before returning to camp for a hearty, much-deserved dinner.
Day 4
- Hiking Mileage: 5 miles
- Elevation Loss: 600 feet
Day 4 we’ll get an early start and head back the way we came in on Day 2. Again, we’ll stay high for the duration of the day, above 10,000 feet, and soak up views of the Continental Divide behind us and the western Wyoming plains in front of us. We’ll stop for a relaxing picnic lunch next to one of many mountain creeks or lakes that dot today’s path. We’ll make camp near one of several pristine lakes and settle in for a final, celebratory night of camping with an appropriately hearty dinner around the campfire.
Day 5
- Hiking Mileage: 7 miles
- Elevation Gain: 200 feet
- Elevation Loss: 950 feet
- Shuttle to Jackson Hole: 2.5 hours
Day 5 we’ll get an early start and head back to our starting point. However, we’ll take a detour from Day 1’s route through Sweeney Lakes, which offer some fantastic new scenery for us without adding any mileage. Although today’s hike inevitably is a nostalgic one, it is also fantastically beautiful and a fitting end to an amazing trip. Once back at the trailhead, we’ll shuttle back to Jackson Hole and the conclusion of our amazing 5-day trek.
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.
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 and a dedicated llama handler
- One or more professional, knowledgeable, certified Wind River hiking guides (max guest to guide ratio is 6:1, not including the llama handler)
- 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 your hotel in Jackson, Wyoming 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 satellite phone
- 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 (Oboz hiking shoes and boots recommended)
- 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)
What Gear To Bring
We ask that you supply a couple of gear items on your hiking tour. These items are two 1-liter waterbottles per person, either a headlamp or flashlight per person, and a lightweight waterproof stuff sac for your clothes and belongings. Basic items like sunscreen, bug repellent (where and when applicable), lip balm, and toiletries are also important. All of these items are available online at Wildland Trekking Outfitters.
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!
What Clothes to Bring
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with detailed guidance about what clothes to pack (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, and our recommended clothing system. A minimum of three pairs of wool or synthetic hiking socks are also required. All of these items are available online at Wildland Trekking Outfitters.
Trip Logistics
Where Do We Meet?
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*. Your guide will be in contact approximately 2 weeks before your trip to coordinate the rendezvous, review the packing list and answer any last minute questions you have.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
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 Considerations
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional Wyoming hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. We’ve developed comprehensive risk management protocols that our guides adhere to in case of an emergency, and most tours carry a satellite phone. If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Guides
Your tour will be led by a trained, experienced professional with solid guiding backgrounds, years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, training in llama-handling, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. Check out our Meet Our Team page for staff bios.
Group Size
The standard ratio of guests to guides on llama trips is 1 guide for 1-4 guests; 2 guides for 5-8 guests; and 3 guides for 9-10 guests. Private trips can have can have up to 12 guests. If you have more questions about group size, please give us a call at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) and we’ll answer all your questions.
Hiking with Llamas
Ideally you desire to be on a trip with llamas, by this we mean that a trip with stock animals is different than a backpacking trip in many ways. One big difference is that it takes time for your guide to get all the animals loaded and ready to go in the morning and to unload gear and care for them once we arrive in camp. Also the pace of a llama trip can be a bit slower than you would walk without a pack and you’ll be expected to hike with the group.
On a llama trip the animals tend to take on a focus of the trip. These trips are most rewarding when the clients want to interact with and help out with caring for the llamas. The tradeoff for not having to carry a large backpack is that llamas do require extra work from their guide/handlers. If you are choosing a llama trip solely on the basis of not having to carry a backpack and do not wish to interact with a llama, you need to speak honestly with your Adventure Consultant about this and potentially add another Wildland Guide to your trip to cover the extra workload of caring for the llamas.
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 this trip 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
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 backpacking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Reviews
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Kathy T.
Best Hike I've Ever Been On
This is the best hike I have ever been on. The scenery is out of this world. The guides are super friendly, experienced, and very safety conscious. The food was outstanding - I don't eat that well at home! Hiking with the llamas was great as it meant you only had to carry about 10 pounds in your day pack yourself. This is a strenuous hike at high altitude, and is not for beginners. I would totally recommend this hike to anyone, and would definitely travel with this company again.
Susan H.
Spectacular Trip
I could talk about the beauty of the Winds, but you already know about that. Ethan and Casey were spectacular. There aren't enough superlatives to describe them and how hard they worked all week. We had a diverse group of ages/abilities, and they made sure that everyone was comfortable each day. The food was some of the best camping food I have ever had...I gained weight on this trip. I will definitely be booking with Wildland again soon!
Kelsey G.
great all around
Food was amazing. guides were engaging and knowledgable. gear was great
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