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Montana

Yellowstone: The Great Caldera

Program No. 13845RJ
Yellowstone is both the world at its most primordial and the world at its most sublime. Come explore the park’s many natural wonders on the learning adventure of a lifetime.

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Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
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itinerary
Please Note:
The itinerary for this program is different on certain dates.
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Filling Fast!
Aug 14 - Aug 20, 2023
Starting at
2,699
Itinerary Note

This departure is 7 days / 6 nights and includes five full days in Yellowstone. Meals: 17 total (6 B, 5 L, 6 D)

Sep 11 - Sep 17, 2023
Starting at
2,699
Itinerary Note

This departure is 7 days / 6 nights and includes five full days in Yellowstone. Meals: 17 total (6 B, 5 L, 6 D)

May 13 - May 18, 2024
Starting at
2,799
May 27 - Jun 1, 2024
Starting at
2,799
Aug 19 - Aug 24, 2024
Starting at
2,799
Sep 9 - Sep 14, 2024
Starting at
2,799
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Aug 14 - Aug 20, 2023
Starting at
3,399
Itinerary Note

This departure is 7 days / 6 nights and includes five full days in Yellowstone. Meals: 17 total (6 B, 5 L, 6 D)

Sep 11 - Sep 17, 2023
Starting at
3,399
Itinerary Note

This departure is 7 days / 6 nights and includes five full days in Yellowstone. Meals: 17 total (6 B, 5 L, 6 D)

Filling Fast!
May 13 - May 18, 2024
Starting at
3,639
Filling Fast!
May 27 - Jun 1, 2024
Starting at
3,639
Filling Fast!
Aug 19 - Aug 24, 2024
Starting at
3,639
Sep 9 - Sep 14, 2024
Starting at
3,639

At a Glance

Yellowstone's cast of thousands includes bears, wolves, volcanoes, thermal features, winter range, flora, fire and history. Understand their vital roles in a magnificent ecosystem. Naturalist leads discussion and provides interpretation during four full days in the field for exploration of diverse habitats and steaming geyser basins.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to two miles total throughout each day on varied terrain; Getting on and off motorcoach multiple times daily; Travel times vary within the park. Elevations of 5,260-9,000 feet.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Enjoy four full days in Yellowstone exploring pristine rivers, waterfalls, beautiful vistas and wildlife.
  • Meet exploration and survey parties and learn about current issues and evolving philosophy.
  • Visit the Yellowstone National Park Heritage and Research Center, which houses a collection of 5.3 million items.

General Notes

Please note that accommodations and program length vary by date. Please check the Dates and Prices, Itinerary and Meals and Lodging Tabs for more information.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Catherine Cain
Catherine is a professional naturalist. She attended UCSD and UCSB where she studied biology, cultural anthropology and immunology and received a Fulbright Scholarship to do reef research in Jamaica. Catherine has taught classes for UCLA, the Oceanic Society, and UCSB and worked for the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden. She was also the owner of High Country Discovery, an ecotour business in southwest Montana. She currently spends winter and autumn teaching Road Scholar classes and dedicates summer to her Native Plant Nursery and Saturday Farmers Markets.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Leslie Stoltz
Leslie Stoltz View biography
Raised and educated in the Finger Lakes region of New York, Leslie Stoltz now lives in Big Sky, Montana, surrounded by the wild places that she loves. Her decade of work for the National Park Service in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks in the areas of research and education provided a wonderful foundation for her career as a teacher and park expert. Since the early 1990s, Leslie has worked for a variety of companies and non-profit organizations, teaching classes and leading trips in national parks and wild areas throughout the American West. Farther afield, she has led educational trips to Nepal, Bhutan, Tanzania, Botswana, Ecuador, and Mexico. Leslie also runs a non-profit with a mission to keep kids connected to the outdoors though scholarship opportunities for outdoor learning experiences.
Profile Image of Cathy Raven
Cathy Raven View biography
Catherine Raven, a Road Scholar instructor since 1999, has a botany/zoology degree from The University of Montana and a PhD in biology from Montana State University. She is the author of “Fox and I: An Uncommon Friendship” that was a New York Times bestseller, winner of the PEN/EO Wilson Award for Literary Science Writing and the Nautilus Gold Award for animals/nature writing. A former park ranger at Glacier, Yellowstone, Mount Rainier, Voyageurs, and North Cascades National Parks, Cathy currently teaches undergraduates at South University.
Profile Image of Catherine Cain
Catherine Cain View biography
Catherine is a professional naturalist. She attended UCSD and UCSB where she studied biology, cultural anthropology and immunology and received a Fulbright Scholarship to do reef research in Jamaica. Catherine has taught classes for UCLA, the Oceanic Society, and UCSB and worked for the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden. She was also the owner of High Country Discovery, an ecotour business in southwest Montana. She currently spends winter and autumn teaching Road Scholar classes and dedicates summer to her Native Plant Nursery and Saturday Farmers Markets.
Profile Image of Bill Cain
Bill, a fourth generation Montanan, was born in Butte and graduated from the University of Montana in Missoula. Bill is a veteran, a retired business executive and a fly fishing guide. He and his wife Catherine live north of Dillon in the lower Big Hole Valley. Bill and Catherine are ardent outdoor enthusiasts, enjoying fishing, hunting, skiing, hiking and all that the Montana outdoors has to offer.
Profile Image of Zack Baker
Zack Baker View biography
Zack Baker attended high school in Livingston, Montana, 52 miles north of Yellowstone. His love for the park started while snowshoeing and observing wildlife. At Montana State University in Bozeman, he earned a B.S. in plant science, but it was Yellowstone’s mammals that grabbed his interest. He led private wildlife watching, hiking, and photography trips, and drove snowcoaches in the winter. He joined up with Road Scholar in 2017 and is now the Program Director for Road Scholar at the University of Montana Western.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
To Save the Wild Bison: Life on the Edge in Yellowstone
by Mary Ann Franke
The author brings clarity and revelation to one of Yellowstone's most complex struggles by tracing the history of bison and humans into the 19th century and further into the national parks era. Here's discussion of bison management and park policy - the battle over brucellosis, snowmobiles and groomed winter roads, desires of Native Americans, bison and predators.
Roadside Geology of Yellowstone Country
by William Fritz & Robert Thomas
Updated, classic roadside geology book for the Yellowstone Region explains current geological theories.
After the Fires: The Ecology of Change in Yellowstone National Park
by Linda Wallace, Editor
The ravaging fires of 1988 caused many scientists to predict long-term devastation which did not come to pass. This scientific summary by wildlife biologists, ecosystem and forest scientists and landscape ecologists discusses the many things that changed and did not change in the Yellowstone area. Realize the role of fire in the ecosystem and the resiliency of nature.
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region
by Richard Spellenberg
This revised edition presents more than 940 full-color images showing western North American wildflowers in their natural habitats. The guide sports a waterproof, washable cover meant to be thrown into a pack and has a checklist/lifelist for those who like to keep track of identifications. The book is a good learning tool as its entries are color and shape sorted so that one may appreciate floral characteristics other than color. The identifier may compare flowers grown in the west to those grown in other areas of the country.
Old Faithful Inn: Crown Jewel of National Park Lodges
by Karen Reinhart and Jeff Henry
Thoroughly researched and complete history of Old Faithful Inn, complete with stunning photography.
Wolf Land
by Carter Niemeyer (author) Jenny Niemeyer (Editor)
Carter Niemeyer has followed wolves – and captured many – since he helped reintroduce them in the Northern Rockies in the mid-1990s. In his second memoir, Wolf Land, he takes us across the rugged West as he tracks wolves, shares in their lives, and seeks middle ground for these iconic animals, both on the land and in our hearts. Carter Niemeyer is an Iowa native and a recognized expert on wolves, livestock depredation, and trapping. He is the retired Idaho wolf manager for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Niemeyer wrote his first memoir, Wolfer, in 2010.
Scorched Earth: How the Fires of Yellowstone Changed America
by Rocky Barker
The Yellowstone fires brought to the forefront longstanding conflict over whether federal land management should go with immediate fire suppression procedures or the ‘let it burn’ philosophy. The author, who experienced the Yellowstone fires of 1988 as an environmental reporter there, reviews US wildlands fire history by highlighting wildlands fire management. Discussion of this history and the history of federal lands management considers how these policies shaped the protection of public lands in the US today. Further explained are the details behind the creation of Yellowstone National Park and the role the US Army played in ‘protecting Yellowstone and shaping public lands in the West.’
Windows into the Earth: The Geologic Story of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks
by Robert B. Smith and Lee J. Siegel
Find out about the forces that shaped and continue to shape the Greater Yellowstone-Teton region. Illustrations and driving tours of both parks help visitors enjoy and understand the Earth's creative forces in this wondrous region.
The Sibley Guide to Birds
by David Allen Sibley
Sibley, a talented painter, offers this wonderful, data-packed color guide with range maps and detailed descriptions of songs and calls. This book is perfect for field trips with short walks and may be too heavy for some to take to the field in which case it can await back in the car.
Restoring a Presence: American Indians and Yellowstone National Park
by Peter Nabokov and Lawrence Loendorf
This first comprehensive account of Indians in and around Yellowstone corrects more than a century of ignorance. Detailed here is Yellowstone's native peoples and their story of a long engagement with a remarkable landscape.
Searching for Yellowstone: Ecology and Wonder in the Last Wilderness
by Paul Schullery
Eloquent, elegant, truthful and practical - an environmental history of America's best idea, Yellowstone.
Decade of the Wolf, revised and updated edition: Returning the Wild to Yellowstone
by Douglas W. Smith and Gary Ferguson
Research and storytelling meld to document wolf recovery in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Wolf biologist, Smith, and nature writer, Ferguson, provide an inside look at the Yellowstone Wolf Recovery Project ten years after the controversial decision was made by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services to reintroduce wolves into the park. Smith, wolf project leader who has worked with the Yellowstone Wolf Project since its inception, has studied wolves for 25 years. Ferguson, whose writing largely arises from intimate experiences, followed through the seasons, the first 14 wolves released into Yellowstone National Park. Their collaboration offers hard facts and 'impressionistic portraits of individual wolves that reveal their epic lives full of struggle and conquest.' Here is the history of the return of the top predator to Yellowstone.
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7 days
6 nights
17 meals
6 B 5 L 6 D
DAY
1
Check-in, Program Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Bozeman, Montana
D
Springhill Suites

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m. Dinner and orientation to follow.

Afternoon: Program Registration 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. After you have your room assignment, come to the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, other important information, and to confirm when and where the Orientation session will take place. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. This program will be led by both the Group Leader and an instructor, who is an expert naturalist and will lead the educational portion of the program. Unless specified otherwise, all transportation will be provided via private motorcoach, requiring the ascending/descending of a few steps when getting on/off. Remember to bring your own water bottle. Ice water will be available in coolers on the bus during travel, from which you may fill your water bottle; disposable cups will not be available. Expect to walk an average of 2 miles per day. The Greater Yellowstone area is considered high desert, very dry. At high altitudes you are more susceptible to dehydration and altitude sickness. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

DAY
2
Yellowstone Ecosystem, Gallatin Canyon, Mammoth Hot Springs
Gardiner, MT
B,L,D
Absaroka Lodge

Activity note: Walking about 2 miles total over several moderate walks throughout the day; established trails, asphalt paths, boardwalks and down several hundred stairs at Mammoth Terraces. Getting on/off motor coach; driving approx. 130 miles; about 4 hours.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Enjoy an introductory lecture given by our instructor. During our morning class time our instructor will put Yellowstone into perspective as we hit the road and discuss some of the geologic processes that have shaped Yellowstone's landscape through the ages. We’ll consider tectonic plate movement, the Yellowstone hot spot, and how the Park's unique ecosystem and diverse habitats are a direct result of glaciations, as well as tectonic and volcanic activity. We will check out of our hotel, meet our motorcoach, and transfer to Yellowstone Park via the beautiful Gallatin Canyon.

Lunch: Sack lunches in the park.

Afternoon: After lunch, we will board our motor coach and continue the day's discovery. Our instructor will offer commentary as we travel north through a magnificent landscape. . As we go toward Gardiner breathtaking vistas of seemingly endless countryside roll out. We'll travel to the Mammoth Hot Springs Historic District where we’ll walk the Mammoth Terraces to observe the ever-changing, graceful travertine beauty. About two tons of travertine, a type of limestone, are deposited daily as hot, mineral-laden water wells up from beneath the earth's crust to add to terraces that began building thousands of years ago. If time allows you may want to visit the Albright Visitor Center and Museum and/or Fort Yellowstone independently. Check into hotel upon arriving in Gardiner.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
3
Canyon area
Gardiner, MT
B,L,D
Absaroka Lodge

Activity note: Walking about 2 miles total on several walks throughout the day; pavement, boardwalks, rocky and uneven terrain; Driving approx. 84 miles total; about 3 hours, with stops.

Breakfast: At a local restaurant.

Morning: We'll board the motorcoach for a field trip to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

Lunch: Sack lunches in the park.

Afternoon: Next, we’ll take a field trip to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone for an interpretive walk led by our instructor. Along the way, we’ll learn the Canyon’s geologic story of ice and fire – glaciers and eruptions – which created its beautifully tinted canyon walls. While on the lookout for osprey and waterfowl, we’ll experience the roar of the 109-foot Upper Falls and see the mighty Lower Fall's 309-foot plunge into its Canyon depths. We’ll then board our motorcoach and transfer to the Canyon Visitor Education Center, which reveals more of Yellowstone’s violent geologic past. While here, we will enjoy some time for independent exploration of the numerous unique exhibits, discover the processes by which Yellowstone was formed, and learn about the influence it has had on the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Dinner: At a restaurant in Canyon Village.

Evening: We’ll then return to our accommodation and, on our way back, we will have the opportunity to take advantage of the crepuscular hour for some great wildlife viewing opportunities. The remainder of the evening is at leisure.

DAY
4
Yellowstone Park Heritage & Research Center, Norris
Gardiner, MT
B,L,D
Absaroka Lodge

Activity note: Walking about 2 miles total on several walks throughout the day. Driving approx. 65 miles total; about 2.5 hours with stops.

Breakfast: Local restaurant plated meal.

Morning: We will board the motorcoach and ride to our first stop of the day: the Yellowstone National Park Heritage and Research Center where a docent will lead our exploration. The center houses the Yellowstone Archive, a 5.3 million-item collection that is the only national park collection affiliated with the National Archives. From the National Park Service: “Yellowstone’s collections document the cultural and natural history of the world’s first national park and the conditions of its resources. The historic collections document the park from pre-history through the present. The collections include objects and written records that document the history and science of the park, changes in perception and meaning over time, and the interaction between people and nature. Specimens range from geologic and natural history to Native American and European American cultural materials.”

Lunch: Sack lunches in the park.

Afternoon: Our exploration will continue amongst the park's many thermal areas. Listening to enlightening commentary given by our instructor about the Great Caldera and its underground “plumbing system”. We’ll make various stops throughout the day to see some of Yellowstone National Park’s 10,000 thermal features – hot springs, mudpots and fumaroles – and over 300 geysers. They’re all a reminder of the area’s recent volcanic past, which laid the foundation for the world’s most diverse and intact collection of thermal activity in the world.<

Dinner: Catered by a local restaurant.

Evening: Evening at leisure

DAY
5
Upper Geyser Basin, Old Faithful
Gardiner, MT
B,L,D
Absaroka Lodge

Activity note: Walking up to a possible 2 miles total on several walks throughout the day, more dependent on personal preference; boardwalks, paved trails, some hilly areas. Those who would rather not walk may enjoy the Old Faithful Visitor Center. Getting on/off the motor coach; driving approx. 114 miles total; about 4 hours with stops.

Breakfast: From a local restaurant.

Morning: We’ll begin our day’s journey aboard our motorcoach listening to enlightening commentary given by our instructor as we journey down to the heart of Yellowstone - Old Faithful.

Lunch: Sack lunches in the park.

Afternoon: Our next destination will be Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin where the hot water beneath the surface is over 400 degrees F; it cools to around 200 degrees F as it surges from the geysers. Old Faithful's eruption discharges about 8,500 gallons of hot water as it erupts to heights between 100 and 180 feet every 80 minutes or so. We’ll follow our instructor’s lead and commentary as we walk and revel in the spectacle of Old Faithful before walking a portion of Geyser Hill's meandering boardwalk to view more geysers and hot springs including Giantess, Lioness and Grotto.

Dinner: At the Old Faithful cafeteria.

Evening: Travelling back to Gardiner during the evening. Prepare for checkout in the morning.

DAY
6
Yellowstone's Northern Range
Bozeman, Montana
B,L,D
Springhill Suites

Activity note: Walking about 1 mile total on several walks throughout the day. Getting on/off the motor coach; driving approx. 130 miles; about 5 hours with stops.

Breakfast: From a local restaurant.

Morning: Setting out from the hotel, we’ll journey into the Lamar Valley, an expansive valley along the Lamar River in Yellowstone’s northern range, which is a wide-open haven for wildlife. Our instructor will offer onboard commentary as we soak in the expanses of open space with possible sightings of bison, elk, waterfowl, coyotes and more. As we drive and during stops along the way, we’ll consider the magnificent ecosystem and how all its aspects intersect to create a tapestry of life not to be found anywhere else in the nation.

Lunch: Sack lunches in the park.

Afternoon: As we continue to travel back through the Lamar Valley to Bozeman, our instructor will continue to offer commentary concerning the wildlife populations, wolf reintroduction, predator and prey dynamics, and more. After a beautiful drive through Paradise Valley and the Bozeman Pass, Check into Springhill Suites upon arrival.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: We’ll gather for a wrap-up presentation in our meeting room for a closing presentation by our instructor on the natural history of Yellowstone and to review what we have learned and seen during our Yellowstone adventure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departures in the morning.

DAY
7
Program Concludes
Bozeman, Montana
B

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Best wishes for all your journeys!






Important registration tip:
If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.