Old Faithful & Grand Prismatic Spring: Private Yellowstone Tour

See the geysers, canyons and wildlife on your own schedule with a guide who knows the park.

A fully private guided tour through Yellowstone National Park from Big Sky, Montana, centered on Old Faithful's eruptions and Grand Prismatic Spring's thermal colors, with stops at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Hayden Valley for wildlife, and the Mud Volcano Area. The tour runs six hours with a certified naturalist guide, hotel pickup and drop-off, binoculars, lunch, snacks and hot drinks included. Photos are shared with you afterward at no cost.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Old Faithful Geyser1h · entry included
2. Grand Prismatic Spring1h · entry included
3. Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone30m · entry included
4. Hayden Valley1h · entry included
5. Mud Volcano Area30m · entry included

Explore Yellowstone's geysers and wildlife

• Watch Old Faithful geyser erupt
• Visit Grand Prismatic Spring
• See Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
• Explore Hayden Valley for wildlife
• Tour Old Faithful Inn
• Drive along Firehole River canyon
• Walk to waterfall and back
• Experience Mud Volcano Area

The experience

Old Faithful erupts roughly every 90 minutes, each time lasting between 1.5 and 5 minutes. The timing is predictable enough that your guide can plan the day around it. Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone's most photographed thermal feature, shifts through colors that look like a cosmic eyeball or a rainbow frozen in water. Between these two centerpieces, the tour moves through five other stops: the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, which runs over 20 miles and holds the park's tallest waterfall; Hayden Valley, where the meadows and winding river create habitat for wolves, bison, coyotes and grizzly bears; the Mud Volcano Area, where sulfur smell and bubbling mud meet a cave you can hear splashing inside; a scenic two-mile drive along the Firehole River through steep canyon walls; and a short walk to a waterfall.

Your guide is a certified naturalist with CPR and wilderness first aid training, traveling with you in a private vehicle the whole time. Vortex Optics binoculars and a scope come along for wildlife spotting and detail work. Lunch is a catered brown bag meal with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Snacks, hot cocoa, coffee, hot tea and bottled water are provided throughout the day. The guide documents the tour with photos and videos, which are airdropped to you immediately afterward at no extra charge.

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Big Sky are included. The six-hour tour suits all fitness levels, though it involves walking at several stops and standing for geyser eruptions and thermal features. Note that national park entrance fees are separate from the tour price.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Big Sky.
• a certified naturalist guide fluent in English.
• private vehicle for the full tour.
• Vortex Optics binoculars and scope.
• catered brown bag lunch with vegetarian and gluten-free options.
• snacks, hot cocoa, coffee, hot tea and bottled water.
• photos and videos airdropped to you immediately after the tour.

Before you book

Days and timesSaturdayDeparts at 07:00Last departure this season: 31 Oct

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 9 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Nature Seen

Is this one for you?Your guide speaks English and delivers naturalist commentary throughout the day, so anyone comfortable following along in English can join. The private vehicle and flexible pacing let you linger at stops that interest you most, whether that's waiting for another Old Faithful eruption or scanning Hayden Valley for wolves.

Top questions

How often does Old Faithful actually erupt?

Old Faithful erupts roughly every 90 minutes with remarkable predictability, each eruption lasting between 1.5 and 5 minutes. Your guide times the day so you're positioned to see it.

What wildlife might I see in Hayden Valley?

Hayden Valley's meadows and river create habitat for wolves, bison, coyotes and grizzly bears. Your guide brings binoculars and knows where to look, though wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.

Is lunch included, and can you handle dietary needs?

Lunch is a catered brown bag meal included in the tour, with vegetarian and gluten-free options available. Snacks, hot drinks and bottled water are provided throughout the day.

Do I get the photos taken during the tour?

Yes. Your guide documents the tour with photos and videos, which are airdropped to you immediately after the tour ends at no extra cost.

What's the difference between Grand Prismatic Spring and the other thermal features?

Grand Prismatic Spring is Yellowstone's most photographed thermal feature, famous for its rainbow colors that shift across the water. The Mud Volcano Area, by contrast, is where you smell sulfur and see bubbling mud and a splashing cave: a different kind of geothermal experience.

Does the tour price include the national park entrance fee?

No. National park entrance fees are separate from the tour price and paid at the gate. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Big Sky, the guide, vehicle, meals, drinks and binoculars are all included.