We’ll start our journey together in Jackson, WY on the evening of Sunday, August 23 with a pre-trip orientation session and meet-and-greet at 6pm local time. We’ll do some introductions, have a safety briefing from our wilderness guide Dave, hand out gear/food bags, and provide an overall snapshot of the backpacking route. This is a perfect time to express any last second questions and concerns.

We have a partner hotel in Jackson that will give discounted rates for our group members, and they will also store baggage for the week while we’re in the woods (you can also leave your car in their overflow parking lot if you are traveling to Jackson by car).

Our journey to reconnect with the wild nature (inner and outer) begins as we head into the Southern boundary of Yellowstone and to the South Boundary Trailhead. Right out of the trailhead we will encounter our first adventure when we ford the Snake River! After crossing the river, we will venture through the Snake River Valley looking out for Elk, Grizzly Bear, Wolf and Osprey. Our first day on the trail will end at our campsite sitting right along the Snake River.

We’ll start the spiritual part of our journey by working with the element of EARTH - grounding in and finding our sense of security and stability even as we plunge into the unknown. We’ll explore our own unique sense of soul nourishment, and how we each feel most connected to the natural world around us.

After rinsing the day off in the “Snake,” we’ll share a meal and hot tea as we listen for wolves and coyote howl. The day ends with you drifting to sleep while listening to the frogs along the river.

Day Mileage: 5.6 miles

Our first full day in the Yellowstone backcountry begins with a hot breakfast and coffee/tea before we pack up camp and strap the packs on once again to continue further away from the front country! We leave the Snake River and start our hike through the Basin Creek Valley to make our way to Heart Lake. Deer, Osprey, Eagles and Cranes are found in the Basin Creek Valley open areas. Deer and Bear populate the more wooded areas we pass through as we get closer to the lake.

Our afternoon session connects us with the element of WATER. After our longest day of hiking, we’ll sit privately on the shore of Heart Lake, offering up whatever emotions, thoughts, memories, and burdens have become too heavy for us to carry alone. In this grief ritual, we commune with the Earth and with the Water, honoring that nature’s capacity to hold and transmute is far greater than our own.

The day will end at our lakeside campsite for the night where we’ll share another hot meal prepared by our guide. Hot tea is best enjoyed down on the lake shore as the sun sets and the Loons start come out. With the sundown it is time to get off to bed in the cool Yellowstone night.

Day Mileage: 8.3 miles

The mist and the early morning sun is a perfect complement to the morning caffeine and hot breakfast before we once again break camp and strap on the big packs and continue around Heart Lake. Do not worry! After our longer second day, today we have a short day with the heavy packs on before an afternoon reward. Our morning hike will be along the north shore of the lake with beautiful views, and with the opportunity to spot Moose, Deer, Eagles and Marmot.

After picking our sleeping spots and setting up camp, we will then have a short afternoon hike (with just our light day packs on!) to take us to Witch Creek inside the Witch Creek Hot Springs area. Bring your bathing suit because we will wash off two and a half days of backpacking - and any lingering energetic residue from all of that emotional processing - in the warm waters of Witch Creek.

Spiritually, we’ll be connecting with the element of FIRE today. There is no such thing as coincidence in my book, and the name of Witch Creek feels especially aligned to help us release stagnant energy, from this lifetime or past lives, and reclaim our inner wisdom, power, and vital life force that we have been persecuted and ostracized for having in the past.

After our ‘spa day’ in the middle of Yellowstone’s natural hot springs, we will head back to our campsite for some down time before our nightly hot meal and hot tea before bed.

Day Mileage: 2 backpage miles; 3.5 miles afternoon hike with just day packs

Take an extra moment by the fire this morning as you sip your coffee/tea because it is day-hiking day and you do not have to pack up camp! After hot breakfast and caffeine, we will pack our day packs for the day and begin our hike up 1,000-foot Mt. Sheridan. We will gain almost 3,000 feet as we climb the mountain, taking in the views back down to Heart Lake. Deer and Marmot can be seen on the climb to the top of the summit. Lunch and pictures will be the order of the day as we enjoy the spectacular views of Heart Lake and back to the Snake River Valley.

Today we work with the sacred element of AIR - remembering how to listen and commune with the more-than-human world bustling all around us. At the summit of the mountain, we’ll participate in a special Council of All Beings ceremony, led by Chelsea, where we step aside from our human identities and speak on behalf of another life-form. This sacred ceremony allows us the space to listen and give voice to the more-than-human world, while deepening our awareness of our interconnectedness with all beings.

After enjoying all the big views of Yellowstone we can, our descent will have us back at camp in time for a late afternoon nap/chill time before our nightly gathering for dinner and tea by the Lake.

Day Mileage: 6 miles

Savor the last morning of lakeside coffee/tea and hot breakfast prepared by somebody else! We still have plenty to see on the way out as we work our way through Witch Creek Hot Springs and enjoy views of some famous Yellowstone geysers. The climb out of Witch Creek will seem easy since you have your trail legs and your reward will be a final few miles through a cool shaded forest where Deer and Moose call home.

On our last day together, we work with the fifth element of SPIRIT. This is the intangible element that animates everyone and everything and makes each creature and being uniquely distinct. We’ll wrap up our journey coming to a deeper understanding of who we are at our core essence, and how this innate spirit within is deeply connected to and affected by every other spirit it comes into contact with in the web of life.

We will arrive back at the front country Heart Lake Trailhead, where we’ll have transportation back to Jackson.

Day Mileage: 7.5 miles