All Day Yellowstone National Park Tour

All Day Yellowstone National Park Tour

This tour allows you to see the significant wildlife, geothermal, and cultural attractions of Yellowstone’s Lower Loop in one day and features a series of short scenic hikes along the shores of Lake Yellowstone, the West Thumb Geyser Basin, Mud Volcano, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Grand Prismatic Hot Spring, the world’s third-largest hot spring, and Old Faithful Geyser, the most famous hot spring in the world. Key landmarks include the Old Faithful Inn, the Lake Yellowstone Hotel, and the Canyon Village Visitor Center.

As you travel through the Park, your guide will discuss how ancient tribes of Native Americans, mountain men, pioneers, artists, the military, and Presidents influenced the establishment of the World’s First National Park. You will also learn how ancient oceans, earthquakes, fires, floods, glaciers, and volcanic eruptions have sculpted the ecosystem. And if you’re lucky, you’ll see plenty of animals before returning to Jackson. Wildlife may include black bears, grizzly bears, bison, coyotes, eagles, elk, moose, osprey, ravens, redtail foxes, pronghorn, and wolves.

Expect to walk a leisurely 3.5 to 4 miles over the tour. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages are provided.

Itinerary

If you only have one day to visit Yellowstone, this one-day, 280+ mile tour of Yellowstone’s Lower Loop is the tour to take. After departing Jackson, we will transit through Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway while making our way to Yellowstone. We will make several stops along the way to take photos, admire wildlife, and take advantage of the Flagg Ranch restrooms. Using bathrooms with running water is how we roll.

We will then enter Yellowstone through the South Entrance just a little before 9 AM. From there, we will continue driving north to West Thumb Geyser Basin before making a short pitstop at the famous Lake Yellowstone Hotel. From the hotel, we will continue traveling north to admire the Mud Volcano, Hayden Valley, and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone before taking a lunch break at Canyon Village Visitor Center.

Continuing west from Canyon, we will explore Fountain Paint Pots, Excelsior Geyser Crater, and Grand Prismatic Hot Spring. We will cap the day with a visit to the Old Faithful Inn (the largest log-cabin-style structure on Earth) and see Old Faithful Geyser gush in all her glory. The drive from Old Faithful back to Jackson is approximately 2.5-3 hours.

Additional Info

• Tour Length: 12-13 hours
• Start Time: 6:30 AM or 7:00 AM (Start times adjusted seasonally)
• Price: $1,495 (for up to four (4) guests. $200 for each additional guest)
• Size: Maximum of 14 people per vehicle. Call to discuss options for larger groups.

Inclusions

• Pick up at your hotel, Airbnb, or VRBO
• Professional CPR/First Aid certified road-based tour guide
• All-day private tour of Yellowstone National Park
• National Park Service entry fees
• Meals (Breakfast, lunch, snacks, non-alcoholic beverages)
• Use of our professional Vortex™ spotting scopes and binoculars
• Transportation in a spacious Chevy Suburban SUV or Ford Transit Van

Exclusions

• Optional guide gratuity (15% suggested)
• Alcoholic beverages and related gratuities
• Pre- and post-tour accommodations and related expenses
• Travel Insurance

Weather

Weather in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem can be unpredictable but fun to brave when dressed appropriately. Daytime temperatures can soar to a high of 80°F/27°C. Nights are usually cool, and temperatures drop below freezing at higher elevations. Depending on the year, winter can last into early June. During the summer, thunderstorms are common in the afternoons, and it can snow any month of the year.

One of the most important tips for attire in this environment is wearing layers. Your layering lineup should include a warm hat, light mittens, windproof, hooded outer layer, and base layers, like wool or synthetic long underwear, for your upper and lower body. Avoid cotton jeans and sweatshirts; these items lack wicking ability leaving you wet and cold when wet. Choose thick socks and sturdy boots.

What to Bring

A good sense of adventure and awe, personal snacks, a phone charger, sunglasses, sun hat, sunscreen, prescription medications, and a day pack with enough capacity to carry all the above. We also encourage you to bring reusable water bottles to help reduce our environmental impact in the parks. Finally, please be sure to pack your patience and expect to experience periodic delays for road construction, traffic congestion, migrating wildlife, and unforeseen medical emergencies and circumstances.