#Nature

In the heart of Yellowstone National Park’s Northern Range, a dense population of hoofed animals thrives, basking in the bounty of vegetative diversity. Among the eight ungulate species found in the park—mountain goat, elk, mule and white-tailed deer, moose, bison, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn—the pronghorn emerges as a superstar of evolution, adaptation, and endurance.  Photo…

This winter an incredible event unfolded here on the Northern Range of Yellowstone National Park. In late January a wildlife guide was watching a lone mountain goat high on a cliff band above the Lamar Valley. The goat stomped repeatedly while looking intently at the rock wall in front of it, or at least that…

The howl of a wild wolf cuts right through to the soul. It is a haunting and beautiful sound, full of ancient wisdom, yearning, passion, and sorrow. I have heard that call many times, usually from a great enough distance that there is a few-second lag between seeing the howl in our spotting scopes and…

Photo Courtesy Al DeNoise Yellowstone National Park is a winter wonderland with its pristine, snow-covered landscapes and abundant wildlife. Among the park’s most fascinating creatures are the weasels, which seem to perform their own magical transformation as they turn the color of their fur and hair coats, called pelage, from a sleek, chestnut brown to…

The grizzly bear, (Ursus arctos horribilis), has become an icon of Yellowstone National Park and of the wilderness in general. For a large portion of Yellowstone visitors, a grizzly bear sighting ranks right up toward the top of the bucket list, alongside witnessing such famous attractions as Old Faithful Geyser, the Grand Canyon of the…

It’s 6am in Lamar Valley. I wonder what we will see. You’re probably asking why there are already 100 vehicles lining the roadsides near the Lamar Buffalo Ranch, and whether the hundreds of visitors pointing spotting scopes out into the distance are seeing something. As it usually turns out, those people are watching–looking for or…

And just like that, our summery, late-August days recede, and Yellowstone’s natural calendar tells us autumn is fast approaching. Willows, cottonwoods, and aspen trees crisp yellow at their leafy edges with this shift at high elevations our first intimation of the change of seasons. Grasses and wildflowers wave brown, white headed, and weather beaten, testifying…

Photo courtesy of Yellowstone Wild Guide Evan Watts / Watts Wildlife Photography. Sparse clouds caught the orange glow of the rising sun as we drove east. It was a cool, damp morning in mid-July, and as we made our way into the Lamar Valley, the sun rose just enough to reveal the gentle, rolling slopes…

“Any glimpse into the life of an animal quickens our own and makes it so much the larger and better in every way,” John Muir. As a naturalist guide in Yellowstone, one of the lessons I try to impart upon my guests is the best way to view baby wildlife in Yellowstone ethically and responsibly…

One day in early to mid-July you might find yourself driving through Yellowstone National Park taking in the amazing scenery all around you. You turn a corner and the beauty of one of the many creeks, streams, and rivers in the park reveals itself. Suddenly, that beauty is interrupted by what looks like a flock…