Yellowstone Hiking Experience
Yellowstone National Park, WY
4.9 (15 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Diversity of Hikes
- Yellowstone Meadows & River Valleys
- Potential to See Wildlife
- Cozy Accommodations
- Amazing Natural & Cultural History
- Spectacular Views
- Geothermal Features
Description
This inn-based hiking tour of Yellowstone allows guests to experience America’s first national park through the lens of three spectacularly diverse, hand-picked hikes so you can experience the uniqueness of this iconic national park. Highlights include incredible viewpoints, the most well-known and spectacular geysers in the park, plunging waterfalls, pristine rivers and lakes, wildlife, and the signature vast meadow systems of Yellowstone. While driving, we can often stop at pullouts as animal sightings and additional attractions arise in this unpredictable ecosystem. We take care of everything so you can relax and know you’re seeing the best of Yellowstone in style.
After each day’s hike, we’ll enjoy fine dining and cozy accommodations in hand-picked lodges. Moon-lit walks or relaxation will end the day as we recuperate for the next day’s adventure!
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!
$505 Single Supplement
Unless otherwise requested, we will attempt to find you a roommate of the same gender. If you would like a single room, the single supplement will apply.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 2
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
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:
5-6 mi
Backpack Weight:
8-12 lbs
Terrain:
Lightly Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
1384 ft
Heights Exposure:
Light
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 8-12 lb backpack for 5-7 hours
- Maintaining balance and footing on lightly rugged terrain
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.
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.
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
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private TripsITINERARY
Day 1
- Shuttle: 2.5-hour drive
- Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: minimal
This Yellowstone Inn-based Hiking Tour begins at the glittering expanse of Yellowstone Lake, the focal point of today’s first hike: 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 a lodge pole pine 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. We’ll then jump back in the van for a drive to Old Faithful where we will explore the Upper Geyser Basin. 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.
Day 2
- Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,400 feet
We begin our second day with one of the most beautiful hikes 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 in nearby meadows. 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
- 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 is a great way to close out our Yellowstone adventure. We will conclude our trip with a shuttle back to Jackson and fond farewells.
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
- 2 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 Jackson Hole (some trips in 2021 are originating from Bozemant, MT) to Yellowstone and back
- 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
- A Lifetime Hiking Membership entitling you, your spouse and dependents to a discount of 10% off any Wildland hiking trip after your first one (must book directly with us to receive the discount)!
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
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?
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.
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)
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| June | 70° | 42° |
| July | 80° | 47° |
| August | 78° | 45° |
| September | 68° | 37° |
Accommodations
CANYON LODGE
0-2 nights
Canyon Lodge 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.
* These exact accommodations are not guaranteed. In some instances alternative accommodations of similar quality and location may be used.
Trip Reviews
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Matthew N
Memorable Yellowstone experience
Our guide for trip was incredible. We were her youngest group in terms of ages. My two sons(8,11) and I. We had great hikes and saw tons of wildlife including two bears. I would recommend Sally and Wildland Trekking to anyone looking for a memorable Yellowstone experience.
Jim F.
We Had a Wonderful Time
Our guide Elaine was very knowledgeable as to how to navigate Yellowstone and best times to visit various sites. She gave us some flexibility but also kept a good pace. She was accommodating and friendly. We had a wonderful time with her!
Blake F.
Great Way To See Yellowstone
Having a guided tour was a great way to get around the park, see all the major sites, and even see some great areas that are not well known. With Wildland Trekking, my family was able to fit a week's worth of site-seeing into three days!
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