Yellowstone Thorofare Backpacking 2025
Explore Yellowstone’s backcountry in one of the most remote places in the United States. Backpack the Thorofare & South Boundary Trail, while learning about the ecological and human history of the park.
TRIP DATES:
July 27 – August 2, 2025 (Women’s Trip) SOLD OUT | August 20 – 26, 2025 SOLD OUT
$2950 Per Person
The world’s oldest National Park sits atop a super-volcano and features Earth’s largest collection of geothermal features. The Tetons contain some of the oldest rock in North America – 2.7 billion-year-old metamorphic gneiss. Experience the superlative beauty of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, with the added expertise of our backpacking guides.
Activities
- Camping
- Backpacking
- Hot Springs
Included
- Medically-trained, naturalist guides
- Round-trip transportation
- Accommodations
- Tent, sleeping pad, and group camping equipment
- All meals
- Park entry fees
Not Included
- Flights
- Sleeping bag (Available to Rent for $50)
- Personal camping gear (See Packing List)
- Gratuity for Your Guide
Weather
Yellowstone and Grand Tetons have very extreme weather – in fact, the highest recorded difference in temperature in a 24-hour period was recorded in Montana at over 100 degrees! July can be warm and dry in the day, but cold in the evenings with highs in the 70s and lows in the 30s. It can snow any month of the year and often does!
Intensity- Difficult
Expect to spend up to 6 hours per day walking or hiking (up to 16 miles & 2500 ft elevation change) while carrying packs with all your equipment! This trip is for experienced hikers.
Accommodations
- One night front-country camping in Yellowstone
- Four nights of backcountry camping in Yellowstone
- One night glamping in West Yellowstone
- Pricing is based on double occupancy accommodations
- Single supplement is available for an additional $600 per person
Flights
You will be flying into Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport. You’ll want to pick a flight that arrives before 12pm MST on the first day. Alternatively, we can collect you from your accommodation in Bozeman if you’ve arrived early.
At the end of your trip, your backpacking guide will drop you back at the Bozeman Airport by 2pm for your travel home (or back at your accommodation if you’re staying longer.)
Day One
Your journey begins today! You’ll meet your group and backpacking guides in Bozeman and get to know each other over lunch at a local brewery. Then, we’ll tour a bit of Yellowstone along the way to our frontcountry campsite for the evening. At camp, we’ll organize our packs together and make sure we have all the gear we need! We’ll also split up some food & gear to share among the group.
Meals: L, D
Day Two
We’ll get an early start on the trail, traveling to the north shore of Yellowstone Lake where we’ll begin our adventure! We’ll cover 13.5 miles and arrive at our serene camp right on the lakeshore! At camp, we’ll cook up a delicious dinner before setting up our tents!
Meals: B, L, D
Day Three
Today, we’ll hike 15.5 miles along the Yellowstone River and under some of the tallest towering peaks in the park. We’ll arrive at our campsite at Three Mile Bend, where we can take a dip in the refreshing river before setting up camp like pros!
Meals: B, L, D
Day Four
Up and at ’em! We’ll head west for another day of scenic walking, and pick up with the South Boundary Trail. We’ll cross several rushing creeks and rivers as we hike 15.6 miles to our stop for the evening: Fox Creek.
Meals: B, L, D
Day Five
We’ll continue along the South Boundary Trail for 14.8 miles until we reach Nine Mile Meadow. We’ll enjoy our final night of backpacking under the stars!
Meals: B, L, D
Day Six
We’ll hike the final 9.2 miles along the Snake River (and past some amazing thermal features) to the South Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. We’ll meet our shuttle, which will transfer us back to our starting point. We’ll have time to explore some of Yellowstone’s more famous features like Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic before heading to West Yellowstone for a night of hard-earned relaxation at our luxury glamping texts! We’ll enjoy a filling dinner at a local restaurant and toast s’mores over a bonfire.
Meals: B, L, D
Day Seven
Enjoy a leisurely morning at camp before heading to Bozeman for your departing flight! Along the way, we may have time to stop at a local hot spring for a dip.
Meals: B
Packing LIst
Required Gear
- Backpacking pack (60+ liters recommended)
- Day pack (15-30 liters recommended)
- Luggage (can be left in the vehicle, 1 small suitcase per person)
- Sleeping bag (also available to rent), rated to 15 degrees
- Pack cover
- Headlamp
- Reusable water bottles (at least 3 litres)
Recommended Gear & Personal Items
- Cotton or silk sleeping bag liner (optional, recommended if renting)
- Travel pillow
- Sunscreen
- Earplugs
- Insect repellent
- Toiletries (please choose biodegradable and scent-free items)
- Small, personal first aid kit (including blister treatment)
- Small, quick dry towel
Required Clothing
- Warm jacket (down, puffy, fleece)
- Rain jacket or shell
- Breathable wicking base layers
- Lightweight hiking pants
- Warm clothes to sleep in
- Warm hat
- Sun hat with a brim
- Wool socks (1 pair per day of trip)
- Hiking boots
- Sunglasses
Recommended Clothing
- Rain pants
- Buff or neck scarf
- Comfortable clothes for camp
- Sandals or camp shoes
Trip FAQ’s
What will we eat?
Meals may be prepared by guides, picked up as boxed lunches, or enjoyed in restaurants. We prioritize seasonal, fresh ingredients and local suppliers in all regions. We can cater to most dietary requests and allergies with advanced notice. Be sure to include this information in our client intake form when registering for your trip!
Who else will be there?
Good Trippers can be any age and everyone is welcome!
We get families, couples and friends, but most of our travelers come solo! We have hiking trips for all abilities, just make sure to review the Intensity section for information about what to expect on your trip. All group multi-day trips are 18+. If you’re traveling with kids, we’d be happy to make any itinerary private! Email info@goodtripadventures.com.
Do you offer payment plans?
We are here to help! We offer flexible payment plans tailored to your needs. Reach out to us for more information on how we can assist you with payment options. Regardless of the payment plan implemented, full payment must be received by 30 days in advance of the trip start.
Are there any age requirements?
They say age is just a number and we (mostly) agree! However, due to legal restrictions and group dynamic considerations, we do have a minimum age of 18 on our public group departures. But there’s no maximum!
If you have someone under 18 in your group, we can accommodate all ages on a private adventure, so let’s talk!