Yellowstone Winter Wildlife Tour: Private Snowshoe & Wolves

Track wolves and bison across Yellowstone's winter landscape from a heated vehicle

A private winter wildlife tour departing Bozeman that covers Lamar Valley, Mammoth Hot Springs and Gardiner in eight hours with a certified guide, heated AWD vehicle, lunch and professional spotting scopes. You decide whether to hike or snowshoe through the scenery or spend most of the day inside the warm vehicle, both options work. The guide is English-speaking and pickup happens from Bozeman or anywhere along the route to Gardiner, including Livingston.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Lamar Valley1h 30m
2. Mammoth Hot Springs30m

Yellowstone winter wildlife and sights

• Travel from Bozeman to Yellowstone
• Visit Lamar Valley for wildlife viewing
• Stop at Undine Falls viewpoint
• Explore Mammoth Hot Springs area
• Visit Slough Creek for wildlife spotting
• Tour Albright Visitor Center
• See Roosevelt Arch at Gardiner entrance

The experience

You leave Bozeman in a heated AWD vehicle and head straight into Lamar Valley, nicknamed America's Serengeti for the herds of bison, elk, packs of wolves and grizzly bears that move across the snow-covered grassland. The valley's sweeping terrain, carved by ancient glaciers and the Lamar River, concentrates wildlife in ways that make sightings reliable even in winter. Your guide stops at pullouts and uses professional scopes and binoculars so you can watch animals at a distance without disturbing them. Dawn and dusk are when the valley comes alive, and the timing of the tour is built around those windows.

Along the way you'll see Undine Falls, a 60-foot cascade that tumbles over volcanic cliffs in three tiers, and you have the option to snowshoe or hike roughly a mile to a viewpoint on the far side. The route passes through Slough Creek, a tributary of the Lamar River where the guide makes multiple stops to track wildlife and explain the watershed's geological and historical significance. At Mammoth Hot Springs, the travertine formations rise in layers of mineral deposits, and the thermophilic bacteria in the warm pools create striking reddish and brownish hues. You'll also see the Roosevelt Arch, the 50-foot stone gateway at Gardiner that President Theodore Roosevelt dedicated in 1903 to mark the original northern entrance to the park.

The eight-hour day includes a catered lunch, light breakfast, hot coffee and tea throughout, and professional photos taken by your guide. Whether you want to hike and snowshoe through the winter scenery or stay mostly in the vehicle where it's warm is entirely your call, the tour is built around your comfort level. Your guide is a certified local, park-authorized professional who shares stories about the park's wildlife, geology and history as you move through the landscape.

What’s included

• Heated AWD private vehicle.
• lunch and light breakfast.
• hot coffee, tea and cocoa throughout the day.
• professional spotting scopes and binoculars.
• professional photos.
• expert guidance from a certified, park-authorized local guide.
• pickup from Bozeman or anywhere along the route to Gardiner.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:00

Book up to18h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (under 18)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

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

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

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Sky's the Limit Tours

Is this one for you?Your guide speaks English and delivers commentary throughout the day, so anyone in your group can follow the stories about the park's wildlife, geology and history. The private vehicle means you set the pace and stops: no fixed schedule, no other groups, no rushing between pullouts.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

20 verified traveler reviews

5 ★20

4 ★0

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (under 18).

What animals can I actually see on a Yellowstone winter tour?

Lamar Valley is home to vast herds of bison, packs of wolves, grizzly bears, elk, pronghorn and countless birds. Winter concentrates them in the valley, and professional scopes let you watch from the vehicle without disturbing them.

Do I have to snowshoe or hike if I don't want to?

No. You choose whether to hike or snowshoe through the winter scenery, or spend most of the time inside or near the warm vehicle. The tour is tailored to your group's preference.

What's included in the tour price?

Lunch, light breakfast, hot coffee and tea, spotting scopes and binoculars, the heated AWD vehicle, professional photos and expert guidance from a certified guide are all included. The national park entrance fee is separate.

Where does the tour pick me up?

Pickup happens from Bozeman or anywhere along the route to Gardiner, including Livingston, so you can arrange a meeting point that fits your schedule.

How long is the tour?

The full tour runs eight hours, timed to catch wildlife activity at dawn and dusk when the valley is most active.