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Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone Rim and Loop Hike with Lunch

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone Rim and Loop Hike with Lunch

Overview

The Grand Canyon Rim Hike is one of the best hikes in Yellowstone National Park. This hiking tour is a loop. Your tour guide will watch for bears and answer your questions. Lunch, snacks, and gear provided. Not only do we hike along the Rim of the Canyon but also through the forest to lakes, mud pots, and meadows.

City: Yellowstone National Park

Mon 23 Sep

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $182.00

Make a reservation

Mon 23 Sep

Starting at $182.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Use of Backpack, Bear Spray, Trekking Pole, Binoculars (when no coronavirus restrictions exist)

Professional guide

Snacks

Lunch

Additional Info

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Face masks required for travellers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Regular temperature checks for staff

What To Expect

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Your expert guide will meet you at the Pavilion next to the Upper Falls Parking Area at 8AM. This is also the staring point for Uncle Tom's Trail. The hike is a 6-mile loop. The hike is along the Canyon Rim, through the forest out to Ribbon Lake, and then past a geyser basin, Clear Lake, and the Wapiti Meadows with big views of the Hayden Valley. If you hike one trail in Yellowstone this is it!

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (254)

Sbird_Hiker

Jul 2018

An outstanding time with Yellowstone Hiking Guides. They are top-notch guides and humble about it. I feel fortunate to have found them, and would love to join them again. They offer an experience of Yellowstone without the crowds: beautiful grand vistas, wildlife, trees and flowers, and an opportunity to gain a “locals” connection to the Park. I booked two hikes. My hope when booking was to have an opportunity to get away from the roads and crowds, learn a few things about the Park, and be out with a guide with knowledge about how to be safe around bison and grizzlies. Their guiding provided all of those things, but much, much more. These folks have a greater in-depth and broader knowledge of the natural history of the area (wildlife, plants, geology) as well as human history, than I had expected. I learned a great deal. They have years of experience guiding in various locations. I learned that Josh Mahan has lived and guided in the area for years, following in the footsteps of his parents. Like any great guiding company, Yellowstone Hiking Guides achieves a good balance of fun, safety, and professionalism. They are friendly, down-to-earth people who provide an enjoyable time. Josh led the hike in Lamar Valley, and Zach to Bunsen Peak. The pace of both hikes allowed enough time for picture taking, and resting when needed. Josh spoke about wolves, bison, plants, the fire history and much about the Park in general. He answered questions on a variety of topics. He knows a great deal about wildlife in general, leading me to think he had a degree in biology (I was surprised to find out that he does not). Josh’s friendliness and approachability made this hike feel like I was reconnecting with an old friend who just happened to be an expert on Yellowstone. The Lamar Valley is an amazing place to wander off trail and see wildflowers as far as the eye can see…no people or roads to crop out of photos! We got great views of bison, pronghorn, and sandhill cranes. Zach is also very personable. He has a background as a science teacher, which explained his attention to clear descriptions. Zach shared knowledge about (among other things) fire ecology, tree species, local mountain ranges (including the Grand Tetons, which were visible more than 100 miles away), and historic and Native American use of the area. His explanation of how a volcanic intrusion forms was so clear that I “got it” immediately. He made a great find of a Dusky Grouse, followed by suggestions about traveling up the trail at a pace that allowed us pictures of the grouse at multiple spots as it moved too. Getting close to wildlife takes skill, and Zach has those skills. Zach also conversed with clients about their plans and interests while they were visiting the Park, and made individualized recommendations and offered tips to help those plans work out! Why the lengthy review, apart from enthusiasm? Yellowstone Hiking Guides are modest about their experience level when I thought about what I could remember from website—modest, in my opinion, almost to a fault. At the end of the hike, Josh mentioned, only in the course of conversation on another topic, that he would be leading a multi-day tour for National Geographic in Yellowstone and adjacent areas. After my experience, I can see why an organization with a reputation like National Geographic would hire Yellowstone Hiking Guides for their trips. Later in our Yellowstone trip, we encountered tour groups from other companies who were stopped at pullouts in Lamar Valley. I was so glad to have had the opportunity to go beyond the “pullout tour” and enjoy the beauty of Yellowstone in the trail-less meadows. Thank you, Yellowstone Hiking Guides, for two days of wonderful opportunity!

Response from Host

Apr 2019

Thank you so much for your kind words and wonderful review! We truly appreciate your time! Thanks for a great time out on the trail with Zach, he's great! Happy trails and best wishes! -Josh and Emily Jo

Jeremy G

Jul 2018

Did you know that only approximately 1% of visitors travel farther than a quarter of a mile from the road in Yellowstone? If you're searching for someone to help you get off the beaten path and explore the park's natural beauty, Josh and Emily Jo are the guides you want leading you! These folks truly brought Yellowstone to life during my visit. Drawing on decades of familiarity with the park, they guide you through a representative sampling of some of the best features the park has to offer all while providing insightful color commentary along the way. You'll be especially satisfied if you're a curious traveler who likes to learn about the locations you visit. Josh and Emily Jo will teach you about the local topography, explain geological formations, identify plants and their uses, and detail various species of wildlife. Moreover, they are fully prepared to safely guide you through any unexpected inclement weather and/or wildlife encounters. Emily Jo was particularly constructive in leading our group out of an afternoon hailstorm while simultaneously avoiding multiple herds of bison while in Lamar Valley. In fact, this experience and her explanation of how to handle the situation helped me successfully navigate a surprise encounter with a few bison during a solo trip to Wind Cave National Park. Again, you won't find a better pair of guides in Yellowstone!

Response from Host

Apr 2019

Thank you so much for joining us to be the 1 percent! We had a wonderful time! Thanks for your awesome review! Happy trails! -Emily Jo and Josh

kaytarpley

Jul 2018

We had the best time ever taking a hike in the Lamar Valley with our tour guide Emily Jo. We saw tons of buffalo, some pronghorn, and a grizzly!! This hike was everything we hoped it would be and our guide was super knowledgeable and fun. Thank you so much for the amazing time.

Response from Host

Apr 2019

Thank you for your awesome review. Great times with lots of wildlife! Happy trails! -Emily Jo and Josh