Raft with Flying Pig near Yellowstone’s North Entrance
Get on a raft at the northern edge of Yellowstone in Gardiner, Mont., to see the area in a whole new way.
Exploring Yellowstone by car or by foot is an incredible introduction to the park’s geysers and wildlife. But experiencing the area by raft gives you a whole new perspective, plus incredible memories. Flying Pig Adventures offers whitewater and scenic float trips (that avoids the whitewater) that begin on the northern edge of Yellowstone, making it an extraordinarily convenient adventure.
“You’re really putting in at the northern border of the park, so it is a continuation of the Yellowstone experience, except it’s on water,” says Kenny Straus, co-owner of Flying Pig Adventures based in Gardiner, Mont., which sits at the North Entrance to Yellowstone. Rafting guides Straus and Patrick Sipp bought Flying Pig in 2019 from longtime owner Sandy Bierle. In 2020, Flying Pig won TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award.
For whitewater trips, choose between a half-day, full-day or overnight rafting trip. Scenic float trips that avoid whitewater are just a half day and run several times throughout the day. And if you’re interested in doing a trail ride on a horse as well as rafting, sign up for a Paddle & Saddle trip where you trail ride for two hours through the Gallatin National Forest before breaking for lunch and then hopping on a raft for eight miles of whitewater. You can also experience the river by fly fishing with Flying Pig.
Rafting with Flying Pig enables you to be on the Yellowstone River, which flows north from Yellowstone for more than 600 miles before it joins the Missouri. It’s the last major undammed river in the Lower 48. And starting your trip is super easy since the Flying Pig office is located along the river just a half mile downstream from the boundary of the park. All you need to do is take a short walk down the hill from the store to the river.
Because national park travel to Yellowstone and beyond is increasingly popular, book your rafting trip in advance. Walk-ins can be tough to accommodate, especially during peak season. Flying Pig’s cancellation policy refunds you fully if you cancel more than 48 hours in advance and gives you 50 percent back if you cancel between 24-48 hours before your rafting reservation.
For more information:
Flying Pig Adventures
406-848-7510
511 Scott Street West, Gardiner, Mont.
www.flyingpigrafting.com