Hike in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks
See the hidden gems of the world’s first National Park, and explore the stunning beauty of the Tetons
Trip Ref #10182
Hike in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks
See the hidden gems of the world’s first National Park, and explore the stunning beauty of the Tetons
DURATION
5 nights
LOCATION
USA
ANNUAL LEAVE
4 days off work
SEASON
Jun-Sep
GROUP SIZE
Up to 9 people
MEETING POINT
Jackson Hole Airport, Wyoming
ACCOMMODATION
Campsite
DIFFICULTY
Moderate
This trip is suitable for anyone with anyone with reasonable fitness.
Explore the highlights of these two iconic National Parks as you hike to geyser basins, waterfalls, canyons, hot springs, and more.
Your expert wilderness guide will be on the look-out to help you spot bears, elk, bison, pronghorn, elk, wolves and an abundance of wildlife.
Unwind as you discover the largest collection of geothermal features in the world, and get up close to The Tetons which contain some of the oldest rock in North America – 2.7 billion-year-old metamorphic gneiss.
All our reviews are verified
— Maarten, August 2021
The national parks are beautiful and our guides Megan and Alex were great! We had a chance to see a ton of wildlife, including wolves, bears, bison and more. The evenings at the campsite were very nice with campfires and some games. We would highly recommend this trip.
Included
Guides
Expert, medically-trained naturalist guides with wilderness first responder training
Accommodation
5 nights camping
Meals
Delicious fresh food included throughout
Transfers
To and from the airport and everything in-between
Equipment
We'll provide all the group equipment you need for camping including tents, sleeping mats and cooking items.
Permits
All national park entry fees and permits
Not Included
Flights to and from the meeting point
Travel insurance
Personal expenses
Tips for your guides
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Jackson Hole Airport, Wyoming
12pm on Day 1
Ends
Jackson Hole Airport, Wyoming
12pm on Day 6
Transfers
Your host will meet you at Jackson Hole Airport at 12pm on Day 1 so please ensure your flight arrives in advance of this. Alternatively, your host can collect you from your accommodation in Jackson at around 11:15 if you've arrived early.
At the end of your trip, your host will drop you back at Jackson Hole Airport at 12pm for your onwards travel home (or again back at your accommodation in Jackson if you're staying on).
If you are unable to make the group transfers - private transfers can be arranged on request - see Optional Extras for cost.
Travel options
There are direct flights to Jackson Hole Aiport from major cities in the US, and connecting flights from UK and other destinations in Europe.
Jackson Hole Airport is the only commercial airport in the US within a National Park.
Day 1
Campsite · Twin tent
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 – Day 5
Campsite · Twin tent
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 6
Departure day
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Evening meals around the campfire will be based around rice and pasta dishes with fresh vegetables. For breakfast there will be eggs, pancakes and fruit. Lunches will be meat-based sandwiches unless you request a vegan/vegetarian option. During the adventure you'll be kept full of delicious, local snacks. Water, tea and coffee are provided as well as wine and beer in the evenings. Vegetarian, vegan and other dietary requirements can be accommodated - just request when booking.
What is the accommodation like?
Campsites
Exact campsites may vary subject to availability, but they typically include:
Gros Ventre Campground Grand Teton's largest campground is in the southeast part of the park, 20 minutes from the town of Jackson. Sagebrush and grasses cover the campground and Gros Ventre River is a short stroll away.
Canyon Campground: Situated at 7,900 feet (2408 m)l, Canyon Campground lies in a lodgepole pine forest at Canyon Village, south of the Washburn range, and near the breath-taking Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private tent can be requested. See Optional Extras for prices. Please request at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).
Day 1
Start exploring and set eyes on the Teton Mountains
Hiking
2 hours · 4 miles
Start off by getting to know your guide and group over lunch at a local brewery. Then set off for a warm-up hike on Josie's Ridge, where you'll catch your first glimpse of the spectacular Teton Mountains - home for the next two days. By early evening you'll head to camp, set up the tents and enjoy dinner by the campfire.
Day 2
Wildlife-spotting and whitewater rafting
Hiking
2 hours · 4 miles
Rafting
3 hours
Make an early start in Grand Teton National Park to spot the wildlife when it's most active. You'll spend several hours with your naturalist guide exploring the park and looking for bears, elk, bison, pronghorn, elk, and more!
In the afternoon, you'll spend 3 hours rafting down the rapids of the scenic Snake River: the perfect summer activity in Jackson Hole. The whitewater rafting section of the Snake River is Class III, perfect for people of all ages and experience. Rapids such as Big Kahuna, Lunch Counter, and Ropes are sure to give you a bumpy and wet ride but have you smiling the whole way.
Day 3
Explore Yellowstone National Park
Hiking
2 hours · 4 miles
Today, you'll make the scenic drive to Yellowstone National Park. There will plenty of stops for hikes along the way to see some of the parks highlights including the geyser basins, canyons, mountaintops and abundance of wildlife.
Day 4
Seven Mile Hole
Hiking
6 hours · 10 miles · 2043ft up · 2043ft down
This will be the most challenging day for hiking, but it's most definitley worth it as you hike the Seven Mile Hole. This trail combines Yellowstone’s best features – the rugged beauty of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, coniferous forests, robust wildlife, and active geothermal features along the trail. You'll enjoy lunch at the base of the canyon before making the challenging ascent back to the campsite.
Day 5
The Lone Star Geyser
Hiking
4 hours · 5 miles
Start with a relaxing morning at camp before heading off to Lone Star Geyser. This backcountry geyser can erupt 45 feet in the air and sits along the Firehole River. It erupts every few hours, so enjoy the show! After the hike, we'll continue on to visit the iconic sites of Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic Spring, before making your way back down to Jackson for the final evening together.
Day 6
Farewell to Jackson
Hiking
2 hours
Enjoy breakfast in a lovely cafe in Jackson Hole, known for its delicious European-style pastries. Squeeze in one final hike if there is time along the Snake River before departing for the airport and bidding farewell to a new group of friends, and your adventure in The West.
15% Off Outdoor Gear
What's included?
- All your camping equipment including tent, sleeping mat and cooking items.
What's available to hire?
- Sleeping bag (see Optional Extras for prices)
What do I need to bring?
Bags
- Backpack (60-70 litres)
- Waterproof cover or drybags
Clothes
- Hiking boots, waterproof with sturdy sole (worn-in)
- Long sleeve base layers (synthetic and moisture wicking)
- Long pant base layer (synthetic and moisture wicking)
- Light synthetic shirt or tank for warmer days
- Hiking pants or shorts (at least one pair should be long pants)
- Insulating mid layers (fleece jacket or vest, down jacket)
- Waterproof, windproof shell
- Wool Hiking Socks, multiple pairs
- Light gloves
- Warm hat
- Casual clothes for camp
Sleeping
- Sleeping bag (2-3 season). Also available to hire.
- Cotton or silk sleeping bag liner (optional)
Other
- Water bottles or Camelbak, 3L total minimum capacity
- Headlamp
- Small towel or facecloth
- Toiletries and personal first aid
- Sunscreen and insect repellant
- Sunglasses
- Personal mess kit
- Trekking Poles (Optional)
- Camera
- Book
- Ear plugs
Optional Solo Tent Upgrade
Payable Before Departure
Optional Solo Tent Upgrade
… Per Person
Sleeping Bag - Down
Payable Before Departure
Sleeping Bag - Down
… Per Person
Sleeping Bag - Synthetic
Payable Before Departure
Sleeping Bag - Synthetic
… Per Person
Private transfers to / from Jackson Hole Airport
Payable Before Departure
Private transfers to / from Jackson Hole Airport
… Per Person
We've crunched the numbers to work out the total carbon footprint of this trip, and plant enough trees to suck 2x as much back out the atmosphere.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 82kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal for 2022 to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. For every person booked with us since 2016 we’re planting enough trees to suck at least 2x more carbon out the atmosphere than is emitted by their trips. All native trees, as part of amazing projects that are re-foresting degraded land, tackling the biodiversity crisis and supporting local communities at the same time. We go further than that too, also funding re-wilding projects worldwide to help protect important keystone species from extinction. See the reforestation and re-wilding schemes we support. See our carbon action plan.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
This adventure is for anyone with a basic level of fitness. While the days hiking in the park are fairly long - up to 8 hours - the trails are easy with plenty of stops. Day 4 involves a fair bit of ascending so is more of a challenge, however, the pace is easy going and you'll be stopping often to marvel at the sweeping vistas of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
Sure can! Over 50% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
There is drinking water located throughout the National Parks and at the campsites.
The weather in Yellowstone is extremely erratic. It can and does snow any month of the year, so make sure to pack for any and all weather, sunshine, warmth, cold, rain and snow.
Generally, in July, and August you can expect cool mornings followed by warm pleasant daytime temperatures. Summer days are typically sunny, with an occasional thunderstorm. Daytime highs are mostly in the 70s Fahrenheit (20-25 Celcius), occasionally creeping up to the 80s (late twenties Celcius)
June and September are a little cooler particularly in the mornings and evenings while camping out, so bring extra layers.
Tips are not included in the trip cost. The amount to tip is entirely at your discretion but there is an expectation to tip in the USA; your guides will rely on tips for a considerable portion of their income.
We suggest to budget for 10%-20% of the trip cost as a guideline.
Of course, you are free to tip more or less, and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality - a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.
Yes you can leave any excess luggage with your host at the start of the trip.
Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.
Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our adventures. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure.
Your insurance policy should also include specific Covid-19 cover, including cancellation and curtailment cover if you, your travel companion or a close relative are diagnosed with Covid-19.
We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.
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