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Half Day Private Bespoke Photography Tour of Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park
Capture Yellowstone's magic on a bespoke photography tour. Tailored adventures, expert guidance, and unforgettable images await. Book your dream photo journey today.
Duration:
5 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Roosevelt Arch - The Roosevelt Arch is a rustic triumphal arch at the northern entrance of Yellowstone National Park in Gardiner, Montana, USA. Built under the US Army’s supervision at Fort Yellowstone, its cornerstone was placed by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903, who was vacationing nearby at the time. The top of the arch features an inscription from the Organic Act of 1872, which established Yellowstone, reading: “For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People.” Constructed from locally quarried hexagonal blocks of columnar basalt, the arch stands 52 feet tall. Two towers or buttresses flank the main archway, each with pedestrian passages and heavy wooden doors. Yellowstone, the world’s first national park, was thought by locals to deserve a grand entrance befitting its significance.
- Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces - An early visitor once described Mammoth Hot Springs as, “No human architect ever designed such intricate fountains as these. The water trickles over the edges from one to another, blending them together with the effect of a frozen waterfall.” Initially a commercial attraction for those seeking relief in the mineral waters, soaking in the hot springs is now prohibited to preserve these unique and delicate features. Mammoth Hot Springs are a surface manifestation of deep magmatic forces at work in Yellowstone. Although outside the Yellowstone Caldera boundary, scientists believe the heat for the hot springs comes from the same magmatic system that powers other hydrothermal areas in Yellowstone. A significant fault system between Norris Geyser Basin and Mammoth may allow thermal water to flow between the two. Additionally, multiple basalt eruptions in the area may contribute to the heat source for Mammoth.
- Lamar Valley - Lamar Valley is one of the top wildlife watching destinations in the country! Elk, bison, deer, and pronghorn thrive in this grassland area known as the northern range. Some of the largest wild herds of bison and elk in North America are found here. The northern range is crucial winter habitat for these large animals, which in turn support several packs of wolves. Coyotes are also common, and bobcats, cougars, and red foxes are occasionally spotted.
- Lower Yellowstone River Falls - The 109-foot (33.2-m) Upper Falls is upstream of the Lower Falls and can be viewed from the Brink of the Upper Falls Trail and Upper Falls Viewpoints. The 308-foot (93.9-m) Lower Falls can be seen from Lookout Point, Red Rock Point, Artist Point, Brink of the Lower Falls Trail, and various points on the South Rim Trail. The water volume over the falls ranges from 63,500 gallons (240,374 l) per second during peak spring runoff to 5,000 gallons (18,927 l) per second in autumn.
- Old Faithful - Watching Old Faithful Geyser erupt is a cherished tradition at Yellowstone National Park. Visitors from around the globe come to witness this famous geyser. While the park’s wildlife and scenery are also well-known, it was the unique thermal features like Old Faithful that inspired the creation of Yellowstone as the world’s first national park in 1872. Old Faithful is one of nearly 500 geysers in Yellowstone and one of six that park rangers currently predict. Predicting geyser eruptions with regularity is rare, and Old Faithful has maintained its reliability, only extending the time between eruptions by about 30 minutes over the past 30 years. Thermal features are constantly changing, and Old Faithful may eventually stop erupting. Geysers and other thermal features indicate ongoing volcanic activity beneath the surface, and change is a natural part of this system.
- Madison River - The Madison River, a tributary of the Missouri River, begins in Yellowstone National Park at the confluence of the Firehole and Gibbon rivers, known as Madison Junction. Both the Firehole and Gibbon rivers are influenced by geothermal features. The Madison River flows 19 miles (31 km) through Yellowstone before crossing the park boundary and entering Hebgen Lake, continuing towards Ennis, Montana. It then flows northwest to join the Jefferson and Gallatin rivers, forming the Missouri River. The Madison River is a popular destination for fishing, birding, and wildlife viewing. A park legend claims that explorers camped here in 1870 and decided Yellowstone should be a national park, but this story is not true. While explorers did camp at the junction in 1870, they did not discuss the national park idea.
- Grand Prismatic Spring - Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone’s largest hot spring, measures 200-330 feet in diameter and is over 121 feet deep. Hot springs are the most common hydrothermal features in Yellowstone, with plumbing systems that lack constrictions. Superheated water cools as it reaches the surface, sinks, and is replaced by hotter water from below, preventing the water from reaching eruption temperatures. Hydrothermal features also provide habitats for microscopic organisms called thermophiles: “thermo” for heat and “phile” for lover. Though too small to see with the naked eye, trillions of thermophiles group together, appearing as masses of color. They thrive on energy and chemical building blocks. Colorless and yellow thermophiles grow in the hottest water, while orange, brown, and green thermophiles grow in cooler waters.
- Gibbon Falls - Gibbon Falls drops 84 feet (25.6 m) over a remnant of the Yellowstone caldera rim, formed by a massive volcanic eruption around 631,000 years ago. The flow at the falls varies greatly throughout the year, with the most impressive views during the spring snowmelt when the Gibbon River carries more water. Despite weather and other variables, the falls are always worth a visit.
- Sheepeater Cliffs - Sheepeater Cliff consists of columnar basalt formed by lava flows approximately 500,000 years ago. The Gardner River flows through the valley, exposing the basalt and forming the cliff. The basalt at Sheepeater Cliff is known for its hexagonal fracture lines, which formed as the basalt cooled. The cliffs are a textbook example of a basaltic flow with well-defined joints and hexagonal columns. Named after the Tukuaduka (sheep eaters), a band of Eastern Shoshone, many of the exposed cliffs are located along a steep, inaccessible canyon cut by the Gardner River near Bunsen Peak. However, some cliffs near the Grand Loop Road are accessible by car.
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Bottled water
- Snacks
- English Tour guide
What's Not Included
- Yellowstone National Park Entry Pass. $20 / person
Additional Information
What is your dream Yellowstone photography adventure? We’d love to work with you to craft an experience to make that dream a reality!
Yellowstone is a magical place of grand landscapes with mountains, geysers, & majestic wildlife. It’s a super volcano, the core of the largest intact ecosystem in the lower 48, headwaters of six major rivers, a haven for endangered wildlife, & a dream location for photographers from all over the globe!
Each bespoke tour is crafted for you to experience your dream Yellowstone adventure. We will go where you want and shoot what you want (within reason). Our only goal is for you to go home with the images of a lifetime, the images you’ve been dreaming about.
Along the way, if you’d like, we can help you select & master your camera kit, better understand exposure, advanced composition, special techniques for wildlife, landscapes, panoramas, & more.
If you are an accomplished photographer & only want an experienced local guide we do that too!
- All participants must be at least 16 years of age without exception
- We will be driving long distances between locations, travel time will vary depending on traffic, conditions, weather.
- This tour is for photographers, by photographers. Instruction is available if requested. Our goal is for you to capture exceptional photographs of Yellowstone Park.
Location
Mammoth General Store
Grand Loop Road
The parking lot of the Mammoth General Store. We will confirm the meeting location the day before your tour, be sure to include a valid mobile phone number.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
