Wyoming
Hiking in the Beartooth Mountains of Wyoming
Program No. 22798RJ
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Hiking in the Beartooth Mountains of Wyoming
Hiking in the Beartooth Mountains of Wyoming
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Program
At a Glance
Duration
6 days
Program Begins
Crandall Creek
Program Concludes
Crandall Creek
Group Type
Micro Group
Meals
14 (
5B, 4L, 5D
)
Activity Level
From
3,099Beartooth. Shoshone. Absaroka. When it comes to the mountains of Wyoming, even the names are poetic. Hike off the beaten path through undulating hills and alpine meadows as you explore the natural wonders of these remote and glorious mountains. Join seasoned naturalists to learn about the geological forces that gave rise to dramatic cliffs, lush valleys and windswept plateaus. Encounter exquisite lakes and babbling creeks in this rich riparian habitat, and discover the abundance of life that survives at this altitude, including the mighty grizzly bear.
Best of all, you'll...
- Enjoy invigorating hikes in magnificent high country.
- Discover a high-elevation ecosystem teeming with plant and animal life-forms, and learn about their habitat.
- Absorb the unsung beauty of Wyoming as you hike from one staggeringly beautiful vista to the next.
General Notes
This is a Micro Group program, with 12 or fewer participants. Roommate matching is unavailable for solo travelers on this program. NOTE FOR UPCOMING SEASON (2025 DEPARTURES): We are aware of some disruptions within the Park Service and believe our programs in Yellowstone National Park can operate normally with minimal impact. Although the full effects of layoffs and hiring freezes for seasonal workers is unknown at this time, we have minimized our dependence on Park Service for lectures, clean-up and other services. We utilize lodging operated by both the park concessionaire and private hotels outside of the park. Neither are operated by the Park Service and shouldn’t be impacted by layoffs or hiring freezes. Our restaurants are also operated by residents of the gateway communities or employees of the park concessionaire. In accordance with the Leave No Trace Seven Principles, our groups pack out what they pack in and do not rely on Park Service for cleaning up after our visit. Finally, we don’t foresee Visitor Centers or sites in Yellowstone National Park to be closed due to staffing issues. We will of course be monitoring the situation through our partners within the gateway communities, National Park Service and the CUA office.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Gene Ball
Raised along the rural Louisiana-Texas border, Gene's early outdoor experiences began a lifelong interest in wildlife, western heritage and preservation. After teaching and serving as director for the Hill Country Arts Foundation and Cowboy Artists Museum in Texas, he migrated to Wyoming to work at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. He then became director of the Yellowstone Association and Yellowstone Institute in Yellowstone National Park, and now freelances as a writer and naturalist.
Please Note:
This expert may not be available for every date of the program
Please Note:
These experts may not be available for every date of the program
Leslie Stoltz
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.
Gene Ball
Raised along the rural Louisiana-Texas border, Gene's early outdoor experiences began a lifelong interest in wildlife, western heritage and preservation. After teaching and serving as director for the Hill Country Arts Foundation and Cowboy Artists Museum in Texas, he migrated to Wyoming to work at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. He then became director of the Yellowstone Association and Yellowstone Institute in Yellowstone National Park, and now freelances as a writer and naturalist.
Jim Garry
Jim Garry was born and raised in Texas and got his education at the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources. Since then, he moved to Wyoming where he’s lived for the past 44 years, spending at least part of every year in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. In that time, he’s worked as a wilderness guide, cowboy, biologist, naturalist, historian, artist, teacher, writer and storyteller. His most recent book is “The Weapons of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.”
Joyce Conners
Joyce’s first forays into nature were in the sand hills of Nebraska. She quickly upgraded to the Colorado Rockies, and eventually the mountains of Montana, where she has lived for the last 40 years. Working at the Greater Yellowstone Coalition in Bozeman has allowed Joyce to become a bona fide Yellowstone expert, and she considers herself fortunate to lead groups through the park’s extraordinary beauty. Joyce loves hiking, gardening and non-technical mountain climbing. Make sure to ask her about her stories involving mountain lions, mountain goats and grizzly bears!
Kathy Lichtendahl
As a resident of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem for more than 25 years, Kathy Lichtendahl has spent much of that time hiking, backpacking and skiing the area. Kathy was a member of Park County Search and Rescue for a dozen years and now works as a professional conservation photographer covering the wildlife and landscapes of the western United States. Kathy is a certified interpretive group leader through the National Association for Interpretation.
Zack Baker
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.
Heidi Schwandt
Heidi Schwandt's upbringing on cattle ranches in Southwestern Montana gave her the freedom to explore the woods and mountains. A short stint with the Forest Service on a trail maintenance crew solidified her love of hiking. Heidi has been instructing Alpine skiing for more than a decade, including a women-only skiing program she piloted at her local mountain. Two decades as a 4-H volunteer have showcased her passion for connecting with people and inspiring them to learn by doing.
Virginia Kelly
Virginia Kelly, a native Montanan, worked in Yellowstone, Yosemite, Sequoia, Lassen Volcanic, the Great Smoky Mountains, the Delaware Water Gap, and even the Washington Monument on a National Park Service travelling survey crew. With the Forest Service, Virginia was a land management planner in California, Oregon, Washington, and Montana. She served as executive coordinator for the federal Greater Yellowstone Coordinating Committee, and finalized her career with the Custer Gallatin National Forest in Bozeman, Montana. Virginia enjoys travel, hiking, camping, rafting, and cross-country skiing.
Rhiana Peck
Rhiana Peck grew up on the northern edge of Yellowstone Park. She studied and lived in India and Turkey, earning a degree in sociology and anthropology from Earlham College. She relocated back to the northern edge of the park in 2020. Winter finds her driving a snowcoach in Yellowstone’s interior based at Old Faithful, interpreting the landscape for travelers. Summer finds her based in Gardiner. Rhiana is a Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) with the National Association for Interpretation (NAI) and is a Wilderness First Responder.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Daily hikes up to 6 miles on rocky, uneven terrain. Elevations up to 11,000 feet.
Micro Group
(12 Max)
These adventures feature our smallest group size, with 12 participants or fewer.
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.
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.
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.
Sustainable Travel
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Sustainable Travel
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.