COVID-19 Update

Our summer tours are postponed until further notice due to the Covid-19 Virus

Yellowstone Expeditions has posponed all summer tours until further notice. We know that this is the responsible path forward to continue to help slow the spread of the disease. Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks are beginning to open for the summer season. Currently all Entrances to Yellowstone are open. Facilities within the Park are limited. The NPS will notify the public when they resume full operations and provide updates on their website and social media channels. We will also update this page on our website when the situation changes. We recommend checking the NPS update page at www.nps.gov/coronavirus for information and updates. Here is the NPS news release detailing which facilities are open within the Park and when others will open (Download Press Release) .

We are planning on operating for our Winter Season

Our winter snowcoach and yurt camp tours are scheduled to begin December 20th, 2020. These are unprecedented times with the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The health and safety of our guests and employees are our top priorities. We have been closely monitoring the guidance and recommendations of public health agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) as well as federal, state, and local governments. We are working in partnership with the NPS Office of Public Health, the NPS Business Management Office to develop procedures and protocols that will enable us to open for the winter season. However, given the fluid situation, our current plans, dates, and service levels are subject to change based on the situations and circumstances that develop in the future.

Guidelines

We will be reducing the number of guests at the Yurt Camp to follow social distancing recommendations. We have increased the number of hand washing stations in the yurts and restrooms for proper hygiene and have added multiple hand sanitizer dispensers. We will be disinfecting all common facilities at a higher frequency with the use of an electrostatic sprayer. We are working on developing a health monitoring system for our staff and guests. We have changed our refund policy to allow refunds for anyone who has been exposed to the virus or may be ill. We will post actions and proposed guidelines on this page as we develop COVID-19 mitigation and control procedures in partnership with the NPS.

Illness Prevention

The best way to prevent infection from COVID-19 and any respiratory virus is to avoid being exposed to the virus. Many of the same preventative measures that are recommended during cold and flu season will also help to protect against the coronavirus:

• Wear a mask when outside your home
• Wash your hands thoroughly and often for at least 20 seconds using soap and water
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Cover your cough/sneeze with a tissue (or your elbow)
• Stay home if you are sick
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces

• Monitor your health and practice social distancing. Social distancing means staying out of crowded places, avoiding group gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others when possible.
• If you get sick with a fever (100.4 F / 38 C or higher), cough, or have trouble breathing:
  • Seek medical advice. Call ahead before going to a doctor's office or emergency room.
  • Tell your doctor about your recent travel and your symptoms.
  • Avoid contact with others.
• Do not travel while sick.

• All tour passengers are required to wear a CDC-compliant face covering when in common areas and the snowcoaches.
• All tour passengers will receive temperature checks prior to snowcoach boarding (temperature must be below 100.4 F).
• Specific seats will be assigned in each snowcoach in order to maintain appropriate distancing between different passengers/social bubbles.
• Passengers will remain seated throughout the ride and must enter and exit in an orderly fashion to facilitate distancing and proper seating.
• Driver and passengers are not allowed to eat or drink while in the vehicle.

Hand Washing

One of the most important defense measures appears to be proper hand washing. The CDC recommends a minimum of 20 seconds of handwashing should be done often during the day or after touching any surface. Twenty seconds is approximately the time that it takes to sing "Happy Birthday." If you're like us, you are about tired of "Happy Birthday" 15 times a day. Here are a few other options if that is the case:

The chorus to these songs lasts about twenty seconds. Pick one but know when to fold on that one and pick a new one....

Kenny Rogers: The Gambler You've got to know when to hold 'em Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away And know when to run You never count your money When you're sittin' at the table There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done
Belinda Carlisle: Heaven Is a Place on Earth Ooh, baby, do you know what that's worth? Ooh, heaven is a place on earth They say in heaven love comes first We'll make heaven a place on earth Ooh, heaven is a place on earth
Dolly Parton: Jolene Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene I'm begging of you please don't take my man Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene Please don't take him just because you can Another option for this song is Dolly's God Daughter Miley Cyrus: The Backyard Sessions
Toto: Africa It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do I bless the rains down in Africa Gonna take some time to do the things we never had (ooh, ooh)
Kathy Mattea: Eighteen Wheels And A Dozen Roses Eighteen wheels and a dozen roses Ten more miles on his four-day run A few more songs from the all-night radio Then he'll spend the rest of his life with the one that he loves
The Bangles: Manic Monday It's just another manic Monday I wish it was Sunday 'Cause that's my fun day My I don't have to run day It's just another manic Monday

Yellowstone Expeditions (COVID-19 Update)