Yellowstone Itinerary

 

In Wyoming and Montana, your family will be wowed by the rugged beauty of the West while you horseback ride, raft, and hike through Yellowstone National Park. The diversity and abundance of activities for families, along with stunning resort locations near national parks and public lands, make Yellowstone one of the best vacations for families. 

My first visit to Jackson Hole, Wyoming was to scout hotels for a sales incentive trip for the tech company I was working for at the time. I had just gotten home from a conference they sent me to in Reno and I was not looking forward to visiting this flyover state – I was awed by the natural beauty and the authenticity that the town boasted – now Jackson Hole is one of my favorite places on the planet. 

Yellowstone National Park is nearly 3,500-sq.-mile wilderness recreation area atop a volcanic hot spot. Mostly in Wyoming, the park spreads into parts of Montana and Idaho too. Yellowstone features dramatic canyons, alpine rivers, lush forests, hot springs, and gushing geysers, including its most famous, Old Faithful. It’s also home to hundreds of animal species, including bears, wolves, bison, elk, and antelope.

Day One 

Arrive in Jackson Hole, check in to your hotel, and enjoy an evening in downtown Jackson. The Town of Jackson is somehow cowboy and cosmopolitan at the same time. On Town Square, log cabins from the 19thcentury share the boardwalk with prime examples of contemporary Western architecture. Locally-owned boutiques with runway fashions rub elbows with Western shops stocking t-shirts and lariats. Galleries abound with artwork as diverse as downtown itself, from historic scenes of Mountain Mento abstractions by blue-chip masters. A plethora of restaurants plates a commensurate array of culinary adventures, from choice meats sourced locally to culinary creativity rivaling most metropolises. If you are visiting in the summer don’t miss the daily shootout at 6pm. 

Stay at the Wort Hotel Jackson

Day Two 

Start the day with a horseback ride through the Tetons. No trip to the Old West is complete without a horseback ride.  Take in the beautiful vistas of Grand Teton National Park while riding among wildflower meadows and pristine lakes under the towering Teton peaks. Take in the sweeping vistas from the back of a horse as you traverse fields and hilltops. Saddle up with a true cowboy who has lived in this area for years. He will bring out your inner cowboy as he shows you the ins and outs of the region. 

After a mid-day rest back at the hotel, you will start your evening traveling by horse-drawn covered wagons into Cache Creek Canyon. As you pull into camp you can smell the sweet aroma of a Dutch oven dinner, to welcome your arrival. As dinner wraps up, a band takes the stage to entertain you with laughter and great hand-clapping western music.

Stay at the Wort Hotel Jackson

Day Three 

Start your day on a wildlife safari. A Yellowstone Wildlife Tour and Guided Safari is a great way to see bears, wolves, and the other animals of Yellowstone National Park. The wildlife tours start early to take advantage of the morning animal movement and activity. Morning is the best time to see wildlife in the park, especially bears and wolves.

Tours focus on the wildlife hotspots in Yellowstone like the Lamar Valley, Hayden Valley, “Little America”, Slough Creek, Lake area, and points along the northern range ecosystem. Wildlife is constantly moving through the park and by using a certified guide you will know where to find them.

Tonight, grab dinner back in Jackson at the Snake River Brewery, and if you time it right, afterward you can walk over to the Jackson Hole Rodeo for the real deal cowboy experience (Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the summer).

Stay at the Wort Hotel Jackson

Day Four 

Spend the day hiking and rafting! For those who like adventure and those who like nature, they won’t be disappointed.

Experience a custom-guided day hike in Yellowstone National Park and finish with an exciting whitewater-rafting trip down the Yellowstone River including your very own personal Yellowstone guide, use of binoculars & viewing scope, and all your rafting gear. This will be an experience you will never forget.

Day Five 

After a busy day yesterday, you will take it a little easier today as you transfer to your hotel on the Montana side of the park it is about a 2-hour drive but I recommend a few stops along the way. 

First, stop at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, they are an AZA-accredited wildlife park, and educational facility offering visitors to Yellowstone a chance to uniquely experience the world of grizzly bears and gray wolves. All the animals at the Center are unable to survive in the wild and serve as ambassadors for their wild counterparts. The main purpose of the Center is to help visitors gain knowledge about grizzlies and wolves through educational programs. Visitors can spend their time watching these fascinating animals interact in their outdoor habitats. 

Next stop at the Museum of the Yellowstone and Visitor Center, and learn the Park’s influence on West Yellowstone and the Hebgen Lake Basin. The Museum is managed by the Yellowstone Historic Center, and there is a desk staffed by National Park Service rangers in the summer and winter. 

Stay at the Explorer Cabins Yellowstone

Day Six 

Spend the morning exploring the geysers and hot springs that make Yellowstone really special. It is actually here the greatest concentration of them in the whole world. This unique geology is the true essence of the park. Yellowstone is home to over 10,000 thermal features and 300 geysers including famous features like Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, and the Fountain Paint Pots. The Yellowstone Geyser and Geology Tour is a great way to see, learn, and experience the volcanic geology and processes of Yellowstone with the guidance of a licensed geologist. 

When night falls, you will experience Yellowstone in all its dark glory: free from light pollution, the sky is a true kaleidoscope of colors. Spot countless stars, constellations, nebulas, and galaxies, and the majestic Milky Way shining above. Your guide will provide you with an electronic telescope, powered by an iPad that can point the device to specific stars, while you enjoy a gourmet dinner with a unique view!

Stay at the Explorer Cabins Yellowstone

Day Seven 

On your last full day in the Rockies, let the kids let out a little energy and fly over the mountains. Yellowstone Ariel Adventures is Montana’s largest  Zipline Adventure Park Based on European Zipline Parks, Yellowstone Aerial Adventures has built one of the first of its kind right in West Yellowstone. The Zipline Adventure Park features over 1000′ of ziplining thrills on 4 different, family-oriented ziplines. Even more exciting is the giant ropes course, featuring 49 challenge elements including spiderwebs, rope bridges, log bridges, and much more.  From 14′ to 50’ off the ground, it offers an experience that will both thrill and challenge adventurers of all ages and levels. 

Stay at the Explorer Cabins Yellowstone

Day Eight

Prepare for your return home and start planning your next adventure! 

Need a vacation but the idea of planning-it-all is overwhelming?

If you are ready to have the family vacation you’ve been dreaming of, without spending time researching, planning and making it happen, schedule a call today. I’m here to help busy working Moms plan, organize and book the perfect family vacation. With me, all you have to worry about is enjoying your well-earned time away with your family. If you are ready to stop trying to do everything on your own and see how I can help you schedule a complimentary trip planning session now.

 

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