Yellowstone National Park Tour: All-Day Guided from Big Sky

Old Faithful erupts roughly every 90 minutes, and you'll watch it happen.

A full-day guided tour of Yellowstone National Park departing from Big Sky or West Yellowstone, led by an NPS-approved guide who covers park history, wildlife and hydrothermal features across eight to ten hours. Lunch, binoculars, spotting scopes and an air-conditioned vehicle are included. Park entrance fees ($20 per adult, or covered by a National Park Pass) are separate. Children from age one are welcome, and the guide speaks English.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each7 stops

1. Fountain Paint Pot35m
2. Grand Prismatic SpringEntry included40m
3. Old Faithful GeyserEntry included1h 30m
4. Yellowstone National Parkpassing by
5. Mud Volcano AreaEntry included30m
6. Hayden ValleyEntry included20m
7. Grand Canyon of the YellowstoneEntry included30m

Full day Yellowstone guided tour

• Depart from Big Sky or West Yellowstone
• Drive through Firehole Canyon Drive
• Visit Fountain Paint Pot hydrothermal features
• Drive past Grand Prismatic Spring
• Stop at Old Faithful Geyser and Inn
• Walk Yellowstone Lake boardwalk to see hydrothermal features
• Stop at Mud Volcano and Dragon's Mouth Springs
• Drive through Hayden Valley for wildlife viewing
• Visit Artist Point for Lower Falls and Grand Canyon views
• See Gibbon Falls
• Drive in and out of West gate via W. Entrance Rd.
• Return to starting location

The experience

You'll start early (6am from Big Sky or 7am from West Yellowstone), and spend the day moving through the park's major stops without arranging the route yourself. The guide handles timing and knows where wildlife tends to gather, so you spend less time searching and more time actually seeing. The vehicle is air-conditioned and equipped with spotting scopes on tripods, which means distant animals and thermal features come into focus instead of staying blurred shapes on the horizon.

The day hits the signature stops: Old Faithful geyser (which erupts roughly every 90 minutes), the Grand Prismatic Spring (the largest hot spring in the world), and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, where a 308-foot waterfall cuts through a 20-mile-long canyon with towering, colorful walls. You'll also drive through Hayden Valley, where bears, wolves, bison and elk roam, and the guide will slow and stop for wildlife viewing when animals appear. Mud Volcano and its bubbling, steaming features sit in the heart of the caldera, and Fountain Paint Pot lets you see all four types of hydrothermal features (hot springs, mud pots, geysers and fumaroles) in one stop. The route changes slightly depending on traffic and group needs, so some days you might linger at the Grand Prismatic Spring instead of Old Faithful, or skip a stop if timing runs tight.

Lunch arrives mid-day: you choose from turkey, ham, roast beef, veggie or PB&J sandwiches, each with chips and a homemade cookie, plus bottled water. The guide returns you to your starting location by late afternoon. Park entrance fees are not included in the tour price. Budget $20 per adult at the gate, though a National Park Pass covers four adults if you have one.

What’s included

• Lunch with your choice of sandwich (turkey, ham, roast beef, veggie or PB&J), chips and a homemade cookie.
• bottled water.
• binoculars and spotting scopes with tripods.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• NPS-approved guide in English.
• hotel or trailhead pickup from Big Sky or West Yellowstone.

Options for this experience

2 options

Pickup location: West Yellowstone, MTGuide in English · Available from 1 May 2027Lasts 9 hours; pickup is included

Pickup location: Big Sky, MTGuide in English · Available from 1 May 2027Lasts 10 hours. Meeting point: Residence Inn by Marriott Big Sky/The Wilson Hotel, 145 Town Center Ave, Big Sky, MT 59716, USA; includes pickup

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 8h–10h, from US$ 275 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 11 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesNext departure: 1 May 2027

GroupUp to 11

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 47 pickup points.

Book up to11h before

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Child (1 to 15 years)

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by CoveredGround Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the Big Sky departure if you're staying near the north entrance. Choose West Yellowstone if you're based on the west side: either way, the early start and fixed itinerary mean you cover the park's major thermal features, the Grand Canyon and wildlife habitat in a single day without building the route yourself or navigating the park's confusing roads.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 15 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What time does the Yellowstone tour depart and when do we get back?

The tour departs at 6am from Big Sky or 7am from West Yellowstone and runs eight to ten hours, returning you to your starting location by late afternoon.

Will I actually see Old Faithful erupt, or is it just a drive-by?

Old Faithful erupts approximately every 90 minutes, and the guide times the stop so you're there to watch it happen: the geyser shoots roughly 150 feet into the air when it goes.

What's included in the tour price and what costs extra?

The tour includes lunch (your choice of sandwich), bottled water, binoculars, spotting scopes, the air-conditioned vehicle and the NPS-approved guide. Park entrance fees ($20 per adult) are separate and paid at the gate, though a National Park Pass covers four adults.

What wildlife might we see in Hayden Valley?

Hayden Valley is home to bears, wolves, bison and elk. The guide slows and stops for wildlife viewing when animals appear, though sightings depend on the day and season.

Do I need a National Park Pass, or can I just pay at the gate?

You can pay the entrance fee at the gate ($20 per adult), but if you have a National Park Pass, it covers four adults, so it's worth bringing if you have one.