Yellowstone: A Great Outdoor Adventure With Your Family

Program Registration: 4:00-5:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table next to the front desk to register with the program staff and get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived.

At our meeting room near the Lodge, catered by a local restaurant.

Orientation: 7:00 p.m. 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 is staffed with a Group Leader and an Instructor who is an expert naturalist who will lead educational content. Transportation for program-related activities will be via chartered bus unless specified otherwise. Be sure to bring your own water bottle. Water will be available on the bus during all field trips so you can refill your bottles; disposable cups will not be provided. Elevations in Gardiner and Yellowstone National Park range from 6,500 feet to over 9,000 feet. Staying hydrated reduces symptoms of altitude sickness. This is a Road Scholar Family program. Adult participants are responsible for their children at all times. If/when separate age group activities are conducted concurrently, program staff will supervise. Minors are never to be left unsupervised. 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. Note: On the last morning of the program, an airport shuttle will be available (at additional cost). Make reservations at least three days in advance. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

At our meeting space a few blocks from the Lodge. Catered by a local restaurant.

We’ll gather in a meeting space where our instructor will involve kids in an experiential learning session to learn about the scientific aspects of Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, its geology, diverse wildlife and the grand ecosystem that supports these populations. We’ll then all board a private bus and ride into Yellowstone National Park. In the Mammoth area, we’ll set out on a trek through ancient limestone formations to the beautiful travertine terraces. About two tons of travertine 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. During the experience, we’ll keep an eye out for the wildlife that may be here as well as the unique geology and flora.

Sack lunches in the park.

Back aboard the bus, we will continue our exploration in the Norris Geyser Basin where we will walk amid the hottest, oldest, and most dynamic of Yellowstone’s thermal areas. The highest temperature yet recorded in any geothermal area in Yellowstone was measured in a scientific drill hole at Norris: 459°F, just 1,087 feet below the surface! After the field trip, we’ll ride to dinner.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure. You might like to explore Gardiner independently, enjoy an evening on the grassy patio overlooking the Yellowstone River keeping an eye out for wildlife, spend time with fellow Road Scholars, or just relax.

At a local restaurant.

We will board our bus for an early departure to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Grand perspectives from Lookout and Artist’s Points will reveal roaring water; beautiful, pastel-tinted canyon walls giving a sense of the great canyon’s immensity. We will explore and learn about this realm of thundering noise, churning waters, cool mist, and unique life zones.

Sack lunches in the park.

Next, we will venture into the Old Faithful area where our instructor will lead us on a walking exploration of all four thermal features: hissing fumaroles, steaming geysers, sulfurous mudpots, and bubbling hot springs. Science teachers back home will be impressed with reports of this visit to the heart of Yellowstone, which has over one fourth of the world’s geysers. We’ll see them, feel clouds of steam, smell sulfur, and hear the growling, bubbling, and plopping. As we walk through this wonderland of unique features, beautiful colors, and spouting geysers, we’ll learn about life forms in boiling water. We’ll also set out on a hike on a moderately steep and rocky trail to Observation Point for an overlook of the Old Faithful area. Walking on boardwalks, we’ll explore Geyser Hill among thermal features with names such as Beehive, Grand, Giant, Lion, and Plume, and of course, the beloved Old Faithful geyser.

At Old Faithful Cafeteria.

Returning to the Lodge, the remainder of the evening will be at leisure. Keep your eyes open as evening time in this prime wildlife habitat offers optimum opportunity for spotting critters. Prepare for our outdoor camp-out tomorrow night.

At a local restaurant.

We’ll board our bus and venture again into Yellowstone Park for a naturalist-led half day in the park. We will explore the northern part of Yellowstone before lunchtime.

Sack lunches in the park.

We will walk several blocks to the raft landing. After an orientation and safety lesson from our raft leader, we will walk down several stairs and a trail down to get onto the rafts. We’ll have an opportunity to practice paddling skills while floating on an area of the Yellowstone River that with mostly Class II rapids. As we float, our raft leaders and naturalist will tell us about riparian habitat and help us identify birds along the shore while we revel in the joy, excitement, and freedom of being on the water. Once we arrive at our campsite, we will set up our sleeping area and enjoy some instructor-led games while we wait for dinner next to the river.

Outdoors at our camp by the river.

We will have the opportunity of a lifetime to enjoy the outdoor classroom with the soothing sound of the river, the evening’s beautiful light, and bird calls — all while our instructor gives us a hands-on natural history presentation. The pace will seem to slow down as we take in a Montana sunset that eases into a star-filled night.

At the riverside.

We’ll help to pack up our gear, then listen close as our rafting leader goes through safety procedures and teaches us more rafting techniques We’ll then board rafts as our field trip continues another eight miles down the Yellowstone River. The second leg of our rafting adventure will get our hearts racing as we navigate Class III whitewater, classified by American Whitewater as, “Rapids with moderate, irregular waves which may be difficult to avoid.” Our rafting leader will lead us through maneuvers in fast currents and help us with the techniques needed for good boat control until we reach our destination.

At the riverside.

Arriving back at the rafting landing, we’ll take a short walk back to the motel for some down time. We’ll switch gears in the late afternoon and change into our horseback riding duds. We will take another short walk to board a small bus and ride to a premier outfitting ranch outside Gardiner, Montana. After a talk about riding etiquette, we’ll meet our horses and mount up for a ride out amid the Gallatin National Forest’s scenic landscape under the leadership of wranglers. As we ride, take some time to appreciate our dependable mountain horses, the creak of saddle leather, scented mountain breeze of sage, and expansive views of the Absaroka and Gallatin Mountain Ranges. Ah, the West! We’ll head back to the ranch for a special meal.

At the ranch, we’ll enjoy a cowboy cookout. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

We’ll spend our last night of the program together under the big Montana sky around the campfire, and reflecting at the ranch where we began our horseback ride. Returning to the Lodge, prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

From a local restaurant.

If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!