Yellowstone Lake Picnic Paddle

One of the best guided tours we have been on! We (family of 3 adults + a 7y/o kid) booked this tour almost at the last week of our planned trip not knowing much about the wintry weather in mid Sep. The tour was operated by Prismatic Tours. We had a direct number available to call, so we got all the details of what to bring and an expected forecast etc. Directions to the location were texted to us in advance (no cell service inside the park, so download your maps in advance!). It had snowed the day prior and since we started the tour at around 9, it was freezing cold. But our tour guide Dillon was just fantastic. We started with coffee, and a quick lesson on "paddling for beginners". The kayaks and equipment were in good condition (seats could have been a but more comfy though). They had sprayskirts that protected us from water dripping onto us from the paddles, and it kept us warm too. Dillon was very knowledgeable, entertained us with great geological facts about the Yellowstone features. This was the first day at the park, and we learned so much in 4-5 hours about the parks, that by the end, we knew exactly where to go and what to see the next 3 days we spent traveling. The trip: started at the Grant Village marina, and covered about 6 miles (to and fro) along the shore and beach of the West Thumb. Stayed about 100 feet close to the shore, so we could see bald eagles, herd of elks (with calves and a large buck) that came to the waters. To our east was the Absaroka range and the Flat Top mountains and the Red Mountains which had snow. To the west shore we had fumeroles that emited sulfur bubbles as we went past the water. It was like a natgeo expedition. We inspected rocks and the break in the beach for lunch was fun too. Bring water and/or snacks if you have picky eaters (like kids) by the way. Thankfully my nephew liked the salami from the charcuterie plates Dillon spread out! We hope to be back in summer. All the best to Dillon for his winter gig!

This tour was a really awesome experience! Being out on the water gave our visit to Yellowstone a whole new dimension. Viewing the geysers from the water instead of the boardwalk was great! Paddling your kayaks right over fumerols that were easily visible through the crystal clear water was a unique experience. Our guides, Maddie and Dillon, were superb in every way. They were extremely knowledgeable about the Lake, the geysers and the wildlife and were just really fun people to be around. We observed an Elk in the edge of the lake taking a dip and later Dillon spotted Eagles in a distant tree that we were able to kayak over to and observe up close and get some great videos. A fantastic Charcuterie was provided for lunch on the beach and great conversation with Maddie and Dillon. I would highly recommend this tour as a more unique experience at Yellowstone. It was very peaceful out on the lake in the morning and as the winds picked up midday it gave you a little workout on the way back to shore. All of the equipment was in excellent shape (no stinky life jackets, all were in great shape) and the brightly colored kayaks photographed nicely. This was a fantastic experience that was made so memorable by Maddie and Dillon, their love of the area, kayaking, and people was truly heartfelt and greatly appreciated!