Full-Day Lamar Valley Wildlife Safari from Paradise Valley — Yellowstone Wildlife Tour
Difficulty
easy
Duration
8–9 hours
Fitness Level
Suitable for most fitness levels; comfortable sitting and short, gentle walks with occasional standing for sightings.
Overview
Spend a full day with naturalist guides hunting sightings across Yellowstone’s northeastern range. This private safari from Paradise Valley combines expert optics, local food, and flexible routing to maximize encounters with bison, wolves, elk and thermal features.
Full-Day Lamar Valley Wildlife Safari from Paradise Valley — Yellowstone Wildlife Tour
Select participants and date
You’re awake before the sun. The van eases out of Paradise Valley with a coffee mug in hand and a guide who has already scanned the horizon for movement. By the time the road drops into the Yellowstone River corridor, a herd of bison has claimed the low meadow and the valley breathes steam: river mist lifting, distant thermal plumes dark against the morning. Guides set up spotting scopes like quiet sentries; the landscape obliges with elk on ridgelines, pronghorn at the far bank and, if luck lines up with patience, a wolf pack threading through sagebrush.
Adventure Photos
Adventure Tips
Keep your distance
Always obey your guide’s instructions—stay inside the vehicle unless guided out; use a telephoto lens or spotting scope for close shots.
Layer for temperature swings
Mornings can be near-freezing and afternoons warm; pack a warm mid-layer and a windproof shell.
Bring water and snacks
Although lunch is provided, carry an insulated water bottle to stay hydrated across the long day of stops.
Expect dust and bumps
Roads into Lamar Valley can be unpaved and dusty—wear sturdy shoes and protect camera gear from grit.
Local Insights
Wildlife
- Bison
- Gray wolf
History
The north entrance and Roosevelt Arch reflect early 20th-century efforts to formalize park protection; Yellowstone was established in 1872 as the first U.S. national park.
Conservation
Visitors are asked to maintain safe distances from wildlife and follow Leave No Trace principles—your choices help protect fragile thermal features and endemic species.
Select participants and date
Adventure Hotspots in Livingston, MT
Frequently Asked Questions
Recommended Gear
Telephoto lens (200–400mm)
Allows safe, detailed photos of wildlife from a distance.
Insulated water bottle
Keeps you hydrated through long stops and temperature swings.
Windproof mid-layer
Blocks cold morning winds in the valley and provides warmth at higher elevations.
spring specific
Sun hat and sunscreen
Protects against intense sun exposure on open valley pullouts.
summer specific