Montana
Yellowstone: A Great Outdoor Adventure With Your Family
Program No. 20977RJ
Explore the wonders of Yellowstone National Park with your family as you horseback ride, hike, raft the Yellowstone River and learn about geysers, hot springs and fumaroles!
Enroll with Confidence
We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. Learn more
Protecting the Environment
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more
Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date.
Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
6 days
5 nights
What's Included
14 meals (
5B, 4L, 5D
)
2 expert-led lectures
8 expert-led field trips
3 hands-on experiences
An experienced Group Leader
5 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
Check-in, Program Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Location:
Gardiner, MT
Meals:
D
Stay:
Absaroka Lodge
Activity Note
Hotel check-in available from 3:00 p.m.
Afternoon:
Program Registration 4:00-5:00 p.m. After you have your room assignment, you will find the group leader near the front desk 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 a meeting room near the Lodge, catered by a local restaurant.
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. All transportation will be provided by a 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. Be aware that elevations in Gardiner and Yellowstone National Park from 6,500 feet to over 9,000 feet. Staying hydrated reduces symptoms of altitude sickness. This is a Road Scholar Intergenerational program. Grandparents are responsible for their grandchildren. If/when separate age group activities are conducted concurrently, program staff will supervise. Children 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. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Day
2
Old Faithful
Location:
Gardiner, MT
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Absaroka Lodge
Activity Note
Driving approximately 100 miles in Yellowstone National Park; about 2 hours one way with slower speed limits. Hiking up to 3 miles; approx. 2 hours throughout the day around Old Faithful and other geyser basins; maintained trails, asphalt paths, boardwalks, and stairs (downhill); some uneven and rocky terrain.
Breakfast:
At a classroom near the Lodge, catered from a local restaurant.
Morning:
Our instructor will involve kids in a experiential learning adventure as they discover 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 motorcoach and travel into Yellowstone National Park to the Old Faithful area.
Lunch:
Sack lunches in the park.
Afternoon:
Our exploration will continue around Old Faithful. Many of the parks thermal basins are located along this route. Fountain Paint pots, Midway geyser basins, and both Biscuit and Black Sand Basin. Stops as parking and time allows.
Dinner:
At the Old Faithful Lodge Cafeteria.
Evening:
Transfer back to the Ridgeline Hotel. Be on the lookout for animals that may be more active in the evening.
Day
3
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Horseback Adventure.
Location:
Gardiner, MT
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Absaroka Lodge
Activity Note
Driving about 75 miles in Yellowstone National Park; approximately 1.5 hours one way with slower speed limits. Hiking approximately 2-3 miles; about 2 hours; asphalt and some rocky trails, boardwalks with some stairs.
Breakfast:
At a local restaurant.
Morning:
We will board our bus for an early departure to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Grand perspectives from Lookout and Artist’s Points reveal roaring water; beautiful, pastel tinted canyon walls giving a sense of the great canyon’s immensity. Generations explore a world of thundering noise, churning waters, cool mist and unique life zones.
Lunch:
Sack lunches in the park.
Afternoon:
Next we will continue our exploration around the Canyon area and then make our way back towards Gardiner via Dunraven pass. The road itself is at an elevation of around 9,000 ft. Mt Washburn towers over road at a height of 10,243 feet above sea level. We'll had back to the hotel and switch gears and prepare for horseback riding. we will board a small bus and shuttle to a premier outfitting ranch outside of Gardiner, MT. After the wrangler shares riding etiquette, we'll meet our horses and mount up for a ride on among the Gallatin National Forest's scenic landscape under the leadership of 2-3 wranglers. As we ride, take some time to appreciate your dependable mountain horse, the creak of saddle leather, scented mountain breeze of sage, and expansive views of the Absaroka and Gallatin Mountain Ranges.
Dinner:
Back at the ranch, we will enjoy buffet dinner
Evening:
Then we'll return to Gardiner where the remainder of the evening will be at leisure. Be sure to prepare for our outdoor camp-out tomorrow night.
Day
4
Yellowstone Park morning, Rafting & Riverside Camp-Out
Location:
Gardiner, MT
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Flying Pig Adventure Company
Activity Note
Driving about 12 miles; approximately half hour. Hiking up to 2 miles; about 1.5 hours; moderate difficulty on uneven and rocky terrain.Getting in and out of rafts; assistance provided as necessary. Approximately 7 mile raft trip on class II-III whitewater; about 1 hour.
Breakfast:
At a local restaurant.
Morning:
We'll board our motorcoach and again venture into Yellowstone Park for the morning where we will enjoy a naturalist-led hike in the Mammoth area as we discover more about the unique thermal action and review information about the wildlife that inhabits this Greater Yellowstone area.
Lunch:
Sack lunches in the park.
Afternoon:
After an orientation and safety lesson from our raft leader, we will walk down several stairs and switchbacks to where we'll get in the rafts. As we begin to move along the river we will have the chance to practice paddling skills while floating on the area of the Yellowstone River that offers mostly Class II rapids. As we float our raft leaders and naturalist will discuss riparian habitat and help us identify birds along the shore of the river while we revel in the joy, excitement, and freedom of being on the water. Once we arrive to camp we will set up our sleeping area and enjoy some instructor-led games while we wait for dinner next to the river.
Dinner:
Outdoors at our camp by the river, we'll share a delicious dinner.
Evening:
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.
Day
5
Rafting, Wrap up.
Location:
Gardiner, MT
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Absaroka Lodge
Activity Note
Rafting about 8 miles; approximately 1 hour; Class II-III whitewater. Horseback ride of approx. 5 miles; about 1 hour on gentle horses over moderate terrain; horseback riding weight limit is 275 pounds. Walking about 1/2 mile to and from the raft outfitter building; sidewalks. Campfire dependent on local fire conditions and safety measures dictated by US Forest Service. Driving approx. 15 miles; about 1/2 hour; bumpy gravel roads.
Breakfast:
On the riverside, we’ll have a warm breakfast prepared by the rafting guides.
Morning:
After helping to pack up our gear, we’ll listen close as our rafting leader goes through safety procedures and teaches some more rafting techniques before continuing our rapid adventures! We will board rafts as our adventure continues another 8 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.
Lunch:
A riverside lunch provided by the rafting guides.
Afternoon:
After getting off of the river we will bus back to town. We will then have a short walk back to our motel where we will have some leisure time before our finale dinner and wrap up session.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
Share some of your favorite experiences from the program with new Road Scholar friends in a conference room after dinner. . Be sure to prepare for check-out and departures in the morning.
Day
6
Program Concludes
Location:
Gardiner, MT
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Shuttle arrangements should be made ahead of time. Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast:
Breakfast at the restaurant adjacent to the hotel.
Morning:
This concludes our program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys! Transportation to and from the airport should be arranged with the shuttle companies ahead of time.
Please select a day to update the map
Map details are not available for this location.
