DAY 1

WELCOME & ORIENTATION

The program starts with an evening orientation. Participants will get to know one another and be introduced to the program. Throughout the evening, the itinerary and seminar key concepts will be discussed, as well as what to expect to pack for the field each day.

DAY 2

Exploring the Northern Range:
Students will observe wildlife locally in the Lamar Valley, and visit historic places in the northeastern part of Yellowstone Park. The site of gamekeeper Harry Yount’s cabin is a flat trail walk off the road, and the Rose Creek Pen is about a 3 mile round trip hike near the Buffalo Ranch. Options include visiting the historic Northeast entrance station (a wonderful example of the NPS Rustic Style of architecture), and ice cream at Tower Falls.

DAY 3

Wildlife at the Lake:
After early morning wolf watching, participants will travel to Canyon, and walk back to a hidden “”lunch counter”” where park visitors used to watch grizzly bears feed on hotel garbage. Students will visit the small yet oh-so-historic 1932 museum at Lake, search for the site of the old fish hatchery, and hear the exciting story of the predator pelicans and how they shaped Yellowstone’s conservation history. Students will glass landscapes at places including Dunraven Pass, Hayden Valley, and Steamboat Point for birds, bison, and other wildlife.

DAY 4

Geysers and History:
Students will experience the park’s caldera region, travelling toward the early museum at Norris Geyser Basin, the 1932 information station at National Park Mountain (hearing park origin stories at Madison Junction), and the Old Faithful Historic District, where we will visit the Yellowstone Tribal Heritage Center. Participants will enjoy a picnic lunch along the way, returning to the Buffalo Ranch by 5:00 p.m.

DAY 5

CHECK OUT & DEPARTURE

Dates & Times: The program begins at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, and goes through 5:00 PM on Saturday, August 23, 2025.

Lodging Check-in & Check-out: Lodging check-in begins at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, and lodging check-out is at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 24, 2025.

Meals: This course is not catered. Participants will need to bring their own food; lunch should be able to travel in the field.

ACTIVITY LEVEL 2

• Be prepared to hike up to 3 miles per day, comfortably, with elevation gains up to 600 feet. Some off-trail hiking possible.
• For more information about our activity levels, please visit our Activity Level webpage here.
• Most activities will take place at elevations between 7,200 to 8,000 feet. Participants residing at lower elevations may want to arrive a day early to adjust to the altitude.
• To learn more about how specific medical conditions can be affected by Yellowstone’s environment and our activities, please visit our site page on health information.
• All field activities will be conducted as a group. If members of the group cannot participate in the day’s activities, they need to let the educator know in advance.
• To participate in this program, each participant must fill out and sign a health questionnaire and assumption of risk waiver. These forms must be completed and returned at least 30 days prior to the program start date.

EQUIPMENT SPECIFIC TO THIS COURSE:

Suggested Packing List located in General Information document under the ‘Whom to Contact’ tab.

No specialized equipment is needed for our course, but you may wish to bring any field guides you have, especially for wildlife of the Rocky Mountains. If you have binoculars, by all means bring them along. Good footwear will make for happy feet during the explorations.

RECOMMENDED READINGS

• Pritchard, James A. (2022). Preserving Yellowstone’s Natural Conditions: Science and the Perception of Nature. 2nd edition, Bison Books.
• Schullery, Paul. (1997). Searching for Yellowstone: Ecology and Wonder in the Last Wilderness. Houghton Mifflin.
• Biel, Alice Wondrak. (2006). Do (Not) Feed the Bears: The Fitful History of Wildlife and Tourists in Yellowstone. University Press of Kansas.
• Franke, Mary Ann. (2005). To Save the Wild Bison: Life on the Edge in Yellowstone. University of Oklahoma Press.
• Schullery, Paul. (1992). The Bears of Yellowstone. High Plains Press.
• Smith, Douglas W. & Gary Ferguson. (2012). Decade of the Wolf: Returning the Wild to Yellowstone. Revised edition, Lyons Press.
• Halfpenny, James C. (2012). Scats and Tracks of the Rocky Mountains. Falcon Guides. Smith, Diane. (2017). Yellowstone and the Smithsonian: Centers of Wildlife Conservation. U. Press of Kansas.

Whom to Contact: For any questions, concerns, or additional information please contact the following:

Program itinerary, health forms, payment, and general program questions please contact Yellowstone Forever at [email protected] or 406-848-2400 extension 3

Road updates, park conditions, and general park information please contact Yellowstone National Park Service at https://www.nps.gov/yell/contacts.htm

If running late for a program, please contact 406-848-9128.

General Information: For general information about the facilities, preparation for classes, what to expect, cancellation policies, and more, please see the Lamar-Based Field Seminars – General Information document.

To review the cancellation policy for this program, please visit our webpage which outlines cancellation policies by program type here.