THE YELLOWSTONE CREATION ADVENTURES:
August 30-September 3, 2026
What if your family trip to Yellowstone National Park became one of the most meaningful learning experiences your children will ever have? Yes, it really can be that way! And we’ve heard that exact sentiment many times!
This year, our Yellowstone Creation Adventure is going to be at the end of August. This is a great time to be in the park as there are fewer visitors, and the temperatures are close to perfect!
This is our 17th year of doing these tours! And they are a wonderful opportunity for you and your family to be strengthened in your faith as you learn about Yellowstone from a Biblical perspective. We will hit the highlights of our greatest national park, including mud pots, hot springs, geysers, fumaroles and waterfalls. In addition to the thermal features, you will also learn some of the fascinating history of Yellowstone National Park, and see amazing wildlife. The tour will include a drive over the magnificent Beartooth Highway that runs between the park and Red Lodge, Montana.
Included in this package: kids will get their own copy of our Yellowstone Creation Adventure Activity Book (age appropriate, see PreK-2, Grades 3-6, and Grades 6-12) or the High School Yellowstone School and Lab book. And each vehicle will receive a copy of The Geology of Yellowstone by Patrick Nurre.
ITINERARY
Our itinerary can include these various features and locales in the park. (These are subject to unforeseen circumstances, including snow and fires.)
- Norris Geyser Basin
- Old Faithful and Upper Geyser Basin
- Midway Geyser Basin
- Canyon/Falls
- Mammoth Terraces
- Yellowstone Lake
- West Thumb Geyser Basin
- Haydn and Lamar Valleys
- Beartooth Pass
- Earthquake Lake
SCHEDULE
For the Yellowstone Creation Adventures Tour, each day we will meet at a prearranged spot, then begin our tour through the park. Each car will be provided a 2-way radio. We will make frequent stops to observe different features, and do short hikes. All hikes are wheel chair accessible. There is typically time in the mid-afternoon, when you can explore something on your own, or just get some ice cream. Depending on crowds, some evenings we will have optional tours where we can take in features that were harder to see during the day.
DATES
Yellowstone Creation Adventure Tour: August 30-September 3, 4 days and 5 nights. This tour starts in West Yellowstone, Montana on the evening of the August 30th, and ends in Red Lodge, Montana on the evening of September 3rd. If this tour fills up, we will open a second tour.
COST – save $100.00 or MORE!
The Yellowstone Creation Adventure Tours are $850.00 per vehicle/family.* But you can save $100 or MORE on your registration! When you recommend another family that joins us on these tour, and they mention your name, we will give you $100 off your registration! And you you are not limited to just one time – if you have several families that want to join us, then you could get $100 off your registration for each of those! (Discounts only apply as long as tour is not full.)
*Cost for the Yellowstone Creation Adventures is figured per vehicle, with one nuclear family per vehicle. Extended family (i.e. grandparents) may be included in the one vehicle price. If you desire to travel with, for instance, two family units in the same vehicle, then we must charge you for each family. Please call us if you have questions about your particular situation.
Click below to make your deposit!
PRIVATE YELLOWSTONE TOURS
Again, this year we are offering a limited number of private tours for your family or group. These tours are a wonderful way for you to have your questions addressed more fully, as you spend one-on-one time with Patrick. Equipped with a 2-way radio, participants will travel in their own car(s) as we make our way through the park, visiting those features that will make this a memorable treat for all. See what you want to see, with a guide who can explain it all!
ITINERARY
See what you want to see! We will work with you to craft a unique experience just for you and your group! This option is also open to families, schools, church groups, scout groups, etc.
SCHEDULE
The Private Yellowstone Tours will be constructed according to what you would like to focus on, or if there are features that you would like to especially take in. Whether you want just one day or several days, we craft this around what you want to do. But we are always available to make suggestions about locations and features. On a typical tour, we will explore features of the park from a Biblical perspective. You will travel in your own car(s), and have a 2-way radio at your convenience to talk directly with Patrick as we lead you through this wonderland!
DATES
Private Yellowstone Tours are available by appointment. Call for available dates. 206-718-1835 or northwestexpedition@msn.com.
COST
The cost for the Private Yellowstone Tours is based on the length of the tour that you desire.
To schedule your private tour, contact us at 206-718-1835 or northwestexpedition@msn.com.
HOUSING AND FOOD
Housing is on your own, but we can help you to figure that out, whether you want to camp or want a hotel. Likewise, all your meals will be of your choosing. But you should be prepared to have lunches picnic style each day.
VALUE
These tours are an outstanding value, besides having the benefit of building up your faith. And many who have gone with us have made new friends as they share this unrivaled opportunity. Space is limited!
FAQ
They are for all ages! We have taken children in strollers, and grandparents!
We don’t limit the number of people, but we do limit the number of vehicles, as we caravan through the park.
We certainly will be walking, but we will not be doing any strenuous hiking. Walking is done primarily on boardwalks, but also on dirt paths.
We have had people of all abilities go with us on this tour, including people in wheelchairs.
If you are taking part in the Yellowstone Creation Adventures, the answer is yes! We usually end the tour in early-midafternoon each day, so that you can do what you like with the rest of the day. On some occasions, we will continue our tour in the evening with those who would like to see something different at a cooler time of day, and when there are less people in the park. The Yellowstone School and Lab is more intensive, utilizing the whole day. You may want to stay a few extra days after the class ends to take advantage of seeing some of the other features of the park in a more leisurely manner. If you are enjoying the Yellowstone Private Day Tour with us, then we will work with you to craft a unique experience for you as you tour the park.
Yes. There are restaurants, soda fountains, and cafeterias in the park, as well as grocery stores. And gas is available at several locations in the park.
The weather in the park can vary quite a bit simply because of the different areas, from plains to mountains. But generally speaking, it is sunny during this time of the year, with occasional afternoon rain. Temperatures can range from the high 30s to the 80s. And this can all happen in one day! So, it is best to dress in layers.
Food that is left unattended is one of the main reasons that you might see a bear. The park rangers have done a very good job, however, of educating the public about not feeding the bears. (Feeding them was a common practice many years ago.) In addition, strict guidelines are enforced concerning food in campgrounds and around the park, in order to discourage bears from interacting with humans. Because of this, it will be quite unusual for you to see a bear. Of course, if you do, please follow the guidelines from the park about how to stay safe when encountering bears, as well as any wildlife in the park.
Final payments are due June 1. Payment options include credit card or check. Of course, you have the option to pay in full at any time. Please contact us so that we can give you the appropriate link for that.
Yes. Each vehicle will need to pay an entry fee that will be good for the entire tour. And if you have a 4th grader in your car, you may be eligible for a free pass.
This means that we draw on the explanation in Genesis of a global flood to help us to understand how Yellowstone was formed, including all the features that we see: from the thermal features to water falls, land formations, petrified trees, lakes and rivers. And not just these, but it also helps us to understand how the Ice Age started, and the effects of it.
In the event that Northwest Treasures cancels a tour, all payments for the trip will be either refunded or applied to next year’s trip.
If you choose to cancel, your deposit for the tour is non-refundable.
A processing fee of 3.5% applies to all refunds. Cancellations before June 1 will be refunded at 50%, excluding your deposit. Cancellations between June 1 and July 1 will be refunded 25%, excluding your deposit.
Please understand that we have a very limited number of spots on our tours. We do turn down reservations for this very reason. So if you cancel late, we are often not able to fill that spot on the tour. In addition, reservations have already been made for housing, and books have been ordered.
Payment for tours is non-transferable to any other Northwest Treasures product, service, or tour except for future Yellowstone Creation Adventures.
We are now in our 17th year of Yellowstone tours. Patrick’s expertise on the park is founded in his experiences as a youth, having grown up in Montana, with many visits to the park with his family. Since that time, his love for the park and his understanding of its geology has been a driving force in his life.
For questions of more information, please contact us.
What our participants are saying…
- Thank you for this wonderful experience! We can both say that our faith has grown, as we see more and more evidence of God shaping the earth through the Flood. Ben and Katherine ~M
- Thank you both for such a meaningful trip to Yellowstone... My family has thanked me repeatedly for signing up for the trip. If we had shown up to Yellowstone on our own, it would have been so overwhelming as to what to see PLUS it would have been a hollow trip without opening our eyes to "the rocks crying out," the evidence of the Flood. ~KH
- What a wonderful trip! You made Yellowstone such an amazing experience with the truth of the Biblical perspective. ~JP
- This past summer we went to Yellowstone with Patrick and Vicki Nurre. It was one of the best family trips we have been on. Not only did the kids learn about how the earth was created, us adults also learned. I would recommend this trip to everyone! ~Laura Battles, Director, Teach the Children
- The Yellowstone trip was a most memorable trip. We had been to Yellowstone before, but we saw so much more this time. We came away with a far greater appreciation of God's creation and the fingerprints He left all over it. The ultimate home school field trip or family outing! ~CY
- Our families are so thankful for all your efforts in making our "bucket list" adventure happen. Every day we came back to camp talking through what we had seen....I think everyone came home having their personal expectations met. Thank you! This never could have happened on our own. ~DD
- It was the best decision we could have made for seeing Yellowstone in a meaningful way, and it was such a blessing to spend time with like-minded families. Our faith was strengthened seeing and learning about the geological evidence all around Yellowstone that shows the history of creation and how Noah’s flood changed the landscape. ~MV
- Our family of four enjoyed the Yellowstone tours with the Nurres this year. What a phenomenal adventure for our teens at such a reasonable price! We highly recommend it. Our SUV came home loaded with awesome rocks from MT, and we really enjoyed seeing all of the major points of Yellowstone with such an experienced and Godly guide. Patrick and Vicki, you guys “ROCK” (pun intended)! ~Carol G.
- The Yellowstone Tour was a great adventure for us. Such a broadening of our understanding of how the present geologic features we observed, fit so reasonably and logically into the time frame and and brief account of the Biblical Noah’s flood and the aftermath of that. Really fascinating. Thanks for the great trip! ~Elton M.
- On behalf of our family, I can say that the Yellowstone Creation Adventure was amazing and eye-opening for us! We loved having the opportunity for a guided tour that allowed us to see the park's geology from a creationist point of view, as Patrick and Vicki explained the process by which the Great Flood and volcanic activity, as well as the subsequent Ice Age and regional flooding, led to the formation of the specific geologic formations that we visited. This memorable field trip can, in a new way, channel your children's natural curiosity--even about the rocks they pick up outside--toward Biblical truth by giving them a glimpse of the glory of their Creator. ~Kevin E.
- We had such an amazing experience. Thank you for such an incredibly educational tour. Rocks and mountains tell the Biblical story too. ~Esther E.
- Our whole family really enjoyed the Yellowstone Creation Adventure tour. It was the best decision we could have made for seeing Yellowstone in a meaningful way, and it was such a blessing to spend time with like-minded families. Our faith was strengthened seeing and learning about the geological evidence all around Yellowstone that shows the history of creation and how Noah’s flood changed the landscape. Our teenage thanked us all week for taking them on the tour. Thank you both so much for offering such a quality experience we will always remember. ~Andy and Melissa V
- This was an amazing trip! If you get a chance it is worth the time and money! It was educational and soooo much fun!" ~Kate C.
- Your knowledge is astounding! So thankful for all your hard work and leading in this amazing adventure! ~R.
- The Yellowstone adventure was a most memorable trip. We had been to Yellowstone before, but we saw so much more this time. The Nurres knew where to be at what time to get the most popular sites in before the crowds, and then they showed us hidden gems we would not have known to look for. We came away with a far greater appreciation of God's creation and the fingerprints He left all over it. Pat and Vicki were most helpful every step the way, and I hope we get to spend time together again. The ultimate home school field trip or family outing! ~Carolyn Y.
Note
*Tour fee does not include: housing (we can give you some very good suggestions, whether you are camping, staying in cabins, or hotels), food, park entrance fees, or transportation.
Are you looking for a fun way to track your geology experiences, as well as some inspiration for the journey? Then be sure to check out Our Homeschool Geology Guide and Journal! This would make a great companion to your Yellowstone Creation Adventure.
Click on the picture to see a short video about the Yellowstone Creation Adventures!
