My son (22) and I (55M) booked this hike after reading reviews of several companies and it did not disappoint. In fact, it exceeded all expectations! Communication before the day of the hike were great and the directions to the trailhead were spot on.
Our guides, Josh and Alex were at the meeting site early and enthusiastically greeted us and the other hikers. They passed around the day’s snacks and lunches along with trekking poles, binoculars and bear spray for everyone.
After a brief safety review, we started off on our hike. The valley isn’t like hiking in the mountains, but it’s also not perfectly flat. You’ll need to be in moderate shape even though you’ll stop multiple times for breaks to rest, learn about the flora and fauna and have a snack if you want.
We walked about 3 miles before eating the provided lunch which was a turkey and Swiss sandwich, chips and any of the snacks that you might have left. It will take about another 3 hours to make it back to the trailhead to complete the hike.
Josh talked to us about the plants animals in the park along with history of the area including how the valley was formed. We saw hundreds of bison, many pronghorn, some grizzlies (from a great distance), bighorns and countless cute little ground squirrels. It was a great day that we’ll never forget.
A few pointers: bring your own binoculars if you have good ones , don’t forget a rain jacket, you’ll need plenty of water and sunscreen and make sure your hiking boots are well broken in.
I highly recommend this trip!!!