Author: Jim Holstein

Photography Tips for Capturing the Beauty of Yellowstone National Park

Jim Holstein |

Yellowstone National Park is a captivating wonderland of natural beauty located in the western United States. With its unique geological features, stunning landscapes, and diverse wildlife, it’s a photographer’s paradise. However, capturing the beauty of Yellowstone is not a simple task. In this blog post, our Yellowstone tour guides explore some photography tips for capturing the beauty of Yellowstone National Park.

1. Plan your shoot

Before you head out to photograph Yellowstone, it’s essential to do your research and plan your shoot. Research the park’s best photographic hotspots and plan the best time of day to visit them. Consider the weather, the time of year, and the lighting conditions. Different areas of the park may have different lighting conditions, so plan accordingly.

2. Bring the right gear

Yellowstone is a vast park, and traveling long distances may be necessary to reach the best photo locations. Make sure to pack only the essentials and bring a sturdy backpack to keep your gear organized. A tripod is essential for taking steady shots of landscapes and wildlife. A polarizer filter will also come in handy when shooting in bright sunlight.

3. Capture the light

The light in Yellowstone can be both beautiful and tricky to master. The park is full of dynamic light conditions, and it’s essential to be mindful of the changing light throughout the day. The early morning light is soft and soothing, producing warm hues, while the nighttime offers a dramatic and moody atmosphere. The magic hour, which is the hour before sunrise and the hour after sunset, is an excellent time to capture the stunning colors of the landscape.

4. Explore the park’s diverse wildlife

Yellowstone National Park is home to a wide range of wildlife, including bison, elk, moose, bears, wolves, and coyotes. Research the best spots to find wildlife on your photography tour, and always keep a safe distance. Yellowstone’s wildlife can be unpredictable, and it’s essential to respect their space and protect yourself. A zoom lens that can capture distant animals is crucial for wildlife photography. But keep in mind that wildlife photography requires patience and respect for the animals.

5. Use depth of field to convey the scale

Yellowstone’s landscapes are vast and awe-inspiring, and it can be challenging to capture their size and scale in a photograph. Using the right depth of field can help convey the scale and depth of the landscape. A shallow depth of field, produced by a large aperture, can create a sense of depth in your photos. On the other hand, a narrow depth of field creates a more focused image, drawing attention to specific parts of the landscape.

6. Experiment with different angles and perspectives

Get creative with your photography and experiment with different angles and perspectives. Try shooting from a low angle to capture the ground features of Yellowstone, or shoot from a high angle to see the landscape from a bird’s eye view. Shooting from different perspectives can help create new and unique perspectives of the park.

7. Consider the weather

Yellowstone’s weather can be unpredictable, and it’s essential to prepare for all types of conditions. Regardless of your planned shoot, always bring rain gear and warm clothing. Be mindful of the wind’s direction, which can affect your shots, and consider how different weather conditions can enhance or detract from the shot.

Final Thoughts

Yellowstone National Park is a photographer’s dream location, where natural beauty and diverse wildlife are plentiful. Capturing the beauty of Yellowstone requires careful planning, the right gear, and an understanding of the park’s unique lighting and conditions. With these photography tips, you’ll be able to capture the essence and mystique of Yellowstone National Park in your photographs. Contact us to schedule your own adventure now!

Yellowstone in Spring – Tips and Activities

Jim Holstein |

Yellowstone Park is one of the most spectacular places on Earth, and springtime is an especially special time to visit. If you’re planning a trip to Yellowstone in the spring, you should know that it can be quite busy. But there are still plenty of things to do and see in the park in the springtime, if you take some time out from your busy schedule to explore. Here are a few tips from our Yellowstone tour guides to help you plan your visit to Yellowstone in the spring.

Get Up Early

If you’re planning to visit Yellowstone Park in the spring, it’s important to get up early. This is the best time to see wildlife, steam from hydrothermal features and be in the right place for Old Faithful to erupt. You’ll also have fewer people around to disturb the quietness of the park and limit your risk for hypothermia. However, you’ll need to pack a little extra warm clothing for April as the temperature can dip below freezing during the day and rain can quickly turn into ice on roads overnight. If you’re interested in seeing wildlife, head to Lamar Valley in April to watch bison calve and black bears emerge from their dens. You’ll also see wolves, moose and elk in the area. Make sure to follow the park’s wildlife viewing guidelines and stay at least 100 yards away from any animal.

Hike

Spring is a great time to explore Yellowstone Park when it’s quiet and less crowded. You’ll have more time to get up close and personal with wildlife without crowds obstructing your view. It’s also an excellent time to take a Yellowstone backpacking day trip! Many of these are accessible and relatively easy, which means you don’t need to be an expert to enjoy them. In addition to enjoying the landscapes and waterfalls, you’ll likely be able to spot a variety of birds and animals as they start to return from their winter homes and migrate back into the park. Some of the most common reappearing species include sandhill cranes, mountain bluebirds and ospreys.

Go Wildlife Watching

Spring is an amazing time to visit Yellowstone Park, with wildlife in full bloom and birds reemerging from their winter hiding places. It’s also less crowded and offers an opportunity to hike in relative solitude. During this brief period, you can enjoy everything from wolf pack hunts to grizzly bear sightings to an abundance of bison and elk calves. As with all Yellowstone wildlife, be aware that animals are wild and unpredictable – always keep your distance. Use binoculars or a telephoto lens to get a better view of animals and back away slowly whenever an animal approaches you. Besides the wildlife, spring is a great time to explore thermal features like geysers and hot springs. The steam that rises and gathers during these times makes them particularly exciting to watch.

Check Out The Old Faithful

If you are visiting Yellowstone Park in the spring, don’t miss seeing the world’s most famous geyser: Old Faithful. This gushing spout of superheated water has fascinated millions of visitors for over 150 years, and it’s a must-see on every trip to the park. The first geyser named in the park, Old Faithful erupts at regular intervals and is the most predictable geyser in the Upper Geyser Basin. You can get an estimated eruption time online, and the rangers at the visitor center and at a Junior Ranger station will let you know if there’s a chance you can see it during your visit. To avoid the crowds, try to arrive early in the morning – ideally before 10 am, but getting here earlier is even better. Then, you can walk the boardwalk trails through the Upper Geyser Basin with far fewer people, and exit the park before it gets too crowded.

Don’t Overdo It

One of the most important things to remember when planning a visit to Yellowstone Park in the spring is to not overdo it. Over 4 million visitors come to Yellowstone each year, and it takes a lot of effort and resources to keep everyone safe while enjoying the park. You don’t want to risk falling in a hot spring or getting charged by a bison. This is a common occurrence, and it can lead to serious injury or even death. For this reason, we recommend exploring Yellowstone on foot, rather than driving around. This way you can get off the beaten path and really enjoy some of the lesser-known parts of the park! Contact us to start planning your next adventure now!

Reopening’s Happening in Spring

Jim Holstein |

Reopening’s Happening in Spring

Trips to Old Faithful will resume on 04/21/23!  We are currently open with our Winter Wildlife Adventure with tours from Big Sky and Bozeman only.  This trip travels via Bozeman and Livingston to the north side of the park and visits Mammoth Hot Springs, the Lamar Valley.  This is the best area of the park for wildlife, and Mammoth is one of the most colorful thermal features in the park!

Mammoth Hot Springs

Mammoth Hot Springs is a geothermal area with an extensive mass of travertine terraces that have been created over thousands of years as calcium carbonate (CaCO3) dissolved in the water flows out as travertine. It is the largest known carbonate-depositing spring in the world. The mineral-rich water is superheated underground but cools as it comes to the surface, which allows carbon dioxide gas to escape, allowing calcium carbonate to be deposited in the water. This process is referred to as “travertine deposition.” There are many geothermal features to explore in Mammoth Hot Springs, and the best way to see them all is by walking the boardwalks. Upper Terrace Drive connects a series of springs and terraces over a 1.5-mile loop. The travertine terraces in Mammoth are continually changing in shape, color, and activity. As a result, you will likely find that some springs were active one to five years ago and are now dry and lifeless.

Lamar Valley

The Lamar Valley is a large wildlife habitat, and is known as “America’s Serengeti.” Here you can watch wolves, bison, grizzlies, elk, osprey, pronghorn, bears, deer, and coyotes roaming freely. When you get out of your car and start walking slowly, you increase your chances of spotting wildlife. It’s also helpful to be aware of the many pullouts that line the road, which make it easier to spot animals. If you’re in the mood to see wolves, it’s a good idea to have a backpacking checklist of what to bring with you. After all, it’s a lot more enjoyable to see them through binoculars or a scope rather than just looking at them in the distance. Wolves can be hard to spot without a scope and even if you do manage to spot them, it’s best to be careful when you’re close to the pack. They’re unpredictable and they may move in or out of view quickly. Always keep at least 25 yards between you and any animal and don’t approach any wildlife.

North Entrance

When the North Entrance reopens, visitors will once again be able to access some of the park’s top attractions like Mammoth Hot Springs, Blacktail Deer Plateau, Tower Falls and Dunraven Pass. The entrance and galleries were originally designed as part of a larger development at the north side of the Museum. These features include sculptures of crowns, lions’ heads and coats of arms of Edward VII.A Saluting Gallery above the North Entrance is a reminder of this grand scheme. The gallery also contains a sculptured group representing Liberty Enthroned guarded by Order and Authority. The Old Gardiner Road that connects Mammoth Hot Springs to the North Entrance in Gardiner, Montana, is expected to be a two-lane road by Oct. 15, with additional improvements continuing beyond that date, weather permitting.

Roosevelt Arch

Yellowstone National Park is home to many icons, from the iconic Gateway Arch at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial to the awe-inspiring Roosevelt Arch in Gardiner. Each one is a proud symbol of the nation’s first national park, a place where visitors can experience nature in its purest form. The Roosevelt Arch at the North Entrance of Yellowstone is one of these symbols, a rusticated triumphal arch that was built to commemorate the opening of the park in 1903. It’s named after President Theodore Roosevelt, who attended the laying of the cornerstone and gave a speech from it. The original plans called for curved walls on either side of the arch that would surround a landscaped garden, two ponds and a waterfall. However, the region’s arid climate made this impossible, so the plan was shelved. Instead, the Roosevelt Arch now serves as a landmark on the North Entrance Road Historic District!

Group Backpacking Schedule for 2023

Jim Holstein |

Here is our group backpacking schedule for 2023. We have some great treks lined up for this year, all of them with limited availability.

  1. 05/14 & 05/15: Blacktail Creek, easy. This is a weekend overnight trip that is a good one for the whole family. There are lots of great views and wildlife on this early season trek. 3 miles per day. $650 per person 16 and older; $450 per child 15 and under. Up to 8 people
  2. 05/22 through 05/27: The Black Canyon of the Yellowstone. Moderate. On this trek we are taking it easy and keeping the mileage at 4 to 6 miles per day. This trek will travel through some excellent wildlife habitat and has great views the entire way. $2200 per adult 16 and over; $1700 for kids 15 and under. Up to 5 people.
  3. 06/15 through 06/18: Slough Creek, moderate. This trek will take us to the heart of the Slough Creek Valley. This is prime wildlife habitat, and has wide open views. This is a great trip for families or for those who want to fish in the backcountry. 5 to 7 miles per day. $1400 per person for 16 and over; $1100 per person 15 and under. Up to 7 people.
  4. 07/17 through 07/22: Joseph’s Coat/ Wapiti Lake. moderate to strenuous. This trek will take us into the heart of Yellowstone. This trek also requires some off trail navigating as we head to campsite off of the trail system. There are backcountry lakes and geyser basins along the way, not to mention wildlife. The mileage is 6 to 13 miles per day. $2300 per adult `15 and over; $1700 per person 15 and under. Up to 5 people.
  5. 08/08 through 08/15: The Bechler Family trek: This trip is easy to moderate and a great one for kids ages 8 and up. There are 9 backcountry waterfalls and 3 backcountry thermal areas along the way, and 2 legal hot spring soaks. This 7 day trek includes 2 layover days at a couple of the most incredible spots in Yellowstone’s Backcountry. The mileage is 0 to 8.5 miles per day, most of this trip is down hill or level, with only 4 miles of moderate uphill travel. Rates are $2300 per adult 16 and over; $1700 per child 15 and under. This trek allows up to 5 people.
  6. 09/03 through 09/08: The Bechler Fall trek. This is the same as the family trek, with a few more miles per day and 1 layover day instead of 2. The mileage is 1 to 8.5 miles per day. Up to 5 people per trek (2 spots left).
  7. 10/01 through 10/03: Dunanda Falls. This trek is 8.5 miles on the first and last day, with a layover day on day 2. The terrain is easy, and this trek will take us to Dunanda Falls, site of the last night of the previous 2 Bechler trips. There are 2 large waterfalls, a great view of the Teton Mountain Range, and one of the best legal hot spring soaks in the park. $900 per adult 16 and over; $600 per child 15 and under. 0 to 8.5 miles per day. Up to 10 people on this trek, with 8 spots remaining.

Why 5 Million People Visit Yellowstone Park Annually

Jim Holstein |

Why 5 Million People Visit Yellowstone Park Annually

Yellowstone Park has a wide variety of attractions that draw a lot of visitors. There are geysers, hot springs, a grand canyon, forests, and more, and our Yellowstone tour guides are here to help you find the best!

Old Faithful

Located in the Upper Geyser Basin, Old Faithful is the largest concentration of geysers and hot springs in the world. It’s also the park’s number one attraction and is a great reason to visit Yellowstone. Currently, Old Faithful erupts 20 times a day. Eruptions can be predicted within about a 10 minute variation based on prior eruption length and water discharge.

Mammoth Hot Springs

Mammoth Hot Springs is one of the many unique reasons why 5 million people visit Yellowstone Park annually. The travertine terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs have formed over thousands of years as hot water laden with calcium carbonate flows over them. Over two tons of carbonate are deposited in Mammoth every day! Additionally, Mammoth is both a town and a geological formation, providing a wealth of amenities including history, lodging, and restaurants. Mammoth is also a great place to see wildlife. You can often spot elk grazing in the area and in the fall, you can even witness the rut.

South Rim Trail – Artist Point

If you want to see one of the most awe-inspiring views in the park, head out on the South Rim Trail to Artist Point. It’s a great option for a Yellowstone vacation package. If the weather’s good, you may even be able to see a rainbow over the Lower Falls from Artist Point! During the summer, this hike gets extremely busy so it’s best to try and get up early to beat the crowds. The trail begins at Chittenden Bridge and ends at Artist Point. It’s a 1.9-mile round-trip.

Wildlife

Yellowstone Park is home to a unique mix of geothermal features and wildlife. It holds half of the world’s geysers, mud pots, hot springs and steaming fumaroles. The park also boasts a variety of grizzly bears, wolves, coyotes, elk and bison. Visitors can catch a glimpse of these magnificent creatures while traveling through the park, and some animals are easier to see than others.

Mud Volcano

Mud volcanoes occur where layers of water-saturated clay rocks in the Earth’s interior are under pressure from above, driven upward by nearby gas. They are usually small, just a few inches or meters tall. The mud volcano in Yellowstone Park is unique because it has enough acidity to destroy stone, creating bubbling mud pools and spitting hot springs. This area also has one of the most powerful odors in all of Yellowstone, thanks to hydrogen sulfide gas that escapes from the ground here atop a resurgent dome within the magma chamber of the Yellowstone Caldera. Contact us to start planning your next adventure now!