West Yellowstone Tours

West Entrance today: Open to cars until 31 October

Road calendar

Shared tour, run by Yellowstone Hiking Guides

Upper Loop Tour and Lamar Valley from West Yellowstone with Lunch

4.8 213 reviews

From $248.20 per adult Dates and prices

Starts in West Yellowstone: Pickup at West Yellowstone hotels and vacation rentals from 6 a.m., or meet at the West Yellowstone Visitor Information Center.

The 38 West Yellowstone lodgings on the pickup list

  • A group with binoculars and cameras beside a white tour van, mountains behind
  • Steaming travertine terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs in cream, orange and grey
  • Two people with binoculars and a spotting scope beside a white van, looking out over golden hills and a distant peak
  • A bull moose with broad antlers in tall golden grass
  • A close view of a brown bear walking through green grass
  • A pronghorn buck standing among sagebrush and yellow flowers

All 6 pictures are from the operator, Yellowstone Hiking Guides. Swipe or scroll across to see each one.

Price and dates

From $248.20 per adult

Checked 21 October 2026 for Friday 23 October

Daily until 30 October. Pick from the days this tour operates.

Travellers
Adults, 6–80 1

You are looking at the price for the selected day and party. Change them to check again.

Check Availability
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
  • Instant confirmation
  • Poor weather can lead the operator to cancel; if it does, you get a new date or your money back in full.

You will re-enter the date and party and pay with our booking partner. Our commission comes from them and leaves the price unchanged.

At a glance

Length
8 hours, starts 6 a.m.
Runs
Daily until 30 October
Group
Shared, up to 12 people
Ages
6 and over; an adult must be in the booking
Guide
In English
Park entry
Park entry not included

Before you book

Guests aged 16 and up who live outside the US are charged an extra $100 to enter the park, on a tour as well. People with an annual or America the Beautiful pass are spared it. The park road from West Yellowstone is open to cars through 31 October 2026, and tours that drive it stop once it closes.

Where it starts

Pickup at West Yellowstone hotels and vacation rentals from 6 a.m., or meet at the West Yellowstone Visitor Information Center. You may take the pickup or go straight to the start point.

The 38 West Yellowstone lodgings on the pickup list
  • 1872 Inn
  • Al's Westward Ho Motel
  • Alpine Motel
  • Arrowhead Lodge by Arrowhead Properties
  • Best Western Desert Inn
  • Best Western Weston Inn
  • Big Western Pines Motel
  • Brandin' Iron Inn
  • City Center Motel
  • ClubHouse Inn West Yellowstone
  • Crosswinds Inn
  • Dude/Round Up Motel
  • Elkhorn Cabins and Inn
  • Evergreen Motel
  • Explorer Cabins At Yellowstone
  • Golden West Motel
  • Gray Wolf Inn and Suites
  • Holiday Inn West Yellowstone By IHG
  • Kelly Inn West Yellowstone
  • Lazy Duck Inn
  • Moose Creek Inn
  • One Horse Motel
  • Pine Shadows Motel
  • Pioneer Motel
  • Pony Express Motel
  • Sleepy Hollow Lodge
  • Stage Coach Inn
  • Starlite Yellowstone, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
  • The Historic Madison Hotel, Motel and Hostel
  • Three Bear Lodge
  • Traveler's Lodge
  • Westwood Motel
  • White Buffalo Hotel
  • Yellowstone Inn
  • Yellowstone Lodge
  • Yellowstone Park Hotel
  • Yellowstone Townhouses
  • Yellowstone West Gate Hotel

Pickup details

Pickups begin at 6 a.m. from hotel lobbies and vacation rentals within West Yellowstone’s town limits.

Or meet at 6:45 a.m. in the Madison Amphitheater parking lot, between the amphitheater and the restrooms. Phones get no signal there.

Lodging outside West Yellowstone? Come to the West Yellowstone Visitor Information Center between 6 and 6:15 a.m. Pick the hotel you are really staying at, not another one.

About this tour

This van tour is built around watching Yellowstone’s wildlife. It begins in West Yellowstone, a fun town at the park’s gate.

At first light, the search for animals begins in Shadow Canyon on the Madison River, home to bears and elk.

Later you search for wildlife on the slopes of Mount Washburn, one of the park’s tallest peaks.

Next is Lamar Valley, often called the Serengeti of North America. With spotting scopes, the guide helps you look for wolves, bears and more, while you enjoy a hot drink and a morning snack.

Then you take a short walk at the Mammoth Hot Springs terraces. Prefer to skip the walk? Your guide finds a safe, scenic place near the van for you to wait.

On the way back you stop wherever there is more wildlife to see. The day ends in West Yellowstone.

The route

The operator's route, stop by stop, in its listed order. How long you spend at each is the operator's figure; wildlife and traffic alter it.

  1. Madison River

    About 30 minutes

    Look for wildlife beside the Madison River in the early light. Bears and elk are often in this valley.

  2. Mount Washburn

    About 30 minutes

    Look for wildlife on the drive up Mount Washburn. Grizzly bears and herds of elk live here.

  3. Lamar Valley

    About 60 minutes

    More than 60 kinds of mammals live in Lamar Valley, which is often called the Serengeti of North America. Your guide sets up spotting scopes so you can search for bears, wolves, bison and other animals. The company calls it the richest wildlife valley in the park, and its bison herd is the biggest in North America. Wolves returned to the valley in 1995 and are now common. Mountain goats, moose, bighorn sheep and other rare animals live here too.

  4. Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces

    About 20 minutes

    A short walk on the boardwalks near Liberty Cap at Mammoth Hot Springs.

  5. Gibbon Meadows

    Passed without stopping

    Look for elk and bison along the Gibbon River.

What is included

Included

  • A wildlife-watching van with extra-large windows
  • A packed lunch: an apple, nuts, snacks and a sandwich (turkey, veggie, vegan or gluten-free). Let the company know about allergies or diets.
  • Sodas and water
  • Hot coffee, tea or cocoa while you watch wildlife
  • Your own binoculars plus a spotting scope, for safe, distant views of animals

Not included

  • Entry to Yellowstone, unless your party has an annual pass (one pass covers 4 people)
  • A tip for the guide

Cancellation and good to know

Cancelling at least 24 hours ahead of the start time returns the full price; a later cancellation returns nothing.

Poor weather can lead the operator to cancel; if it does, you get a new date or your money back in full.

Good to know

  • The company does not recommend this wildlife day if you have heart trouble.
  • Beyond that it suits any fitness level, and during the Mammoth walk you can wait near the van.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 from 213 reviews.

Read all reviews

Questions about this tour

Where does Yellowstone Hiking Guides' Upper Loop and Lamar Valley tour start?

West Yellowstone is where Yellowstone Hiking Guides' Upper Loop and Lamar Valley tour starts. How it works: pickup at West Yellowstone hotels and vacation rentals from 6 a.m., or meet at the West Yellowstone Visitor Information Center.

Does Yellowstone Hiking Guides' Upper Loop and Lamar Valley tour include the Yellowstone entrance fee?

No, Yellowstone Hiking Guides' Upper Loop and Lamar Valley tour leaves the Yellowstone entrance fee to you.

How long is Yellowstone Hiking Guides' Upper Loop and Lamar Valley tour?

From its 6 a.m. start, Yellowstone Hiking Guides' Upper Loop and Lamar Valley tour takes 8 hours.

Can I cancel Yellowstone Hiking Guides' Upper Loop and Lamar Valley tour for a refund?

Yes, Yellowstone Hiking Guides' Upper Loop and Lamar Valley tour can be cancelled for a full refund until 24 hours before it starts, and not after.

Can children go on Yellowstone Hiking Guides' Upper Loop and Lamar Valley tour?

Yellowstone Hiking Guides' Upper Loop and Lamar Valley tour takes children aged 6 and up, with at least one adult in the booking.