Yellowstone Backpacking – Gallatin Mountains
4 days
From $ 1149
Duration4 days
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  • Etepia
  • Yellowstone Backpacking – Gallatin Mountains

Get away from the crowds and into Yellowstone's spectacular backcountry on this 4-day guided excursion. Towering above at 10,000 feet and extending over 75 miles, Yellowstone’s Gallatin Mountains are breathtaking, expansive and not to be missed. The area is tucked away at Yellowstone’s northwestern edge and is largely unknown to visitors. Our journey explores the Gallatin Crest Traverse, challenging backpackers with steep climbs and drops—only to be rewarded with stunning scenery as far as the eye can see. Our hike begins at the Specimen Creek trailhead in the scenic Gallatin River Valley. We trek up to the crest in search of stunning mountain vistas, ending our day at a beautiful camp in the meadows along the shores of the creek. We continue following Specimen Creek upstream through majestic stands of spruce and fir until we arrive at Gallatin Crest and High Lake, where we enjoy a quick dip before making camp for the night. Our destination is Shelf Lake, the Park's highest point at 9,200 feet above sea level, where we behold beautiful sunsets and dramatic views. Looking for other options in Yellowstone? Check out our Black Canyon and Bechler River backpacking itineraries, or our Yellowstone Kayaking trip.

This tour is operated by

  • Duration: 4 days
    Service level: Standard
  • Physical Grading: Demanding
  • Ages: 18+
Yellowstone Backpacking – Gallatin Mountains - Tour Map

Itinerary

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Day 1: Meet for orientation and head out from Specimen Creek Trailhead.
Our group meets at 8am in the lobby of the Holiday Inn Express Bozeman West. After a gear check and brief orientation, we load our gear and drive about two hours to the trailhead. Plan on adding five to ten pounds of shared, group gear to your pack. Our hike begins at the Specimen Creek Trailhead at 7,000’ in the scenic Gallatin River Valley that roughly defines the park's northwestern boundary. The trailhead is our lowest elevation of the trip as we trek up to the crest in search of stunning mountain vistas. We end our day at a beautiful camp in the meadows along the shores of Specimen Creek. Lunch and dinner included.
Backpacking: 6 miles; elevation gain: 1,000’
Meals: D
Day 2: Hike to Gallatin Crest and take a dip in High Lake.
After a casual morning we continue following Specimen Creek upstream through beautiful meadows and majestic stands of spruce and fir until finally we arrive at Gallatin Crest. A short distance to the north along the trail we arrive at High Lake. The lake is nestled among subalpine meadows and will be our campsite for the night. Once camp is made the group will have the option of swimming in the lake or taking a short hike for views of Electric Peak. All meals included.
Backpacking: 4 miles; elevation gain: 850'.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 3: Our most rewarding day, hiking to Shelf Lake.
Shortly out of camp we reach the ridgeline and have tremendous views of Paradise Valley to the east. We'll hike through moss-covered lodgepole pines, high alpine meadows and across cascading creeks until we reach the stunningly beautiful Crescent Lake for lunch and a midday swim. Keep an eye on the cliffs above for mountain goat sightings. After lunch we continue on to Shelf Lake, the trip's highest point at 9,200’ above sea level. Once camp is made, we hike up to the most dramatic part of the crest for views of the Madison Range to the west with an opportunity to see bighorn sheep. Sunsets here are a sight to behold. All meals included.
Backpacking: 8 miles; elevation gain: 1,400’; elevation loss: 1,000’. Optional hike: 1-2 miles.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 4: Take in our last views before descending to the trailhead.
Our final day is a long descent of the north fork of Specimen Creek to its junction with the main. The trail descends sharply from Shelf Lake into thick and beautiful stands of spruce and fir. Specimen Creek grows rapidly as we descend and soon we are in the beautiful lower meadows that we hiked through on the first day. A final, mostly level two miles bring us to the trailhead. We plan to be back at the hotel between 4 – 5pm. Breakfast and lunch included.
Backpacking: 8 miles; elevation loss: 2,250'.
Meals: B, L

Inclusions

Included

  • Professional instruction and guiding
  • meals as noted in the daily itinerary
  • 2-person tents
  • group cooking gear
  • group first aid kit, water filter
  • campsite and permit fees
  • park entrance fees
  • round-trip shuttle between meeting point and trailheads

  • Accommodation

    Backcountry camping, 3 nights, Optional hotels (hotels not included in trip price), 2 nights

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