Hiking and Backpacking in Yellowstone National Park

What you get on this adventure:

• • An experienced, local hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area
  • 2-7 days of backpacking in Yellowstone NP
  • Tents and accommodations in tents
  • Meals
  • Cookware
  • Stoves and fuel
  • Emergency communication devices

What’s not included:

• • Transportation to Bozeman/Yellowstone
  • Transportation to the trailhead — can be arranged by the guide
  • Accommodations before and after the trip
  • Personal clothing and camping gear
  • Snacks
  • 4% land use charge

The best thing about backpacking in Yellowstone is that there are incredible options for all skill levels.

For beginner hikes, if you can walk for four to six hours with little elevation gain, you are good to go! Intermediate hikes will see a little more change in elevation and hikes will start to increase in length, hiking anywhere between four to eight miles. Advanced hikes are full day treks with steep descents and challenging switchbacks.

Keep in mind, the weather can be very hot and you’ll also be packing a daypack filled with water and other things you’ll need throughout the day.

Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:

• • Backpack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 65-85L bag)
  • Super lightweight summit/day pack (15-25 L)
  • Pack rain cover
  • Sleeping bag (15 degrees)
  • Sleeping pad
  • Hiking poles — optional
  • Water bottle or hydration bladder (two to three 1L bottles)
  • Sturdy hiking boots
  • Lightweight river crossing shoes
  • Synthetic or wool socks
  • Synthetic t-shirt/sport shirt​ 
  • Synthetic or wool long sleeve base layer​ 
  • Long sleeve cotton shirt​ 
  • Medium-weight​ p​olar fleece
  • Light- to medium-weight down or synthetic puffy jacket 
  • Lightweight rain jacket 
  • Lightweight synthetic or wool bottom base layer
  • Synthetic/nylon hiking pant​s
  • Synthetic/nylon hiking shorts
  • Lightweight rain pants 
  • Gaiters
  • Lightweight but warm down coat​ — early and late season
  • Fleece pants — early and late season
  • Balaclava or neck gaiter​ — early and late season
  • Spare clothes for layering
  • Sunhat
  • Hat or visor
  • Lightweight warm hat
  • Lightweigh gloves
  • Toiletries (sunscreen, lip balm, hand sanitizer, insect repellent, toilet paper, ziploc bags for toilet paper, toothbrush, contact solution, etc.)
  • Mosquito head net
  • Personal first aid
  • Bowl, spoon, and insulated mug
  • Drink​ ​mixes
  • Snacks (nuts, dried fruit, snack bars, etc.)
  • Water treatment​: tablets or filter — provided by the guide, but it’s always good to carry extra
  • Bear spray
  • Headlamp with extra batteries
  • Sunglasses
  • Lighter
  • Knife
  • Camera — optional (but recommended)

Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.

Group sizes and prices:

• • For these private adventures, the usual guest-to-guide ratio is 5:1.  
  • Any locations further than 1 hour from Bozeman require a minimum trip length of 3 days/2 nights or that monetary equivalent.
  • Cost per person decreases as the group grows, so it’s the perfect opportunity to go backpacking with friends and family!

Backpacking in Yellowstone can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

Min. age requirements:

• • If you’re older than 18, you’re good to go.
  • Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the hike on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.

If your group has backpackers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

To get to Yellowstone National Park, most people fly into Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport in Montana about 2 hours away from Yellowstone NP North Entrance. From there, you can rent a car to get to Yellowstone National Park.

Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, you will meet your guide at one of the trailheads, 20 minutes to 1.5 hours away from Big Sky and Bozeman, MT. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ability of the group.

57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity. 

We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Yellowstone please refer to the National Park Service’s website.

Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!