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A smiling family in life jackets rafts down the Yellowstone River in Montana during a Yellowstone National Park outdoor adventure trip.
Montana

Yellowstone: A Great Outdoor Adventure With Your Family

Program No. 20977RJ
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Program
At a Glance
Duration
6 days
Program Begins
Gardiner, MT
Program Concludes
Gardiner, MT
Group Type
Small Group
Meals
14 ( 5B, 4L, 5D )
Activity Level
From
3,549 /Adult
2,449 /Child
Tie up your hiking boots, hop on horseback and climb into a whitewater raft to explore America’s first national park on foot, horse and water. With your family by your side, take part in hands-on explorations of Yellowstone National Park in streamside habitats and forested mountains. Find out how the plants, animals, bugs, fish, water and weather patterns all work together to create this fascinating ecosystem. Plus, visit Old Faithful — the world’s most famous geyser — to investigate hissing fumaroles, steaming geysers, sulfurous mudpots and bubbling hot springs.
Best of all, you'll...
  • Experience the exciting Class II and Class III rapids of the Yellowstone River on a rafting excursion, and enjoy a picnic lunch along the river.
  • Make trailside discoveries in the high country as you ride horses together, and end the ride with a cowboy cookout.
  • Set up camp along the river as you take in a Montana sunset and sleep under a star-filled night sky.
General Notes
This is a Family program for participants, their adult children and grandchildren ages 9 and up. For a comparable intergenerational adventure for just grandparents and grandchildren, check out "Yellowstone’s Great Outdoors With Your Grandchild" (#17306).
All Experts
Please Note:
These experts may not be available for every date of the program
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.
Rob Harwood spent three seasons working for one of Yellowstone’s main concessionaires before relocating to Gardiner permanently as a full-time guide. Rob is also a landscape and wildlife photographer with over a decade of experience behind the camera. In addition to guiding, Rob enjoys climbing in the Tetons, backpacking throughout the GYE and beyond, and trying amazing new foods from around the globe. Rob is a Certified Interpretive Guide and Certified Wilderness First Responder. He studied outdoor recreation leadership and management at Northern Michigan University.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Walking and hiking up to 3 miles per day over maintained trails, asphalt paths, rocky trails, lose gravel, and boardwalks with stairs. Standing up to 2 hours per day. Program will require approximately 10 miles of walking over 5 days. Must be able to get in and out of a whitewater raft for 7 miles on Class II/III waters with no back support. Horseback trail riding for 1 hour. Weight limit for riding is not to exceed 250 pounds. Bus from rafting includes a very bumpy road and no AC. Stairs at accommodations with no elevator. Must be able to handle your own luggage. Accommodation includes one night camping in a mix of wall tents and nylon tents with cots and shared indoor bathroom with plumbing and an outdoor shower. Coach buses are used for transportation and require up to 100 miles (2 hours) of driving time at once. Elevations begin at 5,200 feet and go up to 9000 feet. Due to terrain, pacing and activities this program is not suitable for wheelchairs, scooters or canes. Must be physic
Small Group (13 to 24)
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Family Program
Share your love of learning with your family. These programs are designed for any combination of generations: grandparents, aunts, uncles, parents and children.
Suggested Books and Resources
View Full List
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!
Call 800-454-5768
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Peace of Mind

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.

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Assurance Plan

Road Scholar is committed to the well-being of every participant, whether on a program in the United States or abroad. That’s why all participants are covered under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan, which provides 24-hour assistance in the event of an emergency during your program, as well as insurance for emergency medical evacuation.

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Want to Protect Your Investment?

Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.

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Sustainable Travel

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.

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