Yellowstone River Rafting | Family-Friendly Trips at the North Entrance
Montana Whitewater’s Yellowstone River Adventures – 30+ Years Serving Yellowstone Visitors
Yellowstone River Rafting: Where Wildlife Meets Whitewater
Experience the magic of rafting just minutes from Yellowstone National Park’s North Entrance. Montana Whitewater’s Yellowstone River trips combine family-friendly whitewater, spectacular scenery, and incredible wildlife viewing opportunities—all guided by experts who’ve been serving Yellowstone visitors for over 30 years.
Why the Yellowstone River is Perfect for Families
The Yellowstone River is Montana’s longest free-flowing river, and the section we raft offers the ideal introduction to whitewater for families and first-timers. With Class II-III rapids that provide plenty of splashes and thrills without being overwhelming, it’s the perfect balance of adventure and accessibility.
What makes Yellowstone River rafting special:
- Family-Friendly Rapids: Rolling waves and splash zones that kids (ages 6+) and adults alike love
- Wildlife Paradise: Regular sightings of bald eagles, river otters, elk, and occasionally bison near the riverbanks
- Yellowstone Proximity: Our Gardiner office is located right at the North Entrance—just minutes from Mammoth Hot Springs
- Scenic Beauty: Wide-open vistas of the Absaroka Mountains and Paradise Valley
- Expert Local Guides: 30+ years of experience on this section of the Yellowstone
- 4.9/5 Stars: Over 3,116 TripAdvisor reviews praising our Yellowstone trips
Select Your Yellowstone Whitewater Adventure
Why Families Choose Montana Whitewater for Yellowstone Rafting
Convenient Timing
Our trips range from 2.5 to 6+ hours (door-to-door), making it easy to fit rafting into your Yellowstone adventure without sacrificing a full day of park exploration. Many families raft in the morning and still have the afternoon for Old Faithful, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, or Mammoth Hot Springs.
Wildlife Viewing Like Nowhere Else
While you can see wildlife in Yellowstone from your car, there’s something magical about floating quietly past a bald eagle’s nest or watching a river otter play in the current. Our guides know where wildlife tends to gather along the river and will position your raft for the best viewing opportunities.
Fun for All Ages
With children as young as 6 years old welcome on our trips (depending on water levels), Yellowstone River rafting is accessible for multi-generational groups. Grandparents, parents, and kids can all enjoy the adventure together.
What to Expect on Your Yellowstone River Trip
Trip Flow:
- Meet at our riverfront Gardiner office (you can see rapids from our yard!)
- Get fitted for complimentary wetsuits and river shoes
- Receive safety briefing and paddling instructions from expert guides
- Shuttle to the put-in (short drive upriver)
- Raft through Class II-III rapids, calm sections, and wildlife viewing areas
- Return to our office—usually within 10 minutes of taking off the river
- View and purchase your trip photos
- Grab complimentary snacks and share your adventure stories!
What’s Included:
- Expert guide service
- All rafting equipment (raft, paddles, life jackets)
- Complimentary wetsuit and river shoe rental
- Safety gear
- Riverside lunch (full-day trips only)
- Dry bags for small personal items
- Professional trip photos available for purchase
We run half day trips (about 3 hours) and full day trips (about 6+ hours). These “door to door” times include shuttle to and from the river back to our office. Our full-day Yellowstone rafting trips include lunch.
Rapids vary in size depending on water levels. The section of the Yellowstone River that you’ll be rafting on will typically have Class II and Class III rapids.
The Yellowstone white water rafting trip is great for children ages 6 and up. Families love our Yellowstone Rafting trips!
May – September. May can be beautiful, but it can be cold. With snowmelt increasing and water levels rising, rapids tend to be bigger. September weather can be amazing, but water levels are lower.
Yellowstone rafting trip depart from our Gardiner office, which is right outside the North Entrance to Yellowstone National Park and minutes from Mammoth Hot Springs! Our office is located on Main Street (Scott Street) on a riverfront property within walking distance from lodging and campgrounds in central Gardiner.
Bring a bathing suit to wear under a wetsuit. As the summer progresses, you will find that shorts, t-shirts, and water sandals are suitable for your raft trip. You can read more about what to wear on your rafting trip here.
To make changes or cancellations to your booking, you need to contact us. Customers will receive a full refund with 48+ hours notice of cancellation from the trip time. Customers will also receive a full refund in case of operator cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
Any cancellations made within the 24-48 hours before your trip are subject to 50% penalty charges.
No-shows and cancellations made within 24 hours of the trip will be charged 100%.
