Hiking and Wildlife Watching in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

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, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Yellowstone, WY, please refer to the official guidelines for air travel into the US and Yellowstone National Park’s COVID-19 guidelines.

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!

What you get on this adventure:

• • An experienced, local naturalist hiking guide or biologist with extensive knowledge of the area
  • A half or full day of hiking, or a full day of wildlife watching 
  • Hot drinks and water refills on tour
  • Brunch (wildlife watching tour), snacks (half-day hiking tour), or a full lunch (full-day hiking tour)
  • Binoculars and spotting scopes for the wildlife watching tour

What’s not included:

• • Transportation
  • Accommodations
  • Park entrance fees ($20 per person, $35 per family)

The best thing about hiking in Yellowstone NP is that there are incredible options for all skill levels. For beginner hikes, if you can walk for four to six hours on gentle, mostly flat terrain with little elevation gain, you are good to go! Intermediate trails will see more rocks and other obstacles, with up to 700 ft (215 m) of elevation gain. Advanced hikes cover steep, uneven, and heavily rocky terrain with challenging inclines and 1000 or more feet (300+m) of elevation gain. Keep in mind, the weather in the summer can be very hot and you’ll also be packing a daypack filled with water and other things you’ll need throughout the day.

For wildlife watching, you won’t need to stray too far from the vehicle as wildlife watching is most effective from the road (with short walks to vantage points, up to about a half-mile each). Daily departures are at dawn (5 to 6 am in the summer, 7 am in the winter) and the duration of the tour is typically 7 to 8 hours.

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

• • Day pack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 25-40L bag)
  • Hiking poles — optional
  • Water bottle or hydration bladder with 2L of water
  • Lightweight hiking boots or shoes
  • Spare clothes for layering
  • Waterproof rain jacket
  • Sunhat
  • Toiletries (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bug spray, toilet paper, etc.)
  • Bear spray — provided by guide
  • Headlamp or flashlight
  • Sunglasses
  • Camera — optional (but recommended)

Binoculars and high-quality Swarovski spotting scopes will be provided by your guide for the wildlife watching tour. 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 the private wildlife watching tour, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 6:1. 
  • For the private hiking tours, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 10:1. 
  • The cost per person decreases as the group grows, so it’s the perfect opportunity to hike with friends and family! 

Hiking and wildlife watching in Yellowstone can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

Min. age requirements:

• • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
  • Minors younger than 18 are welcome, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.

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

Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies. 

• • Cancellations up to 30 days before the trip date will receive a full refund minus a $50 processing fee.
  • Cancellations between 29 and 5 days before the trip date will receive a 50% refund.
  • For cancellations within 5 days of booking refunds will not be provided.

To get to Canyon Village in Yellowstone National Park, most people fly into Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport 3 hours away. From there, you can rent a car to get to Yellowstone.

Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, which will usually be at Canyon Village for wildlife watching or a nearby trailhead for hikes. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ability of the group.