
moderate
4 days
Basic aerobic fitness for short hikes and a few stair/boardwalk climbs; comfortable sitting for multi-hour drives.
Move from Salt Lake City’s airport into mountain air, cabin nights and steaming geysers on this 4-day small-group tour. Two nights in a cabin village plus guided stops at Jenny Lake, Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic and Hayden Valley make for a condensed but intimate Yellowstone and Grand Teton experience.
You step off the van into a cold, clear morning and the air feels like it’s pushing you awake. Pine-scented wind teases the cabin smoke from the clustered log lodgings at Island Park; beyond them the Sawtooth-spined ridges drop into valleys where steam rises from geysers like exhalations from the earth itself. Over four days this small-group tour trades hurried checkpoints for a measured route through the bone-deep geology and wildlife corridors of Grand Teton and Yellowstone.

Temperatures can change quickly between valleys and overlooks—pack a lightweight insulating layer and a windproof shell.
Stay on boardwalks and marked trails; thermal ground is fragile and dangerously hot beneath thin crusts.
Use binoculars and the guide’s instructions—never approach or feed animals; bears and bison can charge without warning.
Dawn and the two hours after are best for elk and wolf activity and softer light for photography.
Yellowstone was established as the world’s first national park in 1872; the area has long been used by Indigenous peoples including the Shoshone and Bannock.
Thermal features are fragile—stay on boardwalks and follow park rules; practice Leave No Trace and minimize flash photography near wildlife.
Treaded shoes handle boardwalks, short hikes and wet spring conditions better than sneakers.
Light insulating layer plus windproof shell lets you adapt to temperature swings between valley and overlook.
Useful for wildlife viewing in Hayden Valley and distant thermal areas—operator provides binoculars but bring your own for comfort.
Carry 1–2 liters, snacks, sunscreen and a small first-aid kit for hiking stops and long transfer segments.