Category: Tour Guides

Tips For Visiting Yellowstone National Park In The Spring

Jim Holstein |

Tips For Visiting Yellowstone National Park In The Spring

Yellowstone National Park is an incredible place to visit at any time of year, but springtime brings its own uniqueness. It’s full of new life and exciting wildlife, and it’s a great way to experience this incredible natural wonder!

1. Hike Early In The Morning

If you want to get the most out of your Yellowstone National Park experience, it’s important to hike early in the morning. This will give you plenty of time to enjoy the park and not be rushed. Hiking in Yellowstone is one of the best ways to see the parks natural wonders, and there are many great hikes to choose from. For those looking for a longer trek, the North Rim Trail is a great choice. It offers incredible views and is very accessible.

2. Be Prepared For The Weather

Spring is a great time to visit Yellowstone, because the parks roads are still open and wildlife is in full bloom. The number of visitors is still low, but you’ll have more chances to see wildlife than you would during the summer season. Yellowstone’s weather is unpredictable, so be prepared to pack warm clothing and rain gear. It can be cold at night in the park and icy during the day, especially if you’re hiking high in the mountains. The weather can also change drastically from day to day, so it’s best to keep an eye on the forecast before you set out each morning. April can be a transition month, with a lot of snow melting during the day and then refreezing at night, making icy conditions more common.

3. Don’t Be Afraid Of Bears

Spring is the best time to see grizzly and black bears, their cubs and young ones. This is also a great time to spot other wildlife like wolves and bison, as they resurface from their winter dens and shelters. Bears are usually curious about new things, so make some noise and yell, “Hey bear!” every once in a while. This will alert them that you are out and about, and they’ll be less likely to approach you. If you notice a bear, back away slowly. Keep your hands away from your neck and shoulders, and use a bear spray to deter any attacks. You can rent bear spray directly at Yellowstone national park.

4. Be Patient

If you are looking to get the most out of your Yellowstone National Park trip, you should be prepared to be patient. The park is one of the most popular destinations in the world, and it can be easy to become overwhelmed if you don’t know what to expect. While the summer season (June, July, and August) is by far the busiest, you can still see plenty of wildlife in the spring. Bears emerge from hibernation between March and April, migrating birds arrive just before May, and the elk rut begins mid-September.

5. Be Flexible

Spring in Yellowstone is a time of renewal, as animals escape the winter weather to find warmth and rebirth. It’s a great time to see bears, elk, and bison birthing calves, as well as emerging from Winter dens. One of the best ways to experience Yellowstone National Park is to be flexible. This will help you get the most out of your trip, and avoid frustrations such as traffic jams caused by wildlife or crowded parking lots. Be sure to plan ahead! After all, you won’t want to miss out on a geyser eruption or an unexpected wildlife encounter!

The Most Popular Yellowstone National Park Tours

Jim Holstein |

Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful, iconic, and diverse locations in the world, Yellowstone National Park offers a plethora of incredible scenery, complete with everything from geysers to geothermal springs to mud pools. Encompassing more than 3400 miles, Yellowstone National Park is a true behemoth, and planning a visit requires conscientious care to ensure you get the most bang for your buck. Larger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined, Yellowstone National Park is a bucket list visit for all. Keep reading to learn about the most popular Yellowstone National Park tours. 

Day Tour from Jackson or Teton Village

If time is not in your favor, this one-day tour will allow you to see the majority of Yellowstone’s top attractions within the Lower Loop, including Upper Geyser Basin, Grand Prismatic Spring, and the Fountain Paint Pots. For the best experience, opt for guided Yellowstone tours that include an expert to navigate you through the landmarks and discuss their history.

Snowmobile Tour

The majority of the park is inaccessible to four-wheeled vehicles, but snowmobiles are able to take those with an adventurous spirit off the beaten path to areas where the park’s larger animals like to roam, and the scenery is breathtaking. 

Rafting Adventure

Take to the water on a two-hour trip that will have you paddling Class II and III rapids while passing unbelievable sights like Electric Peak at 11,000 feet and Devil’s Slide. Running from May to August, these trips are age-appropriate for youngsters, with riders starting at the age of 12.

Photography Tours

Whether you are looking to spot wild animals or want to capture breathtaking scenery, a photography tour offers the best of both worlds. You’ll explore the park with a leading photographer as you search for moose, bears, wolves, and more along your route.

When it comes to enjoying all that Yellowstone National Park has to offer, you’ll want to select the best available Yellowstone Park tour guide. Luckily, the team at Yellowstone Tour Guides is a family-owned operation that has been specializing in tours, sightseeing, and hikes across Yellowstone and Big Sky, Montana since 2001. Fully licensed and accredited by the National Park Service, Yellowstone Tour Guides offers road-based trips, photography tours, day hiking, backpacking and skiing tours. To learn more information and schedule a tour with us, give our friendly team a call today. 

What Are the Advantages of Hiring a Tour Guide When Visiting Yellowstone National Park?

Jim Holstein |

There are many good reasons to visit Yellowstone National Park, and you’ll undoubtedly have an amazing time while you’re there. However, you can boost the pleasantness of your experience by hiring a tour guide. Here’s why you should consider going on guided Yellowstone tours instead of doing it alone: 

Meet a Friendly and Knowledgeable Guide

One of the most noteworthy benefits of visiting Yellowstone National Park with a tour guide is talking to a friendly and knowledgeable agent. This person will likely be a resident of the area who can give you exciting information about the location’s history.

Having someone right there who knows about the locale will make your trip much more meaningful. You’ll also have some thrilling stories to tell your friends and family members from what you learn from your guide. 

Go To Specific Landmarks and Hot Spots

You won’t have to concern yourself with maps, GPS systems, or strangers. Your tour guide can take you directly to the most frequently visited spots and attractions. He or she can direct you to sites where you can take photos and videos of the wildlife or gorgeous nature structures.

You can go on hiking or camping adventures if you like, or sit and watch the animals in the most comfortable areas. The best part of guided tours is that you can customize your experience based on what you want to see. 

Benefit From Having an Organized Itinerary

Tour guides have experience in customer service and time management, and they are there to ensure that you reap the benefits of a complete and organized itinerary. Vacationers often over-plan their trips and end up not doing everything they set out to do.

With an experienced guide at the helm, every event on your journey will fit into a time slot. You’ll also have an extra person there to remind you when it’s time to move on to the next event. That way, you’ll get a fully packed vacation and have time left over to relax and post pictures of your adventures. The visit to Yellowstone might be a once-in-a-lifetime event, so you’ll want to get the most out of it. 

Engage in Exhilarating Activities

You have the right to be active or passive during your Yellowstone tour. If you want to be involved, you can participate in several adventurous activities. Hiking is one of the most common events visitors partake in when visiting the area. Choose from one of the gorgeous hiking trails in the area to take your family.

You can also sign up to take some boat rides while you’re there. A certified guide or instructor can ride alongside you to ensure you’re safe while exploring the water. Fishing trips are another common adventure people go on when visiting Yellowstone. 

Now that you’ve read the benefits, you can be confident that taking a guided tour for Yellowstone sightseeing is the best option for you. Guided tours are available through reservations with a respectable provider near the location. Contact a service provider for updated pricing and service listings.