Quick Details
This is a landscape carved by glaciers, volcanoes, enormous lakes, and thermal rumblings!
Highlights may include:
- Norris Geyser Basin – Home of the world’s tallest active geyser and otherworldly landscapes of porcelain pools and hissing steam vents.
- Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone – Geologic wonder, grandeur, and jaw-dropping colors of the Grand Canyon and its magnificent waterfalls.
- Waterfalls – Our favorite views of the 109’ Upper Falls, 308’ Lower Falls and, time permitting, a peek at the lesser-known but no less spectacular 129’ Crystal Falls.
- Hayden Valley – The Yellowstone River winds through this picturesque mountain valley with abundant wildlife, giving the ultimate sense of “big sky” country.
- Mud Volcano and the Dragon’s Mouth – A cave that belches pungent sulphery steam and bubbling mud with explosive history.
- Nez Perce Ford – Picnic at an historic ford across the Yellowstone River and hear the epic tale of the Nez Perce tribe during their 1877 flight from the US Army, covering 1170 miles in an effort to reach Canada – and freedom from life on a reservation. They nearly made it.
We will discover evidence of all of these massive forces of nature, visiting some popular attractions, as well as hidden gems not often seen by the masses. Along the way, it is certainly possible to encounter any number of wild animals that call Yellowstone home, so plan on a day full of unexpected surprises!
We’ll beat the crowds for an early morning walk to explore the fascinating and complex Norris Geyser Basin. Home to Steamboat Geyser, the world’s tallest erupting geyser, Norris presents a scene reminiscent of another planet. With its weathered rhyolite deposits, hissing steam vents and porcelain-colored hot pools, this area represents Yellowstone’s hottest, most acidic, and continually changing thermal area.
The rest of the day includes short hikes that take us away from the crowds to best explore, understand, and connect with the majestic waterfalls, deeply carved chasms, and “painted” rocks in Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon. The canyon, of which an 1871 painting was instrumental in securing the establishment of Yellowstone, is a water-carved masterpiece formed through the incredible forces of both heat and ice.
The mighty Yellowstone River dominates the eastern side of the park, and remains a powerful symbol of raw, untamed wild beauty. Beginning just south of the park and flowing freely for 671 miles to its confluence with the Missouri River, it remains the longest undammed river in the Lower 48! Throughout its history this magnificent waterway has provided a critical lifeline for the animals, flora, and human inhabitants of this region.
We will explore the vastness of Hayden Valley, where the pristine Yellowstone River slowly winds timelessly through gently rolling meadows. Ancient glacial lakes laid the perfect foundation for dense grasses, sedges, and forbes making it prime habitat for our grazing animals. While this tour is not primarily wildlife focused, it is not uncommon to spot herds of bison and elk taking advantage of the rich foraging possibilities – there is also a chance to see wolves, grizzly bears, coyotes, fox, and birds of prey, and we will always take advantage of any wildlife sightings we may come across.
The first human inhabitants to benefit from Yellowstone’s bounty can be dated to over 11,000 years ago. It should be no surprise that the otherworldly thermal features inspired a sense of wonder and awe, as they do today, inspiring deep cultural lore such as the fascinating creation story that was borne out of a feature now called Dragon’s Mouth!
Your tour experience:
- Experience the magic of Yellowstone’s iconic hydrothermal features, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and Hayden Valley
- Your own local naturalist guide
- Private and customizable tours
- Small, single-party groups
- Away from the crowds and into the wild
- Vast, wide-open spaces and clean mountain air
- Breakfast and lunch – picnic style
- Safe, fun and educational
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Your Tour Includes:
- Full-day (8 hour) private guided tour
- Transportation in our fully equipped touring vehicle (we drive, you enjoy the scenery)
- Plenty of space for gear and extra clothing
- Breakfast pastries and hot drinks (coffee, tea, hot cocoa)
- Healthy and hearty snacks and beverages
- Full picnic lunch spread
Gratuity is NOT included in the price of the tour. Tipping your guide is a common practice in North America, and tips are an important part of their income.
What to Bring
- Warm clothes for cooler early morning hours
- Dress warmly so that you can comfortably be out in the elements during the cold hours of the dawn. You will be at high elevations in the Rocky Mountains, and temperatures will be unseasonably cold. Be prepared!
- Close-toed shoes/hiking boots
- Long pants
- Sweater/sweatshirt
- Windbreaker/rain jacket
- Hat and gloves
- Duffle/backpack to store warm clothing as the day warms up
- Water bottle (reusable) *please remember to drink plenty of water at this high altitude
- Sun hat
- Sun glasses
- Sunscreen
- Lots of questions and curiosity
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Weather
Yellowstone National Park is a very large place divided by mountain ranges, deep valleys and a massive lake. The weather within the 2.2 million acres can vary widely, so checking the weather in the park can be a difficult task. We recommend checking several different NOAA weather stations around the park, and working an average of those if you’re planning to travel around the entirety of the park.
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Custom Portrait Adventure Photography Package
Yellowstone Wild is proud to partner with Jess at Chocolate Moose Images to offer a unique custom portrait photography package as a special add-on option for your tour. If you are visiting Yellowstone to celebrate an important milestone in your life (anniversary, birthday, honeymoon or graduation) or are simply on a much-needed family trip, our Portrait Adventure Photography Package is designed to capture your special moment. Jess specializes in classic portraits as well as highly candid photographs in and around Yellowstone National Park. She has a special gift for capturing genuine moments that vividly portray personality and emotion – and in a setting like Yellowstone, personality and emotion shine bright!
Jess will visit with you before your tour to develop a rapport, share ideas with one another and discuss how her photo shoot works. She will then join us on your tour out in the wilds of Yellowstone. She works discretely to capture meaningful moments of you exploring Yellowstone, while also keeping her trained eye open for the perfect Yellowstone-themed backdrop for your portraits. To see a sample of images from a winter tour, please visit the gallery here. If you have more specific questions about how to customize this for your adventure, please reach out to Jess.
Cost: $789 including a candid session on tour and a slightly more formal session (time to be arranged).
Final products: In total, she’ll spend between 3-5 hours with your family providing around 70 images in an online gallery. Printing services are available and highly encouraged.
- Custom Portrait Adventure Photography PackageIf you are visiting Yellowstone to celebrate an important milestone in your life (anniversary, birthday, honeymoon or graduation) or are simply on a much-needed family trip, our Portrait Adventure Photography Package is designed to capture your special moment. Our partner, Jess, at Chocolate Moose Images specializes in classic portraits as well as highly candid photographs in and around Yellowstone National Park. Jess has a special gift for capturing genuine moments that vividly portray personality and emotion – and in a setting like Yellowstone, personality and emotion shine bright!
Jess will visit with you before your tour to develop a rapport, share ideas with one another and discuss how her photo shoot works. She will then join us on your tour out in the wilds of Yellowstone. She works discretely to capture meaningful moments of you exploring Yellowstone, while also keeping her trained eye open for the perfect Yellowstone-themed backdrop for your portraits. To see a sample images from a winter tour, please visit the gallery here. If you have more specific questions about how to customize this for your adventure, please reach out to Jess.
Cost: $689 including a candid session on tour and a slightly more formal session (time to be arranged).
Final products: All in total, she’ll spend between 3-5 hours with your family providing around 70 images in an online gallery. Printing services are available and highly encouraged.
- Custom Portrait Adventure Photography PackageIf you are visiting Yellowstone to celebrate an important milestone in your life (anniversary, birthday, honeymoon or graduation) or are simply on a much-needed family trip, our Portrait Adventure Photography Package is designed to capture your special moment. Our partner, Jess, at Chocolate Moose Images specializes in classic portraits as well as highly candid photographs in and around Yellowstone National Park. Jess has a special gift for capturing genuine moments that vividly portray personality and emotion – and in a setting like Yellowstone, personality and emotion shine bright!
Jess will visit with you before your tour to develop a rapport, share ideas with one another and discuss how her photo shoot works. She will then join us on your tour out in the wilds of Yellowstone. She works discretely to capture meaningful moments of you exploring Yellowstone, while also keeping her trained eye open for the perfect Yellowstone-themed backdrop for your portraits. To see a sample images from a winter tour, please visit the gallery here. If you have more specific questions about how to customize this for your adventure, please reach out to Jess.
Cost: $689 including a candid session on tour and a slightly more formal session (time to be arranged).
Final products: All in total, she’ll spend between 3-5 hours with your family providing around 70 images in an online gallery. Printing services are available and highly encouraged.
- Custom Portrait Adventure Photography PackageIf you are visiting Yellowstone to celebrate an important milestone in your life (anniversary, birthday, honeymoon or graduation) or are simply on a much-needed family trip, our Portrait Adventure Photography Package is designed to capture your special moment. Our partner, Jess, at Chocolate Moose Images specializes in classic portraits as well as highly candid photographs in and around Yellowstone National Park. Jess has a special gift for capturing genuine moments that vividly portray personality and emotion – and in a setting like Yellowstone, personality and emotion shine bright!
- Custom Portrait Adventure Photography PackageIf you are visiting Yellowstone to celebrate an important milestone in your life (anniversary, birthday, honeymoon or graduation) or are simply on a much-needed family trip, our Portrait Adventure Photography Package is designed to capture your special moment. Our partner, Jess, at Chocolate Moose Images specializes in classic portraits as well as highly candid photographs in and around Yellowstone National Park. Jess has a special gift for capturing genuine moments that vividly portray personality and emotion – and in a setting like Yellowstone, personality and emotion shine bright!