A scenic float trip on the Yellowstone River is a great way to experience the natural beauty of the Yellowstone region.
Overview
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River that flows along the northern border of Yellowstone National Park through the southern part of Montana. The river meanders its way through southern Montana and through Yellowstone Lake in Wyoming. The river basin also has extensions through North Dakota.
Yellowstone River Float Trip Plan
My mother-in-law had a dream to go to Montana, and the trip was delayed a time or two for various reasons. Finally, in the summer of 2021, she made it to Montana on a family trip! Our group included the four of us, Justin’s parents, and his brother.
My father-in-law likes to find fun activities to do while we are vacationing and found a float trip offered through Yellowstone Raft Company based in Gardiner, Montana. He asked us about doing a white water rafting tour, but we decided against it based on the age of the boys and Ryan’s anxiety issues. Once we were on the water, though, they loved it and were begging the tour guide to hit any possible rapids!
Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River
Getting There
Location
Montana is one of the northernmost states in the Continental United States. Montana is home to two of the most popular national parks in the country: Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park. For this trip, we were headed to Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park, which is mostly in Wyoming with small portions in Montana and Idaho.
The easiest airport to fly into is Jackson Hole, Wyoming (JAC), especially if you are adding Grand Teton National Park to your trip. And if you aren’t, I highly suggest that you reconsider. We love Grand Teton National Park and have been on two different trips now. We’ve also been to Yellowstone National Park twice, with this float trip being part of our second trip. If you aren’t adding Grand Teton National Park to the trip, you can also consider flying into Billings-Logan International Airport (BIL) in Billings, Montana. It is about a 3-hour drive from Billings to Gardiner and about 3.5 hours from the Jackson Hole Airport.
Since my MIL wanted to go to Montana, we stayed in Gardiner, Montana, for most of the trip. Our first two nights were in Victor, Idaho, to go to Grand Teton National Park, then we drove through Grand Teton National Park into Yellowstone National Park and all the way through, stopping at many scenic points in the park, to our rental home in Gardiner.
Best Time to Go
Montana is beautiful in the summer months, which is the best time of year to go, especially if you want to do a float trip. Typically the floating season ranges from Spring through early fall. The expert guides will determine if the river is safe, so it’s an ever-changing landscape on the river. Early spring is more likely to have major rapids due to the snowmelt. In the fall, temperatures start to cool off and the river is lower, so you’re more likely to experience calm waters. We were there in mid-July and were able to view the breathtaking scenery at the perfect water levels to have some small rapids but a mostly smooth trip.
After the trip, we got to write our names on the bus
The boys thought it was fun to write on the walls of the bus
Float Trip on the Yellowstone River
Who Can Go?
​Yellowstone Raft Company will take visitors of any age on a float trip. The important thing is to make sure you are comfortable on the scenic river tours and that everyone will enjoy their time. A life jacket will be provided for everyone, regardless of your swimming abilities. When you arrive at the river access points, the guides will ask you to assist in carrying the raft to the boat ramps to put them in the water.
What You'll See
Scenic floats are surrounded by the beauty of nature. On the south side of the river was the boundary to Yellowstone National Park and the mountains. On the north side was the town of Gardiner, including passing below the rental home we were staying at. Some wildlife you can potentially see includes bald eagles, brown trout, mule deer, and elk.
Yellowstone River
Yellowstone National Park beyond the river
What to Bring & Wear
Make sure to wear clothing that can get wet. We all opted for swimsuits with swim shirts, comfortable shorts, and water shoes. It can be chilly in the morning, even in the summer, so a long-sleeved swim shirt will keep you covered. Make sure you wear soft-soled, tie-on shoes or river sandals that can get wet as you’ll have to step into the water to load the raft. Flip flops are not allowed on a float trip or whitewater trip. Also, consider wearing a hat and sunglasses with straps so they don’t fall off in the high water.
Only bring items that can get wet. When you check in, Yellowstone Raft Company will hold your car keys so they don’t get wet or lost on the river. If you are bringing a phone or camera, make sure it is in a waterproof case. I have a case for my phone that’s watertight and has a small wrist strap. I brought the phone and attached that wrist strap to a lanyard to wear around my neck. This meant I could have the phone easily accessible and didn’t have to worry about dropping it since it was secured to me.
Justin and Stephanie
Ryan and Tyler
Where to Go
Checking in for your trip is done inside the Paradise Adventure Company at 111 2nd Street, Gardiner, MT 59030. From here, you will board a bus to the river access point and back again after your trip.
How Long Does it Take?
We booked our trip early since we had seven people and chose the 9 AM float trip. It says to expect about 2.5 hours, but it was really closer to 4 by the time you plan to drive there, checking in 30 minutes early, the trip, the drive back to your lodging, and a quick shower. For us, it worked perfectly because we did the float trip in the morning, got back to our rental home in Gardiner for lunch, and then had time to spend in Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park in the afternoon.
Yellowstone Park behind the Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River
Cost
Always check the Yellowstone Raft Company’s website for the most current prices. For the float trip that we took, the cost was $74 per adult ages 13 and older and $64 per child ages 3-12. Infants ages 2 and under are free of charge.
Tips for Floating on the Yellowstone River
- Choose how much time you want to spend on the water. They offer a short raft boat float like we did up to a 5-hour Yellowstone whitewater half day trip that goes all the way up through Yankee Jim Canyon and includes lunch.
- For a full days experience, Yellowstone Raft Company also has packages that include horseback rides.
- Trout fishing and fly fishing are common on this stretch of the Yellowstone River since there are no diversion dams to stop the fish. Trout can often be found from high inside Yellowstone National Park through Gardiner to Paradise Valley, Livingston, and Big Timber.
- Just across the street from the meeting location in Gardiner is the Roosevelt Arch and Yellowstone National Park sign for the North Entrance into the park. This is an excellent opportunity to grab a photo at the sign if you haven't yet on your exploration of Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding area.
- If you're looking for an option to take a float trip in Grand Teton National Park, try one on the Snake River.