We really want to see Yellowstone

 

It is a 12-hour day to visit Yellowstone from Jackson.

That sounds like a parent’s worst nightmare, but we have taken toddlers as young as 18 months on these tours. It is really up to you: you know what your child is capable of better than we do.

If they need a moment, or to stop and burn off some energy, it is your tour and we can accommodate their needs.

 

We really want to see Yellowstone, but 12 hours in a car is too much

 

Our Yellowstone guided day hike is 10-12 hours and much more active than the Lower Loop Tour. Our guides carry bear spray, have wilderness first aid qualifications and are trained to give wildlife enough space, so you don’t have to worry about safety logistics.

We’ve had kids as young as 8 do 7-mile hikes in Yellowstone. Again, you know your kids best.

We have a favorite hike to Imperial Geyser and Fairy Falls. It is flat and captures the essence of Yellowstone including an overlook of the Grand Prismatic Spring.

And then there was 10-year-old Johanna who chased her older brothers up Avalanche Peak. That’s 2,000 feet up in just over 2 miles.

 

I heard Yellowstone is huge. We’ll be here once, how can we see it all?

 

Think of Yellowstone as a figure of 8: the Grand Loop Road with branch roads coming off it to the North, Northeast, East, South and West entrances.

The Lower Loop Tour from Jackson only covers the bottom of the figure of 8. If you want to visit the Mammoth Hot Springs or the Lamar Valley in addition to Old Faithful, the primary thermal areas, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Yellowstone Lake; you will need at least two days.

We suggest a tour that starts with a pickup in Bozeman, MT, explores Yellowstone for two or more days and finishes in Jackson, WY. There is more than enough to do in Jackson to fill in the rest of your vacation.

You can do this in reverse but aim to spend the extra time in Jackson. It is smaller, more scenic and has more of that Western charm than Bozeman.

 

We’ve done the National Parks. Is there something different?

 

We are glad you asked. Our Tetons to Petroglyphs Tour takes you over the Continental Divide to Dubois, WY. There we visit the lovely Torrey Valley which is the site of some mystical Shoshone rock art.

This is our favorite tour to lead. The Torrey Valley is a hidden gem and the petroglyphs are depictions of spirits that visited the creators during a Vision Quest. So they have a surreal quality.

We are coming in Winter, what are the options?

 

Our 4-hour Grand Teton tour is popular. In winter the elk and bighorn sheep migrate down to the National Elk Refuge just north of Jackson, and where there are elk, there are wolves hunting them. Winter is the best time to see wolves in Jackson Hole.

Winter is also a great time to see moose.

The Petroglyphs Tour also runs in winter. That is great if you have already been to Jackson before and know the park well.

Finally, we recommend an Overnight trip to the Snow Lodge at Old Faithful. Winter is our favorite time to visit Old Faithful. The crowds are replaced by a herd of bison which seek out the warm ground around the thermal features. You have to book this in advance, as accommodation is limited.