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2022 Yellowstone Backpacking Trips

Jim Holstein |

Yellowstone backpacking trips give you the opportunity to experience the wonders of America’s first national park firsthand. Up to 97 percent of Yellowstone is backcountry, i.e., areas where the average visitor doesn’t get to venture into. Very few people get to see the park’s incredible backcountry and all the wildlife that call it home, but you get to see it all when you book a backpacking tour for the summer.

Here’s an introduction to the variety of guided Yellowstone backpacking tours.

Black Canyon of the Yellowstone Wildlife Adventure

Traversing one of Yellowstone’s great remote canyons, this adventure backpacking trek takes you into the heart of the Northern Range, which is full of wildlife. You’ll have the opportunity to view bison, black bears, coyotes, elk, grizzly bears, pronghorn, wolves and more. Enjoy gorgeous scenery every step of the way.

Gardner’s Hole Fishing or Day Hiking Adventure

This easy-to-moderate trek includes a stop at Gardiner’s Hole and a free day for fishing or hikes up Fawn Pass. You’ll take in incredible scenery along the way and wrap up the journey at Mammoth Hot Springs.

Wapiti Lake/Pelican Valley Adventure

One of the best Yellowstone backpacking trips you can take is the Wapiti Lake/Pelican Valley Adventure trek. This trip is long in terms of miles, but the terrain is easy to traverse. This trip takes you through one of the most heavily-populated areas of the park for bears, offering great backcountry thermal areas and wildlife habitats to explore.

Thorofare/Snake River Adventure

Enjoy the stunning scenery of the Thorofare in this long trek totaling 65 miles. You’ll traverse one of the park’s biggest and most remote valleys, trekking past large streams and the Yellowstone River to take in the scenery and spot wildlife in their natural habitat. You’ll also visit the Snake River Canyon, following the river from its source to Yellowstone’s South Entrance.

Bechler Adventure

If you’re looking for a backpacking trip that has it all, book your spot in a Bechler Adventure trek. You’ll visit Old Faithful and the Lone Star Geyser and then hike over the continental divide to take in the stunning scenery of the Bechler River Canyon and the Ferris Fork Thermal Area.

Heart Lake/Snake River Adventure

This trek begins at Heart Lake and the Heart Lake Geyser Basin, both of which offer great scenery. As the journey continues, you’ll hike to Mt. Sheridan and the Snake River to enjoy a hot spring soak.

Lava Creek Adventure

Backpacking with little ones? Take the two-day Lava Creek Adventure trek. You’ll visit Undine Falls with the option to visit Lake Falls. You’ll take an easy hike to your campsite for the night, featuring unmatched views of Undine and Lower Undine Falls. To wrap up the trip, you’ll stop by Boiling River to enjoy a comfortable soak surrounded by incredible scenery.

Ready to book guided Yellowstone backpacking tours? Contact Yellowstone Tour Guides today. Those looking for backpacking trips in 2022 should contact us before February 1 to secure your dates—we’re filling up fast for the summer. Make your reservation today.

What You Should Know About Yellowstone National Park Fire Restrictions

Jim Holstein |

Hot and dry weather make this the worst time of year for wildfires in the Western United States, and Yellowstone National Park is in danger of going up in flames each summer. The risk of massive wildfires increases each year due to the ongoing climate crisis. For this reason, there are many Yellowstone National Park fire restrictions in place to help keep wildlife and tourists safe from wildfires.
The rules change throughout the year depending on the weather, but this post will cover the regulations in place when the fire danger level is “very high,” as it is most summers.

Backcountry

Be sure to check out the backcountry if you’re up for a real adventure, but be mindful that the untamed backcountry can be more prone to wildfires. Currently, all charcoal and wood fire campfires are prohibited in the backcountry, even in established fire rings.
Smoking is also banned throughout the backcountry and on all trails, except in designated areas. Smokers may light up next to the designated fire rings in campsites or within a three-foot diameter area barren of all flammable materials.
You don’t have to live without heat in the dark, though. Portable gas stoves and lanterns are currently allowed. However, the area must be barren or cleared of overhead and surrounding materials. Be sure to double-check your surroundings before starting your stove or lantern.

Frontcountry and developed areas

The first restrictions are a bit more lax in developed areas. However, they’re still in place and must be followed. Campfires are only allowed in established campgrounds and day-use picnic areas. If you start a fire, it must be extinguished and cold to the touch before you leave the site.
Smoking is only permitted in an enclosed vehicle, a single-family dwelling or a day-use picnic area.

Why must you follow these rules?

Some tourists have the faulty thinking that their small fire can’t possibly do any harm, so they think Yellowstone National Park fire restrictions don’t apply to them. That’s far from the case. These are the reasons you need to follow all posted rules:

Book a tour with us

There’s still plenty of time to see Yellowstone this summer, but don’t do it alone—book a tour with Yellowstone Tour Guides. Contact us today to book a trip or to learn some more about the current Yellowstone National Park fire restrictions..

Be Prepared for Springtime Scheduling Changes at Yellowstone

Charlie |

If you’re anything at all like us, you can’t wait to see Yellowstone in all its springtime beauty. Many people say it’s the best time to visit the park—crowds are smaller and temperatures are lower. Also, you can really see some spectacular animal activity that requires a degree of caution—the large mammal population begins to stir and wake up in the spring, as bears, elk, wolves, bison and other animals shake themselves awake and get ready for another warm season.

Our team of Yellowstone tour guides is also getting back into the swing of things, ready to lead tours around America’s greatest park. Yellowstone Tour Guides is the top choice in the area for a reason, so give us a call any time to learn more about our tours!

Unfortunately, until we get to that wonderful warmer weather, there’s still a few weeks of winter left for us to deal with, and there are some housekeeping issues that we want to get ahead on, including information about plowing. Take a look below for some more information that you should familiarize yourself with before planning your trip.

Road plowing ahead in Yellowstone
The roads in Yellowstone are usually covered in snow by early March every year, so a ritual of life in the park is that we need to prepare for the big spring plow that covers many of the park’s roads. This year, the date to keep in mind is the Ides of March—March 15—which is the date in 2020 when most of the park will shut down for spring plowing.

Basically, snow accumulates on the roads that so many visitors and Yellowstone tour guides use to access the park, so accessibility will be limited during this time as plows crisscross the park, clearing pavement from Norris to Madison to Mammoth Hot Springs and everywhere in-between. One thing to keep in mind is that even though the roads might be closed, all resources at Mammoth Hot Springs, including the post office and general store, remain open for business as usual during the plowing period.

Our wildlife tour—the show goes on during plowing!
One of our most popular tours will fortunately remain unaffected during this period of plowing and road inaccessibility. As mentioned above, this time of year is a great chance to really see some wonderful animal activity, particularly as our larger mammals start to get into gear and ready to attack a new warm season. We are pleased to announce that even during the spring plow our Yellowstone tour guides will still be leading our wildlife tour to Mammoth Hot Springs and the Lamar Valley. This is due to the fact that this section is open year-round, so access is always readily available.

Late winter and early spring can be a magical time to visit Yellowstone as the snow starts to melt and the first flowers start to poke their heads up through the snow. It’s also a great time to take a wildlife tour—it might be your best chance to experience an uncrowded park where some of its most magnificent creatures could be in plain sight for you and your family to enjoy. Contact Yellowstone Tour Guides to learn more or schedule a tour!