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DAY BEFORE TRIP STARTS

 

We will meet the evening before our trip starts in Bozeman, Montana at 5:00 pm, at a predetermined hotel. If the meeting is held at a different hotel than you are staying, your guide will gladly provide transportation to and from the meeting.  In this meeting, we will do a general orientation that will cover introductions, trip itinerary, safety precautions, pack fitting and group gear distribution. Most importantly, this is a chance to meet with your guide to discuss the personal gear and clothes that you plan on bringing; your guide will offer advice about what to bring and what to leave behind for a successful and comfortable trip.  This meeting generally lasts one hour.

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DAY ONE

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• Travel time from Bozeman: 3 Hours

• Distance: 5.6 Miles

• Difficulty: Moderate
   

We will start with a early pickup in Bozeman, and make our way to the North Entrance of Yellowstone. During the drive, we will stop for breakfast along the Yellowstone River, then stop for coffee in the town of Gardiner. From there, we will drive through the Roosevelt Arch, and once in the park will have the chance for look for wildlife along the amazing drive. When we enter the world-famous Lamar Valley, you will immediately see why it’s called the "Serengeti of the West"! Once at the trailhead, we will pack up and hit the trail. The valley is filled with wildlife— you never know what you’ll see the first day of this trip... bison, badger, pronghorn, wolf, bear! When we get to camp,  we'll settle in, possibly take a evening stroll and keep our eyes peeled for more animals.

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DAY TWO

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• Distance: 10.3 Miles

• Difficulty: Hard (due to long distance and slight elevation changes)
   

Today will have us traveling farther into the canyon, with its ever-rolling hills and river vistas, we will reach our trail junction and turn up Miller Creek. The trail starts to feel really remote and you’ll quickly start to wonder how many other people even hike this trail. With a 10.3 mile hike, this will probably be the toughest of the trip, but the elevation gain isn’t huge, and at the days end you will feel satisfied with the miles you have put in. Once camp is set up, your guide will prepare a well-deserved and nutritious dinner, and you can sit back and relax!

 

DAY THREE

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• Distance: 6.3 Miles

• Difficulty: Hard (due to elevation gain and loss)
   

Day three will be epic! We'll start off with a quick and protein-filled breakfast, and after a few miles of gradual elevation, we will start to climb. The views are incredible and we have a very high chance of seeing wildlife.

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DAY FOUR

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• Distance: 5-10 Miles

• Difficulty: Moderate

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Now that we are in the heart of the Hoodoo Basin, we will leave camp set up and use day packs to explore this odd, beautiful, strange and scenic wonder of Yellowstone's backcountry. The hoodoos are a mysterious landscape and will have you searching for bears and Bigfoot.

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DAY FIVE

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• Distance: 9-10 Miles

• Difficulty: Hard (due to long distance)

 

Today will be a rewarding day as we cover a long distance. The views will be totally different as we
retrace our steps and you have the chance to double your wildlife encounters. After the long hike you
will be left with a sense of accomplishment and earn your dinner tonight!

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DAY SIX

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• Distance: 8 Miles

• Difficulty: Moderate

 

After we break down camp, drink a hot cup of coffee, and eat a  filling breakfast, we will head back down into Lamar Valley after passing the junction of Miller Creek. The mileage will go by quickly as we travel over rolling hills through Lamar Valley.  We'll be on the lookout for wildlife, hoping for a chance to spot a bear, badger or wolf.  Once we get to camp, we'll settle in for our last night on the Lamar River.

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DAY SEVEN

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• Distance: 5.6 Miles

• Difficulty: Easy

• Travel time to Bozeman: 3 Hours (estimated arrival is 4:30 pm)

 

The hike out of Lamar Valley will be twice as enjoyable as the first day; not only will you be well-acclimated to Yellowstone’s high altitude, your backpack will be much lighter and your body will be well-conditioned. All this with an early start to the day will give us great possibility to spot wildlife as we get a second go at the world famous "Serengeti of the West"! Once at the van, we'll enjoy a big, fresh lunch, cold drinks and beautiful drive through the Northern Range!

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Trip Variations:

Nomadic By Nature always tries our best to follow the itinerary as closely as possible.  However, there may be slight variations based on the National Park Service permit system and the ever-changing dynamics of the outdoors. 

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