7 Day Pack Trip Through Yellowstone National Park, Montana

You arrive and are greeted. Horse and mules have been secured in an area away from vehicle and people traffic and wait patiently. The guide will visit with you putting names with faces and getting everyone acquainted with one another. Then, you get your gear out of your cars and divided into packs to be placed on the pack animals. You will then have a safety talk addressing the risks of the backcountry. Finally, you get to observe the guide handle the horses and explain the horse safety.

You will be introduced to your horses, fitted to your horse and saddle, given a short personal lesson in horse safety, and learn how to maneuver this animal. You will then dismount and eat lunch off to the side while packing the mules and prepare to ride out. When you do ride, one guide rides in front of you, while the second guide rides behind you all of whom follow the pack string (six mules packed with all your gear, led by the guide, and strung together).

Upon arrival in camp, you dismount with one of the guides who help you unsaddle your horses in the meadow. You then walk up to camp afterward. In the meantime, the other two guides unpack and unsaddle the pack stock and turn the loose. The camp is finally set up. Your tents and gear are dropped 100 yards away from the cooking area to help in the avoidance of bear problems.

All food and scented materials stay in the cooking area where it is hung from a bear pole high in the air to keep scents and bear attractants out of reach of the bears and to keep bears away from the guests. Bear problems are rare. Bears do not like large horse herd or groups of humans. The hanging of the food and the cleanness of the camp help avoiding any bear attractants.

Dinner is cooked in the core camp area, where the bear pole is and the food is kept. Tables and chairs are set up, tablecloths and dishes are set, the camp cook prepares his meals in a clean outdoor kitchen and he has been trained in food service and cleanliness. The food is transported in dry boxes and coolers. Once meals have been prepared and consumed, you wash the dishes and discard leftover foods in a separate garbage sack.

You will be entertained around the fire in the evening and finally prepare for bed by brushing teeth and washing up in the core camp area to keep all odors in the core camp. Then you will go off to bed and sleep in your tents which have all been set up in a generally close proximity. The next day breakfast is served and the routine begins all over again.

Horses

These horses have been in the business of carrying guests for quite some time. They are very gentle and are chosen for this line of work because of their particular gentle temperament.

All horses are still to be considered living free thinking animals and must be treated with care and respect for their size, but Sunrise Pack Station does all they can to minimize any trouble between the horses and the guests.

This horse riding holiday will take place in Yellowstone National Park, Montana, USA.

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Breakfasts, lunches, and dinners are provided on this holiday. If you have a dietary restriction, Sunrise Pack Station is very willing to change the menu for you or if it is very restrictive they can cook separately just for you. You are their guest and they want you to feel as such.

Sample food menu

Day 1

• Breakfast: none - you will have breakfast on your own before meeting at the trailhead.
• Lunch: smoked turkey with provolone cheese on an onion bagel with mayo and mustard, granola bar, trail mix, carrots, and filtered mountain water
• Dinner: crackers with seafood and dip, grilled steak with sautéed mushrooms and onions, steamed asparagus with butter, mashed potatoes with gravy, strawberry shortcakes, lemonade, coffee, cocoa, cider, tea, and water

Day 2

• Breakfast: Western omelets (onion, ham, cheddar cheese, mushrooms, cream cheese), cinnamon raisin English muffins with butter and cream cheese, orange juice, coffee, tea, cocoa, and cider
• Lunch: ham with marbled jack cheese on a sesame seed bagel with mayo and mustard, granola bar, snack mix, carrots, and filtered mountain water
• Dinner: crackers and cheese, fresh salad with dressing, grilled sweet marinated chicken breast, stir fry vegetable pasta salad, Oreo pie dessert, lemonade, coffee, cocoa, cider, tea, and water

Day 3

• Breakfast: French toast with syrup, fresh sliced cantaloupe, breakfast sausage links, orange juice, coffee, tea, cider, and cocoa
• Lunch: turkey breast with provolone cheese on a honey wheat bagel with mayo and mustard, granola bar, fruit and nut medley, carrots, and filtered mountain water
• Dinner: crackers and spinach dip, fresh salad with dressing, grilled lemon butter salmon, rice medley, steamed Normandy blend with cheddar cheese, hot apple pies, lemonade, coffee, cocoa, cider, tea, and water

Day 4

• Breakfast: savory bacon brunch burritos with salsa and sour cream, dried apricots, orange juice, coffee, tea, cider, and cocoa
• Lunch: ham with marbled Jack cheese on a sesame seed bagel with mayo and mustard, granola bar, snack mix, carrots, and filtered mountain water
• Dinner: crackers and seafood or spinach dip, fresh salad with dressing, colorful pepper steak served over steamed white rice, cherry cheesecake dessert, lemonade, coffee, cocoa, cider, tea, and water

Day 5

• Breakfast: blueberry pancakes and syrup, grilled ham steaks, orange juice, coffee, tea, cider, and cocoa
• Lunch: roast beef with provolone cheese on parmesan bagel with mayo and mustard, granola bar, beef or turkey jerky sticks, carrots, and filtered mountain water
• Dinner: none - you will be disembarking at the trailhead before dinner time.

• Horseback riding
• 6 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 6 dinners
• 6 night's accommodation

• Gratuity (usually from 10 to 15%)

• A reservation requires a deposit of 50% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.