yellowstone wilderness outfitters

Oh my, let's rail on others for your mistake. I also booked a trip with Jett and his company. I also was unable to make the trip but had bought the insurance and received a full refund. Jett and I spoke several times on the phone and he was gracious, helpful and genuine. He never showed anything close to having a problem with women nor taking a single woman in her 50's on as a client traveling alone. I am planning this trip again, hopefully for this year and will report back again. I expect it will be a trip of a lifetime with Jett and his crew who have been extremely nice to me.All I can add is that when you are going to do something new and spend a good chunk of change, a little extra for the insurance is a no-brainer. Take the advise given to you by the experts.

I never actually spoke with this person, so it is hardly fair to say that I was "curt and ungracious." She spoke with my wife. It was not possible for me to speak with her at the time because I was in the backcountry running pack trips, and there is no phone service there. I deal with these types of matters at the end of the season, after I have provided services to the many happy campers who have followed my instructions. At the end of the season, however, I promptly received a nasty letter from this woman, accusing me of being a chauvinist, among other things. And we were done right then and there. Ironically, all of the pre-trip literature that she says reflects a bias against women was written by my wife. Furthermore, all of my guides are female, which is something that I doubt any other outfitter can say. I certainly have no bias against women.The problem arose when this woman did not follow my instructions. Again and again clients are advised to purchase trip insurance. I tell them this during the initial conversation, and it is stated again in the booking forms and yet again in the pre-trip literature. There are many things that can go wrong during and even before a client's adventure starts, as happened with this woman. Trip insurance protects both me and the client, and it provides a helicopter evacuation voucher in the event that something happens during the trip. The cost of trip insurance is a very small percentage (2-4%) of the overall cost of the trip. It is easy for some outfitters to reschedule a client on another trip because their trips are empty, and there is a reason that they are empty. If you want to go with the biggest and the best, please just follow my instructions, and you will have a fantastic time just like many of the other reviewers on Tripadvisor.

This was a great experience, and now that I've done it, it was THE way to see Yellowstone. We did the Thorofare ride in September. Jet and his team know the Park and care for its preservation, and provide a great experience for their participants. The young women who were the wranglers on the trip were nothing short of amazing. I don't know that I've seen anyone work that hard, 24x7. It is well run with helpful staff, from beginning to end. The web site gives great advice for preparing and packing, the wranglers are incredibly helpful and positive, and the back country of that park is just amazing. The horses know their job, and yet are sensitive to the rider. Be honest with yourself before signing up - 5+ hours a day in the saddle for 6 days is a lot for someone who is typically a casual rider.

I am a single female who loves to travel but I always seem to travel alone. If you fit that description, and have never visited the back country for that reason, then read on! I visited Yellowstone three times in 4 years and each year was better and better, all due to Jett Hitt, Carrie Byron and Yellowstone Outfitters. I never felt a moment of discomfort at being a “single,” let alone a single female.My first trip was in 2005 - a day ride when I had only 4 days to see the whole park. I wanted to get off the road and out of my car. Jett took 5 of us out in the Northern portion to along Blacktail Creek and the rain swollen Yellowstone River to Knowles Falls and back. I loved every rugged, beautiful moment.In July of 2006 I returned to Yellowstone, feeling more adventurous, but having never camped before. I booked the Gallatin Pack Trip. Jett had advised that the 4-day, 3-night trip would be a good initiation to camping, and if I was miserable, well, it was only 3 nights… LOL! Jett and Carrie took 3 of us into the Northwest portion of the park. The food was fantastic, the horses were well mannered, as were the moose. I’ll never forget the views from the pass near Electric Peak, nor the moose in the morning at Sportsman’s Lake.That fact that I now knew I liked camping clinched my choice for my 2008 trip to Yellowstone – the Thorofare! It was 6 days and 5 nights of purely fabulous enjoyment of Yellowstone in all its glory. I even enjoyed (afterward) the brain freeze I got when I washed my hair from a stream of what turned out to be snow melt! We saw bears, eagles, moose, bison, deer and elk. My favorite memories were of sighting wolf tracks and then that night having the family serenade us as we set up camp. Another evening on our trip we were again serenaded and even sighted a lone wolf crossing a field near our camp. And they made the best wake-up call I’ve ever had!I highly recommend Yellowstone Outfitters for your next (or first) visit to the park. You’ll be guided by people who know what they’re doing and obviously love doing it. And don’t forget to pack a pair of pants with an elastic waist to wear close to the end of your trip - the food!

I went on the Thorofare trail and it was wonderful, my camp mates where great and Jett and his guides enhanced the experience with their expertise and kindness. I have camped in other national parks, but this was by far the most fun and positive-in regards to guides and camp mates. Plus the horses and mules (especially the mules) where wonderful. I hope to go again and see another part of this great wilderness.

We have not long been back from spending 6 days out on the Thorofare Trail with YWO and I can honestly say that we have had one of the best experiences of our lives. Yellowstone is just a beautiful place and we wanted to be right in the middle of it...and thats exactly what we got. What better way to be moving through this wilderness than on horseback, allowing you to see the most of the backcountry in a 6 day period. Jett has absolutely nailed it with his outfit. Fantastic Horses and Mules that know exactly what their jobs are, The best food we've ever eaten when camping beneath the stars and the camaraderie between ourselves, Jett, the guides - Jess and Paige and the rest of our group that will never leave us. Both Paige and Jess worked exceptionally hard to keep the trip running smoothly and on schedule and along with Jett was such a great fun team to be a part of. We can't thank them enough for such a beautiful trip and we will return :)

I have discovered one of the most unique places for geography, geothermal, and wildlife while on horseback. Yellowstone Outfitters gave me a way to see this strange and wonderful place. Superheated water sends plumes of steam wafting over the horizon against a background of granite rock and lodge pole pines. Roaring streams of water cascade over rounded stones, racing downward to crystal clear pools. The nights spray points of light from the constellations across a coal black sky. These sights were seen on a 6 day, 5 night pack trip led by Jett Hitt and his guides. For anyone who wants to see Yellowstone as it existed hundreds of years ago, the Thorofare trip is what I recommend. Jett Hitt and his guides are good stewards of Yellowstone's environment. Their clients' safety and well-being are first and foremost on their agenda. I loved traveling on horseback. The animals are well trained to do their jobs. The routines the Yellowstone Outfitter group has established allowed us to set up and break down camp while having lots of time to take advantage of the surrounding land's scenery. My advice is to prepare yourself for the rigor of riding all day and camping. If you are looking for a pampered trip into Yellowstone, this may not be for you. That being said, you do not have to be an avid or professional horseman either. Jett matches clients with an animal that caters to their abilities. The guides prepare your food (steak, pulled pork, country fried steak, pork chops along with a hearty breakfast) and clean up the camp. They tack up the stock and load the mules. I recommend Yellowstone Outfitters as a way to see Yellowstone National Park as this land's first people saw it. Jett is a professional who places his clients' satisfaction high on his list of priorities.

We took a half day ride near Mammoth Hot Springs. Carrie was our guide and was professional, friendly and obviously knew a lot about what she was doing. It would have been more interesting if we had done a loop, but it was an in and out trail, so you saw the same scenery twice. They do full day and overnight trips also if that's what you are interested in.

We've gone on 6-day pack trips with Jett and co twice now, and it's the best money we've ever spent on any vacation, without a doubt.Our first trip with them was our delayed honeymoon in 2011. Though we've spent hundreds of nights camping from cars, motorcycles, skis, and on-foot, everywhere from state parks to backcountry sites nationwide, I was a bit skeptical when my wife suggested a multi-day pack trip across Yellowstone. Jett very patiently answered our questions about the trip, including physical conditioning and dietary restrictions. The trip itself (6-day Thorofare) was...epic. Meandering eighty miles along Yellowstone lake, through the Thorofare, up and over the Continental Divide, and through the Snake River Canyon was simply amazing. Though we had to cover 80 miles in six days, at no point was the pace set to grueling, and we never lost any wagon tongues during our river crossings (for the 'Oregon Trail' fans out there). On the contrary, Jett and the guides kept us on a consistent but relaxed pace by managing breaks and start/stop times perfectly. Our second trip was about a month ago (Aug 14). Though we'd had an amazing time on the Thorofare, we wanted something a bit more relaxed and vacation-y this time around. We picked the 'Waterfalls' trip, which was even more beautiful than our first trip. More relaxed and focused on scenery, this was exactly what we were looking for. Though we had a bit of rain in scattered moments on the trip, the weather was otherwise perfect, and the waterfalls that we saw were simply amazing. In addition, we visited a thermally-heated swimming hole, and the highlight of the trip - "Mr Bubbles" - a naturally-occurring hot tub created at the junction of a thermal pool and snowmelt river. You won't want to leave - we were in there for hours.On both trips, Jett and his amazing staff took incredible care of the guests. Personal gear (both selection and weight) is carefully prescribed, and the crew take obvious very good care of the horses and mules that do most of the hard work on these trips. For backcountry cuisine, the meals were excellent, filling, and nicely varied. Jett's guides are extremely well-trained and almost unbelievably professional, ensuring that guests of all types, preferences, and attitudes have a wonderful time (even those I might have left tied to a tree miles ago!)It's worth mentioning that Jett is a true steward of the park, constantly watchful to ensure that his guests have a minimal impact on our nation's first, and arguably most beautiful, National Park. I've had experience with other outfitters in similar experiences, and have never been more impressed at a guide's ability to provide both a wonderful experience for guests and take such good care of the country through which we're traveling.One note: my wife has a gluten allergy, and while Jett and his team did take this into consideration when planning her meals, we did have a few issues with uncertain ingredients. Though my wife's condition has gotten more severe over the past few years (it wasn't as much of a problem on our first trip), she did have to steer around (or bypass entirely) a few entrees/meals on our second trip. That said, being clearer up front with Jett & team should eliminate this problem entirely, and I'm sure they'll work with us to ensure that she's well cared for (and fed!) next time. It certainly will not keep us from returning to Yellowstone Wilderness Outfitters many times in the future!I've been in many National Parks, countless state parks, and have camped abroad. I've simply never had a better experience with an outfitter, and cannot recommend these folks enough. Don't forget to tip your guides; those are the hardest-working horsewomen I've ever met!

Yes, we go rain or shine, and all of our literature says so. This person was told repeatedly to bring rain gear, and as she indicates in the review, she was already trying to cancel when there was only a 30% chance of rain. If we cancelled every time there was a 30% chance, there would be few horseback rides in Yellowstone. This woman arrived at the meeting point and was quite belligerent. Even the other clients were arguing with her and telling her that our policy was quite clear and that she should have brought rain gear. In fact, the other clients wrote a nice review entitled, "Fun! -even though it rained."

We wanted to safely see the Thorofare region of Yellowstone, since it is heavily populated with grizzlies. We enjoyed a great group of people, and Jett is very entertaining. His staff works very hard for the clients, the horses and the mules. We plan to do another trip with YWO.

We did a half day ride in the middle of August this year. My Boyfriend had basically never been on a horse and now we were heading out for a couple of hours. Carrie is amazing! She gave an excellent safety demo for what do do on the ground around the horses and while up on their backs. The horses were awesome. Each one knew their job and were super happy doing it. Carrie packed us a great lunch and made sure we were not leaving hungry. She was super personable, so friendly, genuinely interested in who you are and what you do. I really can't say enough about how awesome she is!! I have done several day rides all over North America, and this trip was by far the best. My boyfriend had such a blast that we are even thinking of doing one of the pack trips in a few years. This was definitely a highlight of our trip to Yellowstone. Thank you Carrie!!

Carrie was a sweet Guide. She packed an awesome lunch - so much we could not eat it all. She was very attentive to all our needs. My boys loved the trip even though it was pouring rain and 44 degrees.

Best adventure ever! This was a 4 day, 3 night trip that was everything I thought it would be and more. I reviewed several outfitters wedsites before deciding on Yellowstone Wilderness Outfitters with Jett Hitt and I certainly was not disappointed. I had never ridden a horse before but I have always wanted to see the back country on horse back. I felt like my husband and myself were well informed before we arrived and Jett, Jess and Paige were all very helpful and friendly. If this is something you would be interested in doing, I strongly encourage you to book a trip with Jett Hitt. You will NOT be sorry! Gwen A

I can do little more than echo Dave D's sentiments. The whole trip was very well run and organised. We rode through some beautiful country and generally had a great time. Jett and the girls made everyone feel at home and at the end of it all we felt like we'd made some good friends. I've been on a few group trips in the past - but none better!