Yellowstone Wildlife Adventure | 5-Day Lodging Trip
DURATION:
5 Days/4 Nights
AVAILABILITY:
Sep-Oct
GROUP SIZE:
Max 6-12
STARTS/ENDS:
Salt Lake City
TRIP STYLE:
Lodging
ACTIVITY LEVEL:
OVERVIEW
Experience the wild and untamed beauty of the American West on this 5-day, 4-night Autumn wildlife viewing adventure. Explore both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, spending 3-nights in Gardiner, Montana, on the north end of Yellowstone, and 1 night in famous Jackson, WY. This tour is designed to explore select areas at the best times of day to maximize our chances at spotting moose, elk, bison, grizzly bears, and even wolves. Expect some early mornings and grab-and-go breakfasts. We’ll venture deep into the heart of Yellowstone National Park to the famous Lamar Valley, Hayden Valley, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and other spectacular locales. We’ll also spend time at iconic Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park for some scenic hikes and more wildlife viewing.
MountainBased is an authorized Permittee of the National Park Service
HIGHLIGHTS
- Witness a diverse array of wildlife in Lamar Valley, known as "America's Serengeti"
- Enjoy the use of viewing scopes and binoculars provided by our team
- Experience fewer crowds during the fall season
- Hike on expert-led trails and explore a variety of curated hiking options
- See geysers, hot springs, and other unique geothermal areas
- Enjoy the quaint towns of Gardiner, Montana and Jackson, Wyoming
ITINERARY
Depart Salt Lake City, Enter Yellowstone National Park
Starting at our designated gateway hotel in Salt Lake City, we embark on a journey to Yellowstone National Park, traversing through Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Your guides will introduce Yellowstone National Park including information about the flora, fauna, and unique geology that make this one of the most unique places on the planet. Plan on exploring one of the geothermal areas today for a leisurely but exciting boardwalk hike. We’ll settle down for the evening in Gardiner, Montana. This town overlooks the Gardiner River and often gets elk and pronghorn roaming close by. Enjoy a delicious meal at a favorite local restaurant before relaxing for the night at a rustic lodge.
Driving Time: 4.5 hours to Yellowstone (additional driving inside the park)
Hiking: Distance: 1-2 miles | Minimal elevation gain | Varied Trails
Accommodation: Ridgeline Hotel or similar in Gardiner, Montana
Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner
Morning Wildlife Viewing in Lamar Valley & Explore Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Rise and shine! This morning we head off quite early to explore the Lamar Valley—known as America’s Serengeti— one of the top spots for wildlife viewing in Yellowstone National Park. Your guides will provide viewing scopes and binoculars as you search the hills for some of North America’s most majestic animals. There are some short trails that your guides may opt to take you on in this area, or we’ll continue our adventure to some other sections of the park for better success. In the afternoon, view the stunning waterfall and dramatic topography of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. This evening we will return to Gardiner where you’ll have time to explore shops and enjoy dinner on your own.
Driving Time: Local
Hiking: Distance: 2-4 miles | +/- 500 feet elevation gain | Varied Trails
Accommodation: Ridgeline Hotel or similar in Gardiner, Montana
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch
Explore Geysers & Hot Springs
Today we’ll focus on visiting the geothermal areas that make Yellowstone famous and unique. From Grand Prismatic to the iconic Old Faithful, you’ll get to see some of the most well-known geothermal features on the entire planet. Geothermal areas of the park commonly attract wildlife, such as bison who use the steam for warmth on the cold autumn mornings. Plan on doing some scenic hikes in this area during the day and enjoy dinner in the park this evening before returning to Gardiner to relax for the night.
Driving Time: 3 hours
Hiking: Distance: 3-5 miles | +/- 400 feet elevation gain | Varied Trails
Accommodation: Ridgeline Hotel or similar in Gardiner, Montana
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Last Day of Yellowstone and Intro to Grand Teton
This morning, hop back in our comfortable 15 passenger van and hit the road towards Grand Teton National Park. Along the journey, we have several more Yellowstone stops up our sleeves that will provide great opportunities for wildlife viewing and photography. This afternoon, we’ll introduce you to Grand Teton National Park with stunning views of one of North America’s most iconic mountains. Grand Teton towers above the valley floor at 13,776 feet. Plan to make a few stops and possibly do a short hike before heading to the quaint mountain town of Jackson, WY. Due to Grand Teton permitting rules we will be unable to hike with you inside Grand Teton National Park. This evening you’ll be free to explore some of the town’s eclectic shops, local breweries, art galleries, and the Town Square with its arches made of shed antlers from the nearby National Elk Refuge.
Driving Time: 3 hours
Hiking: Distance: 2-5 miles | Minimal elevation gain | Varied Trails
Accommodation: Mountain Modern or similar in Jackson, Wyoming
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch
Grand Teton Hiking and Sightseeing, Then back to Salt Lake City
After a hot breakfast, we’ll return to Grand Teton National Park in search of moose! Just outside of the park there are several areas prime for moose spotting. A short hike will immerse you in fall colors as the Aspens begin turning vibrant yellow. Grand Teton National Park has many notable locations for photography and wildlife viewing and wouldn’t be complete without a stop at the historic barns of Mormon Row. Lunch will be provided by your guides before we make our return drive back to Salt Lake City this evening. Plan on returning by 6:00pm-7:00pm.
Driving Time: 4+ hours (Return to Salt Lake City)
Hiking: Distance: 3-4 miles | +/- 400 feet elevation gain | Varied Trails
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch
Fantastic fun and safe trip with caring and thoughtful guides I’m a solo female traveller in my late 30s and I did the signature Yellowstone and Grand Tetons camping trip with MountainBased. I’ve done a couple of similar types of camping trips with TrekAmerica but I would recommend MountainBased above anyone else for seeing the US national parks. It was a fantastic trip. I wanted a stress-free trip to get some exercise, meet some interesting people, and see some amazing sights and that’s exactly what I got. The advantages of going with MountainBased are that they think of everything, leaving you to relax and enjoy it. The communication before the trip was excellent, I knew exactly where to go, what to bring and what to expect each day. During the trip they provided all the camping and sleeping equipment (and it was nice and clean!), drove us to each place, guided our hikes, kept us safe (I was quite worried about bears but they taught us all the precautions and reassured us while also taking bear safety seriously), found the best toilets and showers and lunch stops, stopped for wildlife viewing and great photo opportunities, cooked for us, loaded all our stuff in the van, had bear spray and sunscreen and bug spray if we needed it, taught us about the area, the history, geology, geography, really everything you could ask for. The vans are comfy, the food is healthy and tasty, the tents and equipment is clean and in good condition, and the campsites have good facilities. The guides really are excellent - we had Tyler D and Kayla but I know from previous trips that Justin and Tyler B are also excellent and I have no doubt that any MountainBased guide would be high quality, professional, knowledgeable and caring. You could tell that our guides really genuinely cared that we all had a great time and knew and cared a lot about the places we visited. They are interesting people and were so enthusiastic and fun but also professional and respectful. We had 7 people in our group from 5 different countries and they took time to chat to each member of the group and made sure no-one was ever left out and that everyone could go at their own pace when hiking. As a woman travelling alone I felt extremely safe and I trusted them to ensure my safety, personal safety, when driving and around wildlife. I would recommend travelling with MountainBased and can’t wait to go again! One of my favorite trips ever! (Yellowstone & Grand Tetons Camping) I went solo on the Yellowstone & Grand Teton Camping Trip. This was one of my favorite trips ever and I've travelled quite a bit. First of all, our guides, Emily & Blanca, were wonderful! From morning to night, they provided a wealth of information, answered tons of questions, and supplied us with great meals and camping instructions. What I appreciated so much was the fact that I was guided to the best sites and experiences of Yellowstone and Grand Teton without much planning other than booking my trip and flight. They timed the day well to avoid crowds and thunderstorms and the sites were just incredible. Throughout long drives, they enthusiastically gave us information on the landscape, vegetation, animals, and more. I also loved all the exercise and beauty during the hikes and bike rides. I even got to jump in a lake next to the Tetons. To add, they were patient and helpful with tips for bear safety. I had never slept in a tent in bear country, but felt fine with the precautions we took. Even the recommended Marriot hotel the day before and after the trip was convenient and helpful. If you're considering going solo, go for it. You'll definitely end up connecting with other campers and hikers during van rides, meals, and walks. This is one of the most gorgeous parts of the US and I'm grateful Mountainbased led me through this experience. - 1
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