Reedfly Custom Experiences
Just for you.
Take the stress out of figuring out what to see and how to get there. Use one of our shuttle services to experience Yellowstone with an expert educator (typically with a PhD), seeing what you want to see…and not waiting to unload and load a bus at every stop. Our tours are small, private, and leave from Reedfly (between 6am-9am) and drop you back (typically at your suite or residence at the end of the trip).
We begin all of our experiences with an educational presentation at the Rivers Bend Lodge media room, which will visually orientate you to Paradise Valley and Yellowstone Park, and their respective history, geography, and wildlife. In addition, we’ll give you a tour of original writings, artwork, and artifacts.
If you are history junkie, or are someone who just loves to know more about an area than what you can read on a sign, you’ll want to read Paul Schullery’s Searching for Yellowstone before you arrive; buy it here.
A beautiful picnic lunch is included with most tours. See the sample menu here.
WILDLIFE EXPERIENCE (BIOLOGY & BOTANY)
Drive the north loop of the grand loop, looking for antelope, buffalo, wolves, bears, elk, deer, and various little critters. Along the way, we will stop at multiple waterfalls, take a peek in to a small creek with rare westlope cutthroat trout, briefly experience Mammoth Hot Springs, peer in to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. All the time, you’ll hear from one of our historians and naturalists, as they tell you the story behind the worlds first Yellowstone Park.
PRICING
$250 per person (max 4 people)*
* includes lunch, binoculars, spotting scope
GEYSER & GEOLOGY EXPERIENCE
Drive to and explore all four major geyser and hot spring locations:
- Mammoth Hot Springs
- Upper, Middle and Lower Geyser Basins
- A secret location outside of Yellowstone Park
Of course, we’ll see Old Faithful, but there are so many more typically unexplored treasures that our guide and naturalists will show you, such as the Grand Prismatic Spring and Fountain Paint Pots. We’ll also stop at several waterfalls, and tour Obsidian Cliffs and learn how the First People / Native Americans used this lava stone to create arrowheads, knives, and beautiful religious items that were traded all across North America, going back as much as 10,000 years ago.
PRICING
$250 per person (max 4 people)
* includes lunch, binoculars, spotting scope. Bring good walking shoes and a light jacket, but we won’t be doing any strenuous hiking.
FLY FISHING EXPERIENCE
We have a selection of over twenty fly fishing locations that we can shuttle you to in Yellowstone Park or in Paradise Valley. We drop you off and you fish down- or up-stream to a pick up location. These trips allow you to maximize your fishing, and spend less time walking back to your vehicle. The distances you’ll fish range from 1 to 6 miles, depending on your preference of species (cutthroat, rainbow, brown, brook trout) and how far you want to hike. If you prefer shorter hikes, we’ll shuttle you to multiple locations throughout your day. For those who are beginners or want a refresher course, we provide a fly fishing basics education session every morning or evening right in front of Reedfly on the epic Yellowstone River.
We cover the following topics:
- The evolution of trout species (aka What is a trout?)
- Special attention is given to our regional native Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout, which inhabits the waters right in front of the lodge
- Entomology (aka What do trout eat?)
- We’ll teach you the major life forms that trout feed on, and how to imitate them with “flies”.
- Trout behavior
- We’ll teach you various environmental factors, such as river and lake currents, that impact where fish reside in the water you’ll be fishing. Most of the time you can’t see fish under the water, so this skill is important for figuring out “where” to cast your fly.
- Fly patterns
- We’ll teach you several basic fly patterns used to trick trout in to thinking they are going to get a snack when you cast to them.
- Fly fishing equipment
- We’ll teach you the basics of the fly rod, reel, line, leader and tippet. Don’t worry, this part is not that difficult.
- Fly casting
- We’ll teach you the basics of fly casting. Don’t worry, it’s not just about casting for a long distance; we help you work within your capabilities to get your fly to the trout.
- Catching a trout
- Everyone forgets about this one, and it is sometimes the most difficult part to master, aside from casting. Once a fish “bites at” your fly, you still need to “set the hook”, and “play” them, “land” them and finally “release” them safely. We’ll teach you what all of these fishing words mean, and practice.
PRICING
$250 per person (max 4 people)
* Please note that this does NOT include your fishing permits. Please purchase your Montana license online here; if you plan on fishing in Yellowstone Park, research Yellowstone Park permits here.
INTO THE WILD EXPERIENCE (HIKING OR NORDIC SKIING)
Shhhhh, listen to the quiet. Get away from the people, the crowds, the traffic, and the congested trails… get off the beaten path to experience “wild” Yellowstone. We have some select, private locations to send you on. Get dropped off at one of our many “one way” hiking or skiing locations, which allows you to maximize the amount of new terrain you can experience. We’ll pick you up at the end of the trail and shuttle you back to your room. On the drive, we’ll explain the history of the area you’ll be hiking. For some of the options we can take you on, see our list of trails and locations.
PRICING
$250 per person (max 4 people) with a Naturalist who can cover any or all of the following topics on your trip
- Tracking Animals (via tracks, hair, scat)
- Plants of Yellowstone
- Animal Identification and History
- Native Americans and Yellowstone
- Early European discovery of Yellowstone
- Geology (including geysers)
- The Intelligence of Animals (understanding animal behavior)
Please note the Into The Wild Experience does not include lunch or hiking equipment but are available for purchase.
ADDITIONAL AVAILABLE RENTALS
- Bear Spray
- Binoculars
- Backpack (water bottle, first aid kit inside)
CONTACT US
We are here for you so please don’t hesitate to call us at 1.406.272.0118 or email us at anytime to discuss how to make your trip the most memorable as possible.