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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 the passage…

“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–in…

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…

Photo courtesy Montana State University Thermal Biology Institute. When I, Leysa, take my guests on tour I demonstrate how the seemingly little things in Yellowstone contribute to the bigger picture. For example, how small grubs, insects, and ground squirrels can feed some of the park’s biggest carnivores; how removing one apex predator can change an…

While ‘oohing and ahhing’ over the largest land mammal in North America, did you ever notice the small, seemingly ever-present bird perched atop a bison’s back or following closely around its feet? Enter… the “Buffalo Bird” (aka brown-headed cowbird).   Courtest National Park Service Courtesy Neal Herbert/NPS Courtesy Neal Herbert/NPS   While other birds are…

“Oooooh, this might be the one!” I lost track of how many times we had said (or thought) that in the past three days. But this time it really did look like a more substantial minor eruption than any of the previous ones. Alas, the minor eruption (or “minor” for short) fizzled out and we…

The Yellowstone Floods of 2022 served as a stark reminder of the complex relationship between extreme weather events and climate change. As we witnessed—and continue to witness—the impacts of climate change worldwide it has become imperative for all of us as individuals, communities, businesses, and governments to take decisive action to curb greenhouse gas emissions…

Something about sandhill cranes catches our attention in northern Yellowstone. The cranes fly up to 200 miles per day when migrating north to their spring nesting grounds here, announcing their arrival in an insistent and raspy chorus. Their unmistakable calls — made possible by long windpipes that curl into their sternums, adding richness — can…