Yellowstone Wild

11/09/2024

Good morning wild world! So thankful for the open spaces and wild faces here at the north entrance to at

10/22/2024

It’s been an incredible summer, and all of us at Yellowstone Wild want to give a massive shoutout to our amazing guests!

Thank you for bringing your curiosity, wonder, and passion for adventure to Yellowstone with us. From majestic wildlife encounters (a grizzly bear sow with FIVE cubs 😳!) to jaw-dropping landscapes and geothermal wonder (a hydrothermal explosion at Biscuit Basin? WOW!), this summer was one for the books!

🎥Whether this was your first visit, an annual pilgrimage, or a trip you’re still hoping to make come true, we invite you to enjoy this highlight reel from some of our guides “best of” summer 2024 footage 🎥.

Do you recognize any of the clips? What engaged your curiosity? Are there any moments that will stay with you forever? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

We invite you to join us for another—or first!—adventure with Yellowstone Wild as we gear up for an epic winter season. You can learn more by clicking this link:

https://www.yellowstonewildtours.com/

Thank you for being a part of the Yellowstone—and Yellowstone Wild—story. We can’t wait to see what genuinely wild adventures await us in the coming seasons, and we look forward to sharing them with you!

Video footage provided by YW Naturslist Guides Emil M, Matt D, Laura L, Rob H, Aleksa B, Leysa K, Erik B, and

09/30/2024

As Yellowstone’s magnificent autumn marches inevitably towards the enchanting but extreme season of snow and cold, Yellowstone Wild is here to help make your winter adventure enjoyable, safe, and rewarding.

“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing,” wrote British author Alfred Wainwright. And with that in mind, YW Naturalist Guide Aleksa B and General Manager Tyrene R, have created the ultimate guide to building the perfect winter wardrobe.

Click the link below to read our newest blog, “The Art of Layering: How To Dress For A Yellowstone Winter Adventure.”

https://www.yellowstonewildtours.com/2024/09/29/the-art-of-layering-how-to-dress-for-a-yellowstone-winter-adventure/

This exhaustive list provides winter visitors a comprehensive overview of everything needed to enjoy watching wolves, viewing hot springs, or snowshoeing in the world's first national park, including links to learn more about—and purchase or rent—the appropriate clothing and accessories for maximum comfort in the challenging winter environment.

We can’t wait to Engage Your Curiosity this winter!

Photos courtway of YW Naturalists Matt D, Laura L, and Emil M.

09/17/2024

Calling all lady photographers!!

Over the last few winters, Yellowstone Wild has been extremely proud to partner with the incredible founder & owner of Women In Wildlife Photography, Sarah Devlin to deliver exemplary photographic workshops designed to bring your dream shots to reality!

For this upcoming 2025 winter season, our team is once again providing guiding services and logistical support for her in-depth 9-Day all-inclusive “Women In Wonderland - Yellowstone 2025” photography workshop.

There are still 2 spots available for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and they won’t last long! To learn more about Sarah Devlin and Women In Wildlife Photography as well details about the 2025 Workshop dates, inclusions, and itinerary, click the link below:

Women only photography tour to Yellowstone National Park. A winter wildlife adventure with fellow women photographers.

09/12/2024

Junction Butte yearling wolf picks up an order to go!

Photo by YW Naturalist Matt D

09/10/2024

As a vital part of the Yellowstone Wild Mission and a core value we uphold, 'Keep Learning' is more than just a phrase. It's a commitment. When lead Naturalist Matt D proposed a day in August dedicated to delving deeper into Yellowstone's captivating thermal features, the owners and staff eagerly embraced the opportunity by closing up shop and heading into the field for a mid-season day of ongoing training and professional development!

On August 14, 2024, the entire YW staff ventured south from Gardiner, MT., at first light—focusing on increasing knowledge and interpretative techniques surrounding some less-visited geologic features in and between the Upper and Lower Geyser basins.

The day's theme—established early and reinforced throughout the trip by YW Lead Naturalists Matt D and Laura L (our in-house geyser experts!) was "thermal features’ natural cycles are on full display when you know how to read the signs." With the mindset of 'learn how to think like a thermal feature', the day was sure to be a curiosity grabber!

And was it ever. Throughout the day, we made stops to immerse ourselves in the complexities of dozens of features that summer visitors rarely see. Lessons were in-depth and multi-sensory and included opportunities to learn the secrets of Grand Geyser—“Waves on Grand! We’ve got waves on Grand!”—Daisy Geyser, Black Sand Pool (the "Thumper"), Artemisia, Botryoidal, Great Fountain Geyser, Firehole Spring, White Dome Geyser, Firehole Lake, and so much more.

By day's end, our spirits were filled with renewed passion for the wonders of Yellowstone's mesmerizing geologic landscape and an abundance of excitement to share our enhanced knowledge with visitors.

Just a couple of days after our field trip, lead naturalist and photographer Rob Harwood wasted no time putting his newly acquired knowledge into practice for the benefit of his guests. By designing a geyser tour around the estimated eruption time of one of the park's most thrilling geysers—Great Fountain—Rob dipped into his ever-growing “toolbox of tips and tricks” to create the perfect experience for his clients.

You can read more about his day—and enjoy some of the insights shared and learned during our professional development day—by checking out Rob’s delightful summation of his guests’ adventures in our newest blog, “Slow Down and Smell The Sulphur.”

https://www.yellowstonewildtours.com/2024/09/09/slow-down-and-smell-the-sulphur/

Photos courtesy of Moon Man Wildlife Photography, Tyrene R, and Erik B.

09/05/2024

SOUND ON 🔉for this one! The bison rut is still lingering here in the early days of September as evidenced in this captivating footage captured by YW owner Emil M.

The chill of fall has arrived and is on full display in this fog-enshrined display of bellowing bulls. These males are taking full advantage of a few final breeding opportunities by relentlessly pursuing fertile females during the early morning sunrise hours of a Private Wildlife Photography tour.

Check out our recently posted blog “Grand Cycle of Life: Bison & Elk Rut” by clicking the link below.

https://www.yellowstonewildtours.com/2024/09/03/grand-cycle-of-life-the-bison-elk-rut/

Footage captured from a roadside pullout within the safety of a touring vehicle.

09/05/2024

“I knew Yellowstone was big, but I didn’t realize how small it would make me feel,” announced an awestruck Bob Smith as he reflected on an incredible day exploring the wonders of Yellowstone with YW Owner/Naturalist Emil McCain.

We couldn’t agree more! One of the most captivating aspects of sharing Yellowstone with visitors is the perspective it offers. It’s a challenge to convey the park’s sheer enormity and the humbling effect it has on individuals until they experience it firsthand.

Despite Yellowstone’s overwhelming size and complexity, Yellowstone Wild is dedicated to bringing the grandeur of this wild place into perspective for everyone—whether they visit in person or not. One way we achieve this is through our staff blogs and trip reports. This venue allows our team to share their passion and knowledge on a wide range of topics, from geysers to backpacking to the power of optics to the fascinating world of bugs. As with all aspects of Yellowstone, there’s something for all ages and interests to enjoy!

Click the link below explore our “Blogs & Trip Reports” webpage and immerse yourself in the team’s adventures. New blog offerings include: “Grand Cycle of Life: The Bison & Elk Rut,” “The Power of Optics,”’RUN!’ Biscuit Basin and Hydrothermal Explosions”, “American Badgers: Where They Are & How To Find Them,” and coming soon, “Slow Down and Smell The Sulphur”.

And if a visit to Yellowstone is possible, Yellowstone Wild would love to help your group discover the vastness of the world’s first National Park more closely as you become a small but meaningful part of its incredible story.

https://www.yellowstonewildtours.com/blog/

Photos courtesy of Emil M & Tyrene R

08/30/2024

Things are “looking up” for guests enjoying our recent wildlife tours.
In this endearing video, captured by YW Lead Naturalist Laura L while on tour last week, a young black bear searches for food in the tops of a conifer tree in Yellowstone National Park.

As Yellowstone transitions from summer to fall, all black and grizzly bears are experiencing a change in feeding habits involving an abnormally increased appetite for food. This is referred to scientifically as “hyperphagia” but is perhaps more familiar to some as the “munchies”.

Bears in hyperphagia can be found actively snacking for up to 20+ hours a day ingesting as many as 20,000 calories daily (a phenomenon also commonly observed in teenagers 😉). Even better than the steady diet of fat and protein, comes the enviable endgame of: “get-as-fat-as-possible-before-sleeping-for-up-to-five-months-without-interruption-which-sounds-amazing-sign-me-up.” Who wants to be a bear right now?

While bears are opportunistic generalist eaters—seemingly living by the sage words of wisdom “we’ll try anything once”—there are definitely some natural foods that provide a much higher fat, protein, and caloric reward than others. This young bear has found such a food source—offering maximum flab potential with minimal effort—and is wasting no time gobbling up the goods.

So just what is this bear (and hundreds of black and grizzly bears all over high-elevation areas in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem) so enthusiastically enjoying? You tell us! Leave your guesses in the comments and we’ll follow up with the answer and other fun facts about hyperphagia.

And if you love bears as much as we do, consider joining us for a day of wildlife watching this fall to watch and learn about these, and other, incredible animals!

https://www.yellowstonewildtours.com/summer/wildlife-watching/

08/05/2024

Winter is coming.

And with it - magic: a landscape blanketed softly in snow, magnificent in its solitude, and filled at times with the heart-wrenching song of pure wilderness —the haunting howl of a wild wolf.

The Yellowstone Wild team invites you to join us for a day or several to share in the story of triumph, adversity, and the struggle to survive nature's greatest predator—the icy grip of winter—as it unfolds before your eyes.

Video by YW Naturalist Erik B. using footage from YW staff Emil M, Tyrene R, Rob Harwood, Matt D, Laura L, and Kyle Dudgeon. Additional footage courtesy of Devon Pradhuman



https://www.yellowstonewildtours.com/winter/

08/01/2024

Things are heating up out there! What a treat for YW Naturalist guide Aleksa B and her clients on tour today in the Lamar Valley. These bison bulls are in their prime and willing to fight for the opportunity to pass on their genes. Bulls generally don’t try to kill their competition—usually, one defeated male will slink away with nothing more than a bruised ego (and possibly a headache)—although occasionally, death does occur. When it does it’s a massive win for Yellowstone’s wolves, grizzly and black bears, and scavengers who waste no time in their clean-up efforts. Nothing goes to waste in the park, where natural ecological processes can play out uninterrupted by human hands. Join us for a day of wildlife viewing as the bison rut continues through August, and the elk rut begins in September! Click the link below to learn more. Video capture at a safe distance by YW Naturalist Aleksa B.

07/23/2024

“Our jobs are so easy today…”whispers YW Naturalist Leysa K. to the YW general manager, as she airdrops 20+ minutes of her guests’ wildlife viewing dreams coming true!

Here’s a snippet of Leysa’s incredible footage of members of the Junction Butte wolf pack, led by their matriarch 907F—the oldest known wolf in Yellowstone at 11—as they feed on a recently deceased bison.

Video footage captured by YW Naturalist Leysa K.

Filmed from respectful distance using a phone/scope adapter.

07/22/2024

Have you ever seen a smiling moose?

We’re pretty sure it’s smiling because it just read the comprehensive and entertaining blog post “Yellowstone or Bust” by our recent guests on a wildlife tour, .

Or, it could be smiling because the cool water felt fantastic on a hot summer day….😉!

Either way, we invite you to share in this retelling of the amazing day these clients had with on Yellowstone’s Northern Range!

“Kyle Moon took us on a ride!
We drove into the North Entrance and headed towards our destination just as it was getting light. And wouldn’t ya know just a couple miles in, we immediately saw a Cinnamon Bear (Black Bear)! None of us were prepared with our cameras so the shots came out as clear as a foggy day on a stormy beach. Not bad right out of the gate Kyle! As we we drove along the windy roads, you couldn’t help being in awe of the the sun just starting to come up to hit some of the mountain peaks. Then another couple miles in, we came upon three Moose including a mother and her calf who slowly passed over right in front of us! Two checked off the list already Kyle! Maybe we should have requested the Wolverine?”

For the full blog, click the “Islands to Highlands: Yellowstone Or Bust”link below. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

https://www.islandstohighlands.com/post/yellowstone-or-bust

Photo courtesy of YW Lead Naturalist Guide Matt D

07/19/2024

One of our favorite things to introduce to our guests on tour is the fascinating world of symbiosis playing out in real time among the animals sharing the Yellowstone landscape.

In her new blog, YW Naturalist Leysa K. explores some of the many ways ravens and wolves work together at a shared food source (carcass) for the benefit of both species.

Click the link below to read Leysa’s “More Than Meets the Eye: Ravens & Wolves.”

https://www.yellowstonewildtours.com/2024/07/17/more-than-meets-the-eye-ravens-wolves/

Photos courtesy of YW Photo/Naturalist Guides Moon Man Wildlife Photography & Rob Wild

07/13/2024

Incredible find by YW Photographer/Naturalist guide Moon Man Wildlife Photography while on tour with his guests today! Calliope hummingbirds are the smallest bird native to North America—weighing about as much as a ping-pong ball. NOT an easy species to find! We suspect Kyle and his clients will be reliving this rare peek into the lives of these teeny-tiny summer residents for a long time to come 😊.

This nest, lined with soft plant material and camouflaged with Douglas fir bark , moss, and lichen, is tiny—measuring less than 2” across and 1” deep with the interior cup roughly the size of a thimble. That’s a cozy abode for a family of three - although it appears the little ones may be getting ready to venture out on their own.

We never know what unexpected treasures Yellowstone may share with our guests on one of our private tours and we’d love to spend a day with you finding out!

https://www.yellowstonewildtours.com/