Titcomb Basin Llama Trek
Jackson, WY
5.0 (38 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 near 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 service provider.
$2960 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 4
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
The high altitude of this trip (11,000 ft), rocky terrain, and constant up and down on the trail make this trip strenuous for most guests, despite low pack weights and moderate distances.
Hiking Distances:
4-9 mi
Backpack Weight:
10-20 lbs
Terrain:
Moderately Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
950 ft
Heights Exposure:
Moderate
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 10-20 lb backpack for 6-8 hours
- Maintaining balance and footing on moderately rugged terrain
- Hiking with occasional, moderate heights exposure
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.
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 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 Mileage: 7 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1300 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: 1000 feet
- Elevation Loss: 500 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 near alpine lakes or streams with stunning views of the Divide.
Day 3
- Hiking Mileage: 9 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 1000 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: 4 miles
- Elevation Gain: 500 feet
- Elevation Loss: 1000 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: 1300 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. 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 your hotel in Jackson Hole, WY; Victor, ID or Driggs, ID
- 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)
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, 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?
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 A Black Car Service (307-413-2572, advanced reservations recommended) provide airport shuttles. Daily shuttles to Driggs and Victor provided by START Bus (Teton Valley Commuter)
- 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.
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.
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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Suzanne R
Remarkable
The Titcomb Basin trek provided wonderful scenery; not so far in miles from the ever-gorgeous Yellowstone, but a different experience. Most of the trip is at or above 10,000 ft. so it pays to do some cardio work beforehand. But, the relatively low mileage provided ample opportunities for catching one's breath (and enjoying the view). Guide Jordan was great - competent, energetic, good-natured, and altogether on the ball. And, of course, all made better by the presence of the llamas....not only to lighten our loads, but virtually everyone on the trail loved to see them. They brightened almost everyone's day.
Tami C
Fabulous trip! Incredible beauty!
The Titcomb Basin Llama Trek is incredible!! I went at the very end of July and the wildflowers were blooming everywhere. It’s so cool to see the mountain range from Photographers Point on the way in and out. You get to see where you’re going and where you just were. Gorgeous scenery every day. Wonderful guides—Dani and Jessie worked very hard and also handled challenging situations with expertise. They were a lot of fun and a delight to get to know. Delicious food! High quality camping gear. This was my fifth trip with Wildland. Highly recommend this company.
Jeanne A
Excellent Trip
It was an excellent trip. Attention was paid to safety, of people, and llamas, and to the environment. The guides were very knowledgeable, kind and helpful.
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