Montana
BBar Ranch: Wildlife & Coexistence on the Edge of Yellowstone
Program No. 2409660MEADV-1116-60
Explore the wild land in and around Yellowstone National Park while staying at the BBar Ranch and learning about its sustainable ranching methods.
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We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
800-454-5768
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Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Sep 8 - Sep 13, 2025
Starting at
4,349Not seeing the date you're looking for?
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This date is available to book as a private experience for your group!
6 days
5 nights
14 meals
5B 4L 5D
5
Technology & Ranching, Elective Hiking
B Bar Ranch
6
Program Concludes
B Bar Ranch
At a Glance
Yellowstone National Park is a wild land, filled with unspoiled wilderness and animals, such as wolves, grizzly bears and mountain lions. Just beyond its borders lies the BBar Ranch — a working ranch that fits into this unique ecosystem rather than trying to modify it. Enjoy five nights at the BBar Ranch while you learn how it manages its herd, tests soil and otherwise operates as sustainably as possible while living among the wild animals of this region. Search for local wildlife yourself as you head into the heart of Yellowstone, making stops at iconic sites such as Old Faithful. Hear from ranch staff and outdoor educators about living and working among nature in one of the most amazing ecosystems in the world.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to four miles total throughout each day on varied terrain; getting on and off motorcoach multiple times daily; travel times vary within the park. Elevations of 5,260-9,000 feet.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Learn about the day-to-day life of the stewards of B Bar Ranch and the organic practices they implement.
- Explore the 98% intact ecosystem of the Ranch through expert-led hikes.
- Head into Yellowstone National Park to view natural wonders like the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, thermal features and learn about its incredible wildlife.
General Notes
Roommate matching is unavailable for solo travelers on this program.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Zack Baker
Zack Baker attended high school in Livingston, Montana, 52 miles north of Yellowstone. His love for the park started while snowshoeing and observing wildlife. At Montana State University in Bozeman, he earned a B.S. in plant science, but it was Yellowstone’s mammals that grabbed his interest. He led private wildlife watching, hiking, and photography trips, and drove snowcoaches in the winter. He joined up with Road Scholar in 2017 and is now the Program Director for Road Scholar at the University of Montana Western.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Zack Baker
View biography
Zack Baker attended high school in Livingston, Montana, 52 miles north of Yellowstone. His love for the park started while snowshoeing and observing wildlife. At Montana State University in Bozeman, he earned a B.S. in plant science, but it was Yellowstone’s mammals that grabbed his interest. He led private wildlife watching, hiking, and photography trips, and drove snowcoaches in the winter. He joined up with Road Scholar in 2017 and is now the Program Director for Road Scholar at the University of Montana Western.
Suggested Reading List
(6 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
BBar Ranch: Wildlife & Coexistence on the Edge of Yellowstone
Program Number: 24096
Montana, High Wide and Handsome
This classic history by one of Montana’s most talented, influential and significant authors was first published in 1943. A spirited, appreciative testimony to the great prairie, its indigenous peoples, geography, climate, turf battles, economy and environment, the book became an unquestioned landmark in Montana’s literary history and is considered by many to be the most influential and evocative work every published about the state’s past. This new edition includes a preface by A. B. Guthrie, Jr. and an introduction by William Kittredge
American Wolf: A true story of survival and obsession in the West
Before men ruled the earth, there were wolves. Once abundant in North America, these majestic creatures were hunted to near extinction in the lower 48 states by the 1920s. But in recent decades, conservationists have brought wolves back to the Rockies, igniting a battle over the very soul of the West.
These forces collide in American Wolf, a riveting multigenerational saga of hardship and triumph that tells a larger story about the ongoing cultural clash in the West—between those fighting for a vanishing way of life and those committed to restoring one of the country’s most iconic landscapes.
Searching for Yellowstone: Ecology and Wonder in the Last Wilderness
Eloquent, elegant, truthful and practical - an environmental history of America's best idea, Yellowstone.
Empire of Shadows: The Epic Story of Yellowstone National Park
Consider the history of the exploration of Yellowstone National Park through this "historical account of the origins of America's majestic national landmark." The author's well-documented history is a realistic look at people and political and economic factors; his book is sectioned into Pathfinders, Civilizers, Soldiers, Explorers and Tourists. "He casts Yellowstone's creation as the culmination of three interwoven strands of history - the passion for exploration, the violence of the Indian Wars and the 'civilizing' of the frontier and charts its course through the lives of those who sought to lay bare its mysteries."
Field Guide to the Grizzly Bear
Gain a brief introduction to the ecology, natural history and conservation of the grizzly sponsored by the Great Bear Foundation. A volume in the “Sasquatch Field Guide” series.
Wolf Land
Carter Niemeyer has followed wolves – and captured many – since he helped reintroduce them in the Northern Rockies in the mid-1990s. In his second memoir, Wolf Land, he takes us across the rugged West as he tracks wolves, shares in their lives, and seeks middle ground for these iconic animals, both on the land and in our hearts.
Carter Niemeyer is an Iowa native and a recognized expert on wolves, livestock depredation, and trapping. He is the retired Idaho wolf manager for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Niemeyer wrote his first memoir, Wolfer, in 2010.
Program
At a Glance
Duration
6 days
Program Begins
B Bar Ranch
Program Concludes
B Bar Ranch
Group Type
Small Group
Meals
14
| 5B |
4L |
5D |
Activity Level
Yellowstone National Park is a wild land, filled with unspoiled wilderness and animals, such as wolves, grizzly bears and mountain lions. Just beyond its borders lies the BBar Ranch — a working ranch that fits into this unique ecosystem rather than trying to modify it. Enjoy five nights at the BBar Ranch while you learn how it manages its herd, tests soil and otherwise operates as sustainably as possible while living among the wild animals of this region. Search for local wildlife yourself as you head into the heart of Yellowstone, making stops at iconic sites such as Old Faithful. Hear from ranch staff and outdoor educators about living and working among nature in one of the most amazing ecosystems in the world.)
Best of all, you'll...
- Learn about the day-to-day life of the stewards of B Bar Ranch and the organic practices they implement.
- Explore the 98% intact ecosystem of the Ranch through expert-led hikes.
- Head into Yellowstone National Park to view natural wonders like the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, thermal features and learn about its incredible wildlife.
General Notes
Roommate matching is unavailable for solo travelers on this program.
Featured Expert
Zack Baker
Zack Baker attended high school in Livingston, Montana, 52 miles north of Yellowstone. His love for the park started while snowshoeing and observing wildlife. At Montana State University in Bozeman, he earned a B.S. in plant science, but it was Yellowstone’s mammals that grabbed his interest. He led private wildlife watching, hiking, and photography trips, and drove snowcoaches in the winter. He joined up with Road Scholar in 2017 and is now the Program Director for Road Scholar at the University of Montana Western.
Please Note:
This expert may not be available for every date of the program
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to four miles total throughout each day on varied terrain; getting on and off motorcoach multiple times daily; travel times vary within the park. Elevations of 5,260-9,000 feet.
Small Group
(13 to 24)
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Suggested Reading List
View Full List
(6 Books)
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!
Call
800-454-5768
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
6 days
5 nights
What's Included
14 meals | 5B | 4L | 5D |
3 expert-led lectures
9 expert-led field trips
An experienced Group Leader
5 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
Check in, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Location:
B Bar Ranch
Meals:
D
Stay:
B Bar Ranch
Activity Note
Lodge check in from 4:00 p.m.
Afternoon:
Program Registration: 3:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived.
Dinner:
In the lodge dining room. You are welcome to bring your own choice of beverages.
Evening:
Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Instructors will include our knowledgeable Group Leader and local experts. Transportation for program-related activities will be via mini-bus. Meals will be prepared by the ranch’s chef and kitchen staff. We will also have an orientation to the ranch and what will be expected of everyone while staying on ranch property. Remember to bring a reusable water bottle that you can bring with you on hikes; ice water will be available in the vans to refill water bottles. Bring binoculars if you have them. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/current conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead. Prepare for early morning field trip.
Day
2
Wildlife Viewing, Regenerative Agriculture, Horseback Ride
Location:
B Bar Ranch
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
B Bar Ranch
Activity Note
Walking about 2 miles throughout the day, standing during field trips; well-maintained dirt trails, some rocky uneven footing. 1 hour horseback ride.
Breakfast:
We will have to-go breakfasts from the ranch.
Morning:
We will set out on an early morning (pre-breakfast) field trip using binoculars and spotting scopes to view wildlife that may be present, perhaps even grizzly bears. Returning to the lodge, we’ll learn about regenerative agriculture, soil health, grazing practices, and how they affect the landscape. From not-for-profit Regeneration International: “Regenerative agriculture describes farming and grazing practices that, among other benefits, reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity — resulting in both carbon drawdown and improving the water cycle.” We'll learn about technology and ranching including tools used to help manage herds, grazing schedules, and soil health.
Lunch:
At the lodge.
Afternoon:
We'll meet up with a local horseback riding outfitter who will bring horses to the ranch, and enjoy an hour long horseback ride in Tom Miner Basin.
Dinner:
At the lodge.
Evening:
We will be joined by a guest speaker for a talk on topics related to the program theme. Prepare for early morning field trip.
Day
3
Yellowstone Northern Range Wildlife, Mammoth Hot Springs
Location:
B Bar Ranch
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
B Bar Ranch
Activity Note
Getting on/off a mini-bus; driving about 110 miles round trip, approximately 4 hours riding time plus stops. Walking about 2 miles throughout the day; boardwalks, uneven terrain.
Breakfast:
We will have to-go breakfasts from the ranch.
Morning:
We will set out early from the ranch and ride to Yellowstone’s northern range for more wildlife viewing. While it is only ten percent of Yellowstone’s overall landmass, the northern range is typically abundant with wildlife and one of the most predator rich areas in North America. It is the winter range for one of Yellowstone’s largest elk herds.
Lunch:
At a picnic area in the park, we’ll have sack lunches.
Afternoon:
We will ride up and over Dunraven pass to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The canyon is a showcase of the area’s geologic history. The canyon’s dramatic colors impress, but the 308 foot lower falls are also an incredible site to see. We’ll learn about these wonders during stops with expert commentary.< br> We’ll ride back to the ranch after our field trip.
Dinner:
At the lodge.
Evening:
We'll enjoy an optional night sky program led by a local star gazer. We'll learn about "star stories". We'll learn about the cultural heritages from Greek mythology through various Native Americans and how they used the stars.
Day
4
Yellowstone NP, Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs
Location:
B Bar Ranch
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
B Bar Ranch
Activity Note
Getting on/off a mini-bus; driving about 110 miles round-trip, approximately 5 hours riding time. Walking up to three miles; boardwalks, dirt paths.
Breakfast:
At the lodge.
Morning:
We will set out on a full-day field trip into Yellowstone National Park. Riding south into the heart of Yellowstone, we will see the park’s most famous feature, Old Faithful. The upper geyser basin is home not only to Old Faithful, but also the largest concentration of geysers in the world. As we explore, we’ll learn about the geology and history of this historic and unique area.
Lunch:
At a scenic spot in the park, we’ll have sack lunches.
Afternoon:
Next, we’ll ride to Mammoth Hot Springs for a field trip to view the travertine terraces. Mammoth Hot Springs is one of the most dynamic and ever changing thermal features in all of Yellowstone, with between one and two tons of limestone is deposited daily due to hot water rising through and dissolving the rock.< br> Returning to the ranch late afternoon, we’ll have some time to freshen up and relax before dinner.
Dinner:
At the lodge.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
5
Technology & Ranching, Elective Hiking
Location:
B Bar Ranch
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
B Bar Ranch
Activity Note
Walking up to 5 miles and standing during field trips; dirt and rocky hiking trails. Overlook trail is 4 miles round trip with an elevation gain of roughly 700'
Breakfast:
At the lodge.
Morning:
We'll set out on a walking field trip to explore the ranch and learn about low-stress livestock and its role in a healthy herd. Watch first hand what its like to use a working cattle dog as a key element of the operation. Hear about co-existence when sharing the landscape with all the wildlife that calls the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem home.
Lunch:
At the lodge dining room.
Afternoon:
Hiking on the ranch. Choose the route of your choice: hiking to an overlook that gives grand views of the entire head of the Tom Miner basin, or a shorter route. Those who prefer are welcome to spend time with fellow Road Scholars or just relax on the deck or in cabins.
Dinner:
At the lodge. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
We’ll gather by the beautiful fire pit and pond (weather permitting) to review program highlights and memories of our learning adventure together. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Day
6
Program Concludes
Location:
B Bar Ranch
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Lodge check out 10:00 a.m.
Breakfast:
At the lodge. This concludes our program.
Morning:
If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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MEALS
14 Meals
5 Breakfasts
4 Lunches
5 Dinners
LODGING
Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.
Showing Lodging For:
- Sep 08, 2025 - Sep 13, 2025
- Aug 18, 2025 - Aug 23, 2025
- Sep 08, 2025 - Sep 13, 2025
Participant Reviews
Based on 5 Reviews
Sort By:
Mind Blowing. DO IT!
— Review left September 7, 2023
This trip was very delightful and fun! We learned so much about regenerative ranching and have a new appreciation for those who work hard to provide food for others. Our instructor was very knowledgeable about Yellowstone NP and was a delight to listen to her experiences. She took us to places in the park many people do not regularly access which was a plus. Highly recommend this tour.
— Review left September 5, 2023
Just what I needed to get out of my boring lifestyle.
— Review left September 3, 2023
The B Bar Ranch program combines knowledge of organic, regenerative, and low-stress farming while taking in the natural beauty of its surroundings and Yellowstone National Park. I would recommend this program to all ages.
— Review left September 3, 2023
The BBar Ranch program was outstanding! Trina, the ranch manager, was as lovely as the ranch and the surrounding area were beautiful. The beauty of the area brought me to tears at times. And the wildlife-oh my goodness! One night we saw 16 bears, including two sets of mamas & their cubs in a nearby field! Our leaders-Louie & Andrea-were incredibly approachable, knowledgeable and a joy to be around. They were genuine, thoughtful and passionate about giving us all a wonderful experience. I learned so much about Yellowstone and the surrounding area, regenerative agriculture and living/co-existing with nature. Our Road Scholar and B Bar Ranch experts/leaders/guides shared fascinating stories and information that I will incorporate into my life moving forward. I was fortunate to share this trip with my Mom, sister and daughter and would highly recommend it to others.
— Review left September 3, 2023