Yellowstone Touring Company Yellowstone Touring Company Upper Loop Tour

Yellowstone Touring Company Upper Loop Tour

Experience Northern Yellowstone’s Wildlife and Waterfalls

 

Tour Highlights

    • Mammoth Hot Springs terraces

    • Rustic Falls & Golden Gate Canyon

    • Undine Falls

    • The Petrified Tree

    • Tower Falls

    • Lamar Valley wildlife viewing

    • Dunraven Pass (seasonal)

What Your Day Looks Like

Your private guide picks you up in Big Sky and leads you north through Yellowstone’s most dramatic terrain. The day includes scenic overlooks, short interpretive walks, and multiple wildlife stops. We adjust the pace to your interests, weather, and wildlife activity.

Expect to explore geothermal terraces, canyon viewpoints, and open valleys where bison, elk, pronghorn, and bears are often seen. In the evening hours, wildlife becomes more active, offering excellent viewing opportunities.

Wildlife You May See

Northern Yellowstone is one of the best wildlife habitats in North America. Depending on the season, you may encounter:

    • Bison

    • Elk

    • Pronghorn antelope

    • Black bears & grizzly bears

    • Mule deer

    • Wolves

    • Coyotes

    • Bighorn sheep

Wildlife viewing is strongest in spring and early summer. During hot mid‑summer days, animals often move to higher elevations, but sightings are still common.

Geology & Interesting Facts

Mammoth Hot Springs is one of the most dynamic geothermal features in Yellowstone. Its hot, mineral‑rich water deposits nearly two tons of travertine each day, creating constantly changing terraces and formations.

Below the terraces sits Historic Fort Yellowstone, home to some of the oldest structures in the national park system. The northern range also showcases rugged volcanic cliffs, glacial valleys, and wide‑open sagebrush ecosystems.

Who This Tour Is Perfect For

    • Wildlife enthusiasts

    • Photographers

    • Guests who prefer fewer crowds

    • Returning Yellowstone visitors

    • Travelers seeking dramatic scenery and open landscapes

What’s Included

    • Private, professional guide

    • Comfortable, well‑equipped vehicle

    • Door‑to‑door pickup in Big Sky

    • Spotting scopes & binoculars

    • Interpretive wildlife, geology & natural history insights

Rates & Group Size

See our 2026 Private Tour Rates for detailed pricing.

Enjoy an full day tour with Yellowstone Touring Company Upper Loop Tour in northern Yellowstone. This trip will visit Rustic Falls, Mammoth Hot Springs, the Petrified Tree, and Tower Falls. The tour will continue into the Lamar Valley to look for wildlife. Enjoy the cooler evening hours as the wildlife becomes active and begin to forage. The tour will return via the very scenic Dunraven pass (if open).

Yellowstone Touring Company Upper Loop Tour is an excellent tour for waterfalls and wildlife " especially during April, May and June". Wildflowers are prominent in early July. Yellowstone's northern tier offers a wide variety of raw, rugged and open terrain. The scenery is spectacular and diverse.

Mammoth Hot Springs is one of the most dynamic thermal features in the world. This very hard water deposits two tons of rock a day, making Mammoth a living sculpture. The hot, colorful water cascades 200 vertical feet down the terraces. Historic Fort Yellowstone sits below the terraces, a showcase of some of the oldest buildings in the national park system.

Tour Highlights:
Mammoth Hot Springs, Undine Falls, the Petrified Tree, Rustic Falls, the Golden Gate Canyon and Bridge, the Lamar Valley, Dunraven Pass and Tower Falls. Enjoy an afternoon and evening in northern Yellowstone. This trip will visit Rustic Falls, Mammoth Hot Springs, the Petrified Tree, and Tower Falls. The tour will continue into the Lamar Valley to look for wildlife.

Mileage from Big Sky: 280-325