“Snow provokes responses that reach right back to childhood.”
Andy Goldsworthy
While many people curse the winter and the snow, here in Montana snow is a reason to celebrate! On our Yellowstone Winter Snowshoe Adventure, we snowshoe under the clear blue “Big Sky” on gorgeous trails along frozen creeks, among groves of Aspen trees, through open valleys, in narrow gorges, and next to the geysers and fumaroles in Yellowstone National Park.
If you can hike, you can snowshoe! Yellowstone winter snowshoe is a blast and with these “all-terrain vehicles” strapped to our feet we can follow a trail or make a trail of our own anywhere there is snow.
We spend our first three nights in Gardiner, a winter gateway to the Park, and our last night at Chico Hot Springs. The Park’s 2.2 million acres offer some of the best snowshoeing terrain you’ll find anywhere. Experiencing the steamy geothermal features, the abundant wildlife, and gazing up at the stars or moon’s light are all bonuses you will never forget.
ZEPHYR ADVENTURES IS AN AUTHORIZED PERMITTEE OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
Trip Reviews
“Excellent….possible for all ages to experience. Would do it again.”
Cheryl V.
“From being with those who enjoy XC skiing, snowshoeing & ice skating in one of the most beautiful places on the planet with perfect snow, breathtaking thermal features and amazing wild bison, elk, bald eagles, trumpeter swans and even moose to see… what’s not to like?”
Cindy A.
Details
- Cost Per Person: $3,100
- Single Supplement: $695
- Private Tour Minimum: 4
- Activities: Snowshoeing
- Guide(s): Kris Lucky Keys
Other Info
THIS TRIP IS LIMITED TO 10 PARTICIPANTS
$250 - $350 (estimated) additional private Snowcoach Transportation (round trip)
$50 Snow Shoe Rental (optional, as you can also bring your own)
Talk to Our Team: 888-758-8687
I Have QuestionsTrip Highlights
- Experience a national treasure – Yellowstone National Park – in a season where there are few other visitors
- See wildlife from the trail and from the snowcoach
- Soak in Chico's natural hot springs
- Snowshoe through one of the world's most iconic national parks
We reserve the right to alter our listed itinerary based on current snow conditions, to maximize your enjoyment!
DAY 1
Your guides will meet you this morning in Bozeman, Montana, where we begin and end our adventure. From Bozeman, we will drive through the Paradise Valley directly to our hotel in Gardiner, roughly 90 minutes away. We will have a quick snowshoeing clinic before we make our way to Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces for an introductory snowshoe walk around Mammoth Terrace Loop. In the evening we will have happy hour and dinner at our hotel in Gardiner.
DAY 2
After breakfast, we will make our way to Yellowstone for a day of snowshoeing around Lamar Valley. First, we will snowshoe to the Rose Creek Wolf Pen, which was used during the 1995 reintroduction of wolves to the park and stands as an important symbol of the park's conservation efforts. After the wolfpen visit, we will snowshoe to Tower Fall for a stunning view of the frozen waterfall surrounded by dramatic cliffs and serene wilderness. Tonight we will enjoy a taco feast together.
DAY 3
This morning a hearty breakfast is in order, as we’ll be out on the trail all day. And what a trail it is! We’ll tuck our lunches into our packs, and pile into the snow coach (a van fitted with either gigantic snow tires or special treads similar to a snowmobile instead of wheels so it can easily cross snow-covered roads, the best way to get around Yellowstone in the winter). After a short trip to the trailhead, we begin our day at Norris Geyser basin for a short snowshoe before heading to Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone! You’ll be happy to relax with a glass of wine or hot chocolate next to the fire tonight and regale one another with stories from the day. Your well-used muscles will appreciate how comfy and warm your bed feels tonight! Dinner will be at Wonderland Cafe.
DAY 4
Today, we will check out of our beautiful hotel in Gardiner and catch a snow coach to the Bunsen Loop trailhead. Snowshoeing Bunsen Loop features panoramic views of the Gallatin Mountains, frozen waterfalls, and abundant wildlife along its serene, snowy path. Afterward, we will make our way to Chico Hot Springs for a final stay, including time to soak in the hot springs before our final dinner. If the skies are clear, we recommend a short outdoor walk guided by starlight, moonlight (or headlamp) after dinner.
DAY 5
This may be our last morning together, but there is still fun to be had! We can enjoy one last snowshoe walk together (an out and back of approximately four miles) after breakfast, with time afterwards to shower, pack up and check out. We will continue the journey by completing our loop back to Bozeman, where we will bid one another farewell and either travel onward or depart for home.
Book this TourTrip Accommodations
NIGHTS 1 - 3 >> WONDERLAND LODGE / GARDINER, MONTANA Wonderland is brand new, beautiful, and small – only 6 super cozy rooms – and conveniently has a great restaurant on the main floor. It is in the heart of the tiny downtown of Gardiner, right next to the entrance of Yellowstone National Park. From our snowy haven, we can set out on a variety of adventures.
NIGHT 4 >> CHICO HOT SPRINGS / PRAY, MT Chico Hot Springs Resort is our absolute favorite spot for a Montana getaway. The historic resort is located in the heart of Paradise Valley, just north of Yellowstone National Park and nestled in the foothills of the breathtaking Absaroka Mountain Range. Their two outdoor pools are the perfect place to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Book this TourArrival & Departure
Your guides meet you in the cool mountain town of Bozeman, Montana the morning of the first day of the trip. We’ll return to Bozeman’s airport the last afternoon of the trip by 12:15 PM, allowing you to fly out by 1:00 PM or so. We can also leave you in Big Sky or Bozeman so you can extend your stay. Bozeman (airport code BZN) is served by many major airlines: Alaska Air, Allegient, Delta, Frontier, and United.
What's Included
- A local Zephyr guide will be joined by another Zephyr guide when group reaches 7 participants.
- Double occupancy lodging is included. If you are coming on a trip solo, you have two options: 1) Pay the single supplement to receive your own room. 2) Ask us to try to find you a roommate of the same gender to share a room with; if we are not successful you will be charged the single supplement and receive your own room.
- All of your dinners and breakfasts are included, as well as two trail lunches. Gratuity for these meals is also included. We leave two lunches open so that you have a little flexibility and time to explore.
- All your transportation is included once you meet your guides on the first day. Cost for a private snowcoach into and out of Yellowstone National Park is not included, but we will book this for you and add this cost to your invoice.
- NOT INCLUDED: Equipment rental, beverages, desserts, some lunches, optional gratuities to your guides, personal expenses and travel to and from the destination.
Snow
Weather is always unpredictable and winter in Yellowstone is no exception! It is possible that there may be no snow, but don’t fret, we plan great alternate activities to take the place of the cross country skiing and snowshoeing if this happens to be the case.
Snow Coach
While in Yellowstone, we’ll be taking the snowcoach to get from place to place. These fun and funky snow vehicles can get quite crowded as they fit all our gear and people from two vans into one! But they are definitely a part of the experience and allow us to do and see things that wouldn’t be possible without them. Plus we strive to be responsible citizens of this sensitive area and not waste resources for the 30-mile trip in! (Snowcoaches get about 2-3 miles per gallon of gas)
Pack Appropriately
Since we’ll be transporting in the snowcoaches, and therefore have limited space, you’ll want to pack smartly. Wear what you want to wear for snowshoeing and pack your extra ski clothes, lunch, and x-c shoes in your ski backpack. This will be on your lap during the snowcoach ride. Your overnight bag should include only what you need for two days: toiletries, wallet, reading materials, pjs, dinner clothes for 2 nights, ski clothes for Day 3 (clean base layers), socks, and shoes (if you don’t want to wear your boots to dinner).
Changes to Your Itinerary
While everything under “What is Included” will remain the same, the actual restaurants, hotels, and activities listed in our itineraries are subject to modifications. Changes that are out of our control are common – a restaurant closes or loses its awesome chef, a winery changes its visiting hours, a hotel gets remodeled, a road or trail undergoes construction. You are entrusting us to create an outstanding vacation for you and so it is possible we may take the liberty of making necessary changes (even at the last minute, during the guides’ scout trip) to the itinerary that will improve your overall trip experience. If there is any one experience that is going to make or break your trip, please discuss this with us in advance! We will attempt to keep our website itinerary as current as possible and communicate any major changes with you in the weeks prior to the tour.
Related Blog Posts
How To Enjoy Winter In Yellowstone
October 24, 2017
Yellowstone in Winter: Don't Ski too Close to a Sleeping Bison!
October 9, 2012
Yellowstone in the Winter – Big Animals in Big Sky Country
March 19, 2015
I'm Interested!
Ready to book this trip? Click here to head to our registration page.
Not quite ready to sign up yet, but you are interested in staying in touch about this trip? No problem, we can add you to our "Interested" list. This means we will follow up with you via email or phone as we get closer to selling out the trip to see if you are ready to make a decision to book or not.
Please note this does NOT mean we are holding a spot for you on the trip. In order to hold your spot, you will need to pay a trip deposit.
More Information
I'm interested in this tour and want more information. Get in touch with us.
Plan a Private Tour
Looking to book this itinerary as a private tour? Complete our private tour inquiry form to get started.