November 13, 2008, 5:10 pm
The non-profit Yellowstone Association Institute (YAI) has announced its line-up of “Lodging & Learning” programs for the 2009 spring, summer and fall seasons. Each of the programs includes daily instruction by an Institute naturalist/guide, comfortable accommodations each night in an in-park lodge, some meals, in-park ground transportation and optional National Park Service evening programs.
With the exception of the “Yellowstone for Families” program, the minimum age to participate is 12. Members of the Yellowstone Association receive $10 off the cost of each program. Prices quoted do not include tax. Lodging & Learning programs are a partnership of the Yellowstone Association Institute and concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts, operator of the lodges and many restaurants, tours, activities and gift shops in the park.
Reservations for Lodging & Learning programs can be made by calling (1) 866-439-7375 or (1) 307-344-7311. (For reservations made prior to Dec. 8, 2008, call (1) 307-344-5566.)
The new season kicks off with the “Spring Wolf & Bear Discovery,” a three-day, four-night program that takes participants into the world of Yellowstone National Park’s marquee predators – wolves and bears. An Institute naturalist leads a sunrise trip into the park’s Northern Range – often called the “American Serengeti” because of its abundance of wildlife – for a chance to observe wolves and bears as they begin their daily routines. Participants will also take leisurely hikes into wolf and bear habitat to learn about their behavior, ecology and conservation as well as to observe the beauty of the park‘s flora, fauna, landscape and geothermal features in the spring. The “Spring Wolf & Bear Discovery” includes accommodations at the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, breakfast and lunch daily and dinner on the final evening. The program is offered several times during May and early June. Minimum age to participate is 12. This program is priced at $619 for double occupancy and $843 single occupancy.
A program called “Essential Yellowstone” is designed to showcase the park during the spring and fall seasons. It is offered twice during each of the months of May, June and September. The four-day program includes five nights accommodations at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge, breakfast and lunch each day, dinner on the final evening, in-park transportation, optional evening programs and daily instruction by an Institute naturalist guide. “Essential Yellowstone” participants have a chance to watch wildlife in the stunning backdrop of Hayden Valley, take several easy day hikes, enjoy guided geyser basin walks and participate in a sunrise wildlife watching excursion. The cost of this program is $1,542 double occupancy and $1,039 single occupancy.
Called the “Best Summer Family Camp in America” by both FamilyFun Magazine and Good Morning America, “Yellowstone for Families” was created for families with children ages eight and above, and day trips were specially designed to keep the attention of children by engaging them in fun, age-appropriate activities. The four-day programs are offered Monday to Friday and Friday to Tuesday from June 12 through Aug. 21, 2009. Activities include several geology walks through geyser basins and hot springs areas and an early-morning wildlife watching excursion. A favorite activity is watercolor painting at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, where artist Thomas Moran was inspired to create his famous and history-making painting of the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River. Prices start at $639 per person double occupancy at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and $709 per person double occupancy at Grant Village.
Other Lodging & Learning programs include Trails Through Yellowstone, Fall Wolf & Elk Discovery, Roosevelt Rendezvous and Old Times on the Grand Tour.
In addition to Lodging & Learning programs, the Yellowstone Association Institute offers a variety of backpacking courses, Field Seminars and Private Tours, designed for small groups seeking a private educational introduction to Yellowstone.
To request a free course catalog or make reservations for the courses, call (1) 307-344-2294. Yellowstone Association members receive a $10 discount on all courses, and family memberships begin at just $35 per year. For more information on any Institute program, go to
www.YellowstoneAssociation.org.
