Yellowstone and Grand Teton Adventure for Women, Wyoming

The Trip

"Beside the treasures common to most mountain regions that are wild and blessed with a kind climate, the park is full of exciting wonders. The wildest geysers in the world, in bright, triumphant bands, are dancing and singing in it amid thousands of boiling springs, beautiful and awful, their basins arrayed in gorgeous colors like gigantic flowers; and hot paint-pots, mud springs, mud volcanoes… Therefore it is called Wonderland, and thousands of tourists and travelers stream into it every summer, and wander about in it enchanted.” - John Muir, Our National Parks

Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks are undoubtedly amongst the crown jewels of our National Park System. Possessing extraordinary scenic wilderness, abundant wildlife, thick forests, alpine meadows, and wild and scenic rivers, the grandeur of these parks is overwhelming.  

Yellowstone, our first national park, contains half of the world’s geothermal features, including more than 300 geysers. It is one of the world’s foremost sites for the study of the evolution and history of the planet. The world’s largest recognized caldera is contained within the park. Both parks are known for their abundant wildlife, including grizzly bears, wolves, bison, elk, and moose. Here you will see the only continuously free-ranging bison remaining of herds that once covered the Great Plains. You may also spot descendants of wolves that were re-introduced to the park in 1995. These parks form a portion of one of the few remaining intact large ecoystems in the northern temperate zone of our planet. Prepare to be dazzled!

We put some of our favorite activities and park highlights into eight amazing days, and want to share them with other adventurous women. This is national park summer camp for grown ups!

"The most remarkable heights in the great backbone of America are three elevated, insular mountains which are seen at a distance of one hundred and fifty miles, aptly designated as the Pilot Knobs, known as the Three Tetons." - Alexander Ross, 1800s fur trader

With the multitude of hiking trails in the parks, we'll have plenty of options for exploring the delights of the backcountry. We'll enjoy the wildflowers while admiring the streams that plunge down the mountains toward outrageously-colored turquoise lakes. If you're feeling inspired, there will be opportunities to splash around in the chilly waters of alpine lakes.

While we have a busy itinerary, this is a great trip for active, adventurous beginners. Our days will vary considerably, and there will be time for relaxing, reading, and browsing the book shop at the Visitor Center. In the evenings, we’ll enjoy casual conversation before and after dinner. We’ll take time to learn about the history of the parks, the wildlife, the geology, the Native Americans who called these places home, the reintroduction of the wolf, and the threats to grizzles and bison. There will be no shortage of interesting topics for us to discuss.

This is a perfect trip for moms and grown daughters, college friends who haven’t vacationed together in years, or a week out with the new friends you’ll meet. Regardless of whether you come alone or with a friend or family member, you’ll enjoy the companionship and conversation of other adventurous women. 

Sierra Club National Outings will operate this trip with the assistance of O.A.R.S., a NPS concessionaire.

Day 1: We will all meet at a hotel in Jackson by late afternoon, giving us ample time to settle in, meet everyone, and have dinner together.  We’ll meet our guides, have a brief trip orientation, and will receive waterproof drybags for re-packing our belongings that evening.  An optional afternoon tour of Jackson and one of the world’s first vertical greenhouses will be offered to those who arrive in town early. 

Day 2: We’ll be transported to Yellowstone to visit Old Faithful and some of the park’s other geothermal wonders.  We’ll walk the boardwalk -- avoiding the stray geyser splash -- and will learn about the park’s geothermal and geologic history.  Bison may distract us from the geothermal activity!  We’ll spend the night in one of Yellowstone’s historic lodges. 

Day 3: We’ll be spending the day exploring the park, visiting the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and looking for wildlife. We’ll spend the night at another lodge, with plenty of time for taking photos and exploring the park on foot. 

Day 4: After enjoying breakfast, we’ll head to Jackson Lake. We’ll pack up our drybags, climb into kayaks, and leave the road behind us. We’ll spend the night at a secluded camp on Grassy Island, in Moran Bay. This will be our base camp for two nights. We’ll look for moose, elk, beaver, coyotes, deer, and other wildlife. We’ll also take the time to discuss some of the challenges facing our national parks in the 21^st century.   

Day 5: After a leisurely morning, we'll paddle our kayaks to Bearpaw Bay. Here we’ll have an opportunity to stretch our legs and hike to some of the Tetons’ emerald lakes. For those that don’t mind chilly water, a quick swim will be memorable and refreshing. We’ll return to our camp on Grassy Island for a delicious dinner and enjoy the incredible starry skies of the Wyoming wilderness. 

Day 6: This morning, we'll say goodbye to Grassy Island as we paddle off to Spalding Bay. We’ll stop for a picnic-style lunch on the southern shore of Jackson Lake. We’ll take time to talk about wolves and bears, and the challenges they face inside and outside the national parks. The stunning peaks of the Tetons will provide many opportunities for photographs as we make our way across the lake to our next spectacular campsite.

Day 7: After a tasty breakfast, we’ll hop into the kayaks and leave Spalding Bay to head toward the boat ramp.  We’ll travel by van to the Snake River near Pacific Creek and jump on rafts for a scenic float along the base of the mountains. We’ll likely see trout in the clear water and other wildlife along the river’s banks.  The scenery and geology are distracting, so it’s a good thing the rapids are easy. We'll float to our take-out and head to our hotel and dinner in Jackson. 

Day 8: It's time for everyone to pack up and enjoy one last breakfast together before we say goodbye. 

"Then, with fresh heart, go down to your work, and whatever your fate… You will remember these fine, wild views, and look back with joy to your wanderings in the blessed old Yellowstone Wonderland." - John Muir, Our National Parks

This itinerary may be modified, depending on the weather, the inclination of the group, road closures, etc. Everyone should be in good condition, particularly because we'll be at a higher altitude than where most people live. The Yellowstone Plateau has an average elevation of 8,000 feet.  Old Faithful lies at 7,349 feet in elevation. The elevation at Jackson is 6,237 feet.

Getting There

The trip will begin and end in Jackson, Wyoming. You are responsible for your travel to our hotel on the first day of our trip. The trip will begin and end at the same hotel in Jackson.

By air: The Jackson Hole airport is located within Grand Teton National Park, at the base of the Tetons. It is served by American, Delta, United, and Skywest Airlines. 

By car: Jackson is located 280 miles north of Salt Lake City, 372 miles east of Boise, and 432 miles northwest of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Jackson is fairly remote from just about anywhere!  If you plan to drive to Jackson, please be aware that parking can be extremely difficult.  You will need to make plans for extended parking with the hotel or at the airport. 

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

We will be staying in hotels and lodges for four nights of the trip and camping for three nights on Jackson Lake. Rooms and tents will be shared, double occupancy. We have a small number of single supplements available for an additional cost. Please let the leader know as soon as possible if you would like to have your own room or tent. 

The first night and last nights of the trip will be spent at a hotel in Jackson. The second and third nights of the trip we’ll be staying in historic lodges located within Yellowstone. Our three nights of camping will be in Grand Teton National Park on Jackson Lake. Tents, sleeping pads, pillows, and sleeping bags are included in the trip price. We will try to accommodate dietary restrictions with plenty of advance notice. All meals are included in the trip price, from dinner on day one to breakfast on day eight.

Trip Difficulty

This is an active trip that involves some physical exertion and exposure to the elements, including heat, sun wind, rain, and cold water. Each day will vary. On the days that we are kayaking, we will be spending 2-4 hours paddling. We will have some opportunities for longer hikes, so please make sure you are exercising regularly in the months leading up to the trip. The hiking, rafting, and kayaking are considered easy to moderate. Each person needs to be in good condition and must be able to climb in an out of kayaks and rafts, carry your own dry bags (20-30 pounds) to camp, self-rescue by swimming to a boat, and navigate steep, uneven terrain at camp and on hikes. Individuals who lack physical conditioning can endanger themselves, other guests, and the guides. Please contact the trip leader if you have any questions about your suitability for the trip. 

The rafting trip on the Snake is a professionally guided river trip and includes some Class II rapids. A separate liability waiver is required for our NPS concessionaire.

Equipment and Clothing

No special equipment is required. Waterproof drybags will be provided. You will need a day pack to accommodate the usual items that you take with you to hike. All gear for the river and kayaking, including personal flotation devices (PFDs), tents, sleeping bags, and pads will be provided. 

June weather can be extremely unpredictable. Most likely we will experience mild days and chilly nights, but everyone needs to be prepared for colder days and rain. Layers and good rain gear are essential. Binoculars are recommended for bird and wildlife viewing. A list of appropriate clothing and personal gear will be sent to all participants after acceptance on the trip.

References

Conservation

Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks face many conservation challenges in the 21^st century. During the course of our trip, we’ll talk about invasive species, climate change and its impacts, the management of our public lands, industrial tourism, predator management, and efforts to increase connectivity for wildlife between the protected open spaces of the Rocky Mountain corridor.  

In 2016 America celebrated the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. We’ll discuss how the NPS has changed over the last century and the difficulties it faces as it seeks to protect the parks, while rendering them accessible to a growing human population. The national park units in the West are experiencing reduced snowpacks, hotter summers, and longer fire seasons. These are already impacting the ecosystems and wildlife of the parks. We’ll talk about these impacts, NPS climate change research, and how we can work together to help protect our wildlife, parks, and public lands. 

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.