Our morning with Wolf Tracker was the highlight of our family's trip to Yellowstone. We are strong wildlife advocates and what initially drew us to Wolf Tracker was their commitment to the protection and survival of wolves in the wild. The company's owners are wildlife biologists who have worked extensively to recover wolves from the brink of extinction, and their values and ethics are solid. That's the most important criteria for us in selecting the right guide, and Wolf Tracker stood out far above the other guide services on this basis alone. From the very beginning, the booking process was straightforward and easy. Michael, the general manager, promptly responded to our inquiries and was very helpful and accommodating. We knew right away that we had selected the right company. Fast forward to the day of our tour...our guide Nolan arrived at our hotel early. The vehicle was spacious and clean, and we were so relieved to be riding in a large SUV and not something that screamed "tour bus." Our two boys (ages 7 and 9) had plenty of room in the middle row of seats, and my wife took the back seat all to herself. Everyone was completely comfortable throughout the whole trip. We immediately hit things off with Nolan, our guide. He was really personable, related really well to our kids, and was a wealth of local knowledge. He knew the best places to stop and was a really safe and courteous driver. Each time we stopped, he would set up several spotting scopes so that everyone could look. We didn't find any wildlife for the first couple of hours, but we knew we had to be patient...and it paid off. First, Nolan spots a grizzly bear out of the corner of his eye, far away on a hillside in the Lamar Valley. It looks like a boulder to our untrained eyes, but Nolan pulls over and immediately confirms that this is no boulder. The same scenario repeats throughout the morning, with Nolan spotting more bears, mountain goats, an osprey nest with two chicks, a great gray owl nest with owlets, lots of pronghorn and bison, a cliffside peregrine falcon nest, and sandhill cranes. The highlight was when Nolan tracked a wolf trotting down a brushy hillside. It had to be a couple miles away when he first spotted it; he parked the car, set up the scopes, and we watched for a good twenty minutes as this wolf and two others trotted across the valley. It was a truly magical experience. I've already recommended Wolf Tracker to three of our other friends. We spent a lot of time researching various guides and Wolf Tracker stood out as being the most knowledgeable, the most skilled, the most professional, and most important for us, the most ethical company out there. They are truly concerned for the survival and well-being of wolves in the wild and take an active role in advocating for their protection. The next time we're in Yellowstone, we'll book them in a heartbeat and will continue to actively recommend them to our friends and colleagues. They made our boys' first trip to Yellowstone one that they (and we) will never forget. Thank you, Nolan, Michael, and the Wolf Tracker team, for the wonderful day in the field. We can't wait to come back for more. read more

Yellowstone is a great park, but using Wolf Tracker guide services on our 2nd morning in the Park changed the entire trip. Our guide Taylor, in addition to providing great scopes and delicious snacks, was very knowledgeable about where the hotbeds of wildlife activity were that week in Yellowstone. Of course, we were there for the wolves but saw a whole lot more. Taylor showed us where to go and how to look for wolves. Start your trip as early as the guides suggest because things will quiet down as the sun comes up and the day warms. Bring lots of layers, including gloves, hat, and a rain shell so that the constantly changing weather doesn't impact your wildlife viewing. Taylor was careful to show the wildlife an appropriate amount of respect, not getting too close, and knew how to maneuver her vehicle to find parking at hotspots and avoid the jams. With Taylor, we saw wolves, grizzly, numerous black bears (w/ cubs), eagles, bison, elk, pronghorn, mule deer, mountain goats, and osprey. Taylor was also able to share lots of interesting tidbits about the animals and behavior we were seeing, including the mourning behavior bison showed around a bison carcass. We had a great time with Taylor and Wolf Tracker. It was only my adult sister and I, and we moved at our own pace. Taylor drove us, fed us, helped us with spotting scopes she provided, and found us wildlife activity. We just had to enjoy. Perhaps the best part of using the Guide Service is that once you spend the morning with Wolf Tracker, you can then take the experience they provide you and use that info for the rest of your trip there. Taylor definitely infected us with wolf fever and we spent the next two mornings in the park, up at the crack of dawn, visiting the wolf spots we had been shown, and interacting with other wildlife viewers. The freshish bison carcass Taylor showed us on a Mon AM became the center of a circus by Wed AM. It was amazing. I would recommend Yellowstone Wolf Tracker (and Taylor) to anybody visiting the Park and looking for a wildlife viewing experience. I hope to visit Yellowstone again within the next few years and bring additional family. One of the first things I will do is to reserve Wolf Tracker again so that I can dial back in to where things are happening. Wolf Tracker wont guarantee that you'll see wolves (and other things) but knowing where to be, when to be there, and how to look (through nice optics) certainly improves your chances. read more

Having done our homework before visiting Yellowstone, our party's initial plan was to simply guide ourselves around the Park. As we drove across Montana, we began to have second thoughts. We could find Old Faithful -it's not going anywhere, after all - but what about the animals? It would be an awful shame to travel all the way to Yellowstone and not see any wolves, for example. So, we began to try to find a guide. Alas, we had waited so long that availability was a serious problem. Company after company was booked up and tensions began to rise. As the trip planner, I began to get dark glances from my travel companions. After I explained our situation to YWT's GM Michael, he arranged for Nathan, who is one of the company's owners, to take us out. Whew! I was off the hook! Nathan, it turns out, has a PhD in Biology and did his dissertation on the impact of reintroducing wolves into Yellowstone on the elk population. Not only that, Nathan's father worked for the NPS and Nathan was raised in Yellowstone. As a result, his knowledge of the Park's flora, fauna, and geology is almost encyclopedic. Nathan was uniformly cheerful, pleasant, and energetic. He answered all of our questions gave us great advice about how to prioritize the remainder of our visit after the tour. Oh, and the wildlife? We saw wolves wake up in the morning! Bison, elk, and coyotes together with numerous birds. Nathan answered questions about the animals and also described geological features and helped us understand how they were formed. The only thing that we didn't see was grizzlies but they're hard to spot in early September as they are moving to higher elevations (confirmed through other sources). The experience was more than worth the cost and the early morning. I'd recommend YWT and Nathan as a guide to anyone. Oh, one more thing: I thought I'd left my souvenir hat from Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Nathan's truck. Not only did he go through his truck again in an effort to find it, he called over to a restaurant he'd heard us mention, confirmed that they had it and asked them to hold it for me. Thanks to Nathan and YWT, I got my hat back! In sum, YWT provided a great experience. I'm really pleased to give them my very highest recommendation. read more

I had the incredible opportunity to go on a 2 day private tour with Taylor Bland as my guide from the Yellowstone Wolf Tracker. Despite the 6:30am pickup time she was there 15 minutes early just to ensure she was on-time. Taylor was not only professional but extremely knowledgeable not just of the various wolf packs within Yellowstone, but of the geography of the park as well as other wild life. With her background in Zoology she was able to provide a more educational perspective on the wolves and their introduction to the park. I have read several books related to the wolves of Yellowstone and it was wonderful to be able to get her insight and perspective of the various packs since the introduction in 1995. We were able to see several packs during the course of our tour including the Junction Butte and Wapati Lake packs. Although most of the viewing was through a telescoping lens I had the opportunity to have one of the packs within 500 yards of where we were standing. It was truly one of the most amazing experiences of my life to see these wonderful creatures so close and actively playing together. Taylor is also actively involved in the Yellowstone Wolf Project and participates in an study program to further her knowledge and to study with the biologists in the park.This level of fieldwork and science helps the park better understand the wolf population and territories, their relationships with prey species monitor the health of packs, and identify disease within the pack. I think this definitely gives her and the tour company more credibility with the educational background the guides have. She even indulged me and went on a snow shoe hike to overlook one of the geysers. I have always been to Yellowstone in the summer months and going in the winter was a real treat. There are fewer people visiting in the colder months and it allows you to have a more tranquil experience without the crowds. We did not encounter one person on our snow shoe hike! I would highly recommend the Yellowstone Wolf Tracker if you want to have one of the most knowledgeable and accommodating guides in the park. I plan on making this an annual trip and would definitely use their services again. read more

We (M, F, 65) took Yellowstone Wolftracker tour April 6-11 2025, in a group of 14 outdoor enthusiasts. Everything about the tour exceeded our expectations. Our guides were Michelle and Jamie, both extremely knowledgeable about the park and the wildlife. The vehicles were clean, new, and spacious, their spotting scopes top of the line. The hotel, Absaroka Lodge (included in the package) overlooked the Yellowstone River was a short walk to the Roosevelt Arch and town. The package included breakfast and lunch (in the field) and dinner prepared by Chef Zac Zacs Montana Kitchen. Michelle and Jaimie went above and beyond daily to put us on the wolves, and did they ever deliver!! We saw the Rescue Creek Pack on our 1st full day, and again later in the week. We watched the Junction Butte Pack for 1.5 hours, seeing them go inside 2 dens and experiencing a pack howl! Michelle and Jamie set up breakfast in the field that morning so we didn't miss a minute. Both guides made sure everyones' scopes were set up for maximum viewing. We also watched a black bear in her den, with her 2 cubs playing & tumbling. Since it was early in the season, seeing the bears was an added bonus! Whenever the scopes were set up, Michelle and Jaimie were very gracious when others asked to peek through the scopes. Additionally, all the animal activity was being recorded and will be made available to everyone. Our trip included guest speakers and presentations, most notably Dr. Doug Smith who had dinner with the group 2 evenings, followed by informative presentations about the wolves in Yellowstone, their reintroduction to the park as well as what the future may hold for them. Dr. Smith spent a full day in the field with us, answering questions and sharing his experiences as park biologist for 30 years. We recommend Yellowstone Wolftracker Guides to anyone who wants to fully immerse themselves in Yellowstone Park, the animals who live there and the history of the park. Without Michelle and Jamies vast knowledge of the park and animals, anticipating where to find the wolves especially, we know we would not have experienced Yellowstone so fully. We are planning our next trip! read more

What a find! I stumbled upon Yellowstone Wolf Tracker while planning a trip for my daughter and I to the Park and am so glad that we booked a day with a guide! Michael was informative and extremely helpful in logistics and booking, as well as answering a multitude of questions with infinite patience, including updating us on a night-time road closure that might affect our visit to the Park. The day before our tour, we went into the Park on our own and saw amazing geological formations, landscapes and some wildlife along the roadsides, but our experience was significantly deepened the day we spent with our guide, Lianna. We had our hearts set on seeing wolves in the wild. Wolves are some of the most reclusive creatures; Yellowstone is vast; and we were well prepared that, even with a professional guide, a sighting was not guaranteed. Not knowing what the day would bring, we met Lianna at the break of dawn, and what unfolded was a day of wonder and amazement! Our guide was a pleasure to be with, a considerate and generous person. She was dedicated and flexible in helping us achieve our goal of seeing wolves, and we did! She knew just where and how to spot them, and shared her knowledge about the wolves and the ongoing research projects, including stories of individual animals from over the years. We went on to see many species of wildlife with our guide, and learned more about their behavior and biology than we could have in visiting Yellowstone on our own (without some serious studying). In fact, the day with our guide enhanced and deepened our appreciation of Yellowstone and our wildlife watching over the remaining days we were in the Park. It was a bonus that we were well supplied with delicious breakfast and snacks! The entire experience was personalized and flexible to our particular interests and needs. I highly recommend booking a tour in Yellowstone with Wolf Tracker! read more

Another fantastic trip out with Yellowstone Wolf Tacker. This was our second time with them, the first was couple years ago. When we decided to stop by Yellowstone on our way home from Glacier, we knew another day watching wolves was a must. Our group of 6 included our family of 4, with 2 boys under 13, and the grandparents. Our guide, Lianna, picked us up right on time and whisked us out to the Lamar Valley in a very nice van. She had several pairs of binoculars for us waiting. Lianna was excellent, walking us through the plans for the day, telling our boys non-stop facts and stories on Yellowstone & the wolves. Our first stop was to see the Junction Butte pack, she quickly setup spotting scopes for us, the boys saw a grizzly and a few wolves, but the wolves quickly went out of sight. She then loaded us back in the van and took us to the Hayden Valley. There she got us on the Wapiti pack, which had pups. We watch these wolves for well over an hour. The entire time Lianna was talking to us and our boys, helping us track them in the scopes, and ensuring that we had optimal viewing. Her passion and love for the wolves showed, as one wolf was cutoff from the pack by the road and was howling and pacing. She showed great concern for the wolf and explained why he wouldn't cross the road. For lunch, Lianna picked a great spot on the Yellowstone River and had a nice spread of food for us. Even while we were eating, she setup a scope and tried to find some wildlife. Our boys had what seemed like a million questions for Lianna about wolves, bears, and almost everything else Yellowstone. She answered them all and the boys ate up the information. I'd highly recommend booking a tour with the Yellowstone Wolf Trackers. It has made our trip to Yellowstone twice now. If you have kids interested in wolves, bears, or any wildlife in Yellowstone, this tour is a must. read more

My family and I weren't entirely sure what to expect when we booked a several hour tour to track wolves in the frigid temps of Montana in December. We knew it would be an experience, but our tour with The Wild Side turned out to be one of the most memorable and perhaps favorite travel experience for everyone in our diverse group. Not only was the tour absolutely delightful on every level (and yes, we began before it was light out and the temperatures hovered around 0 degrees with a toddler and a 6 year old in tow - and it was still nothing less than delightful), but it made a deep impression on all of us. Our guide was Nathan, who grew up in the Park and brought his academic knowledge to our wolf tracking and a sense of the Park's community. We so enjoyed spending time with him, and he went above and beyond to make every aspect of our day engaging, educational, comfortable, and fun. From a delicious lunch, to hand warmers and hot chocolate, to finding inventive ways to help little ones look through the telescope and see the animal life in detail - we couldn't have had a lovelier guide. We absolutely saw wolves! - and elk, bison, coyotes, bald eagles, bighorn sheep and mountain goats! It is impossible to put into words the feeling of seeing these animals in their native habitats in the stunning setting of Yellowstone, but it was unforgettable to say the least. Of our week skiing Big Sky and touring Yellowstone, our day in the Lamar Valley was the favorite of all 8 of us. Do not miss this and do not miss the chance to tour with this company. read more

The Best way to Experience Yellowstone At the last minute, our family realized that for us to really see wildlife we had to do it with a guide. We were fortunate to get an opening with Yellowstone Wolf Tracker with help from Michael. His correspondence is so happy - we hope to meet him in person sometime. But the best part of our tour was to share the day with Jamie. Aside from not seeing a wolf, we did see most of the parks critters. We were staying at Old Faithful and a 5:00 am departure got us to the Canyon Visitor Center by 6:00 am. Quickly off to the Hayden Valley we got a long distance view of a grizzly. It was necessary to use their good quality spotting scopes to get "close". Then up over Mt Washburn to Lamar Vally. Along the way a "cinnamon" black bear, bison, antelope, golden and bald eagles, elk, mountain goats and more. Jamie was enthusiastic and knowledgeable and worked well with our three generation group of five in their comfortable van. A tasty and wonderfully secluded lunch along Soda Butte Creek near the NE Entrance was a highlight. And we got into the middle of a "Rosie" jam and her three cubs at the Tower junction that was a treat. We had a top notch trip with a great guide. Very highly recommended. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g45184-d2311623-r602824603-Yellowstone_Wolf_Tracker-Gardiner_Montana.html# read more

Before booking the Yellowstone Wolf Tracker tour, I had noted that it got almost exclusively five star reviews. Now that we've taken the tour I understand why! Michael was a fantastic guide who had a great connection with me, my wife, and my daughter, who has a large interest in wolves! He is a biologist with a lot of additional experience and we had some great conversations between stops. We spent our time in the beautiful northern part of Yellowstone, between Mammoth and Tower Junction, and the Lamar Valley. We saw so many bison, a coyote, a beautiful Prairie Falcon at sunrise, and were able to see around 5-10 of the Junction Butte back on a pullout in the Lamar Valley - a bucket list for my daughter! Another kudos to the group: We have a member in our group that has a food allergy. They made sure that, when preparing our food items which are included in the tour, to have plenty of items without that allergen! We appreciated that! They offer a variety of tours (we did a six hour tour starting before sunrise), and they are a significant investment, but I want to say that they are worth every penny! They even picked us up right at our hotel in Gardiner! We look forward to our next tour someday with Yellowstone Wolf Tracker and wholeheartedly recommend this group! read more

I most highly recommend wolf tracker!! My wife and i signed up for a 1 day guided adventure with the hopes of seeing wolves in mid-September (we were told our changes were 50/50 that time of year). Leo, our wonderful guide picked us up at our hotel in Gardiner at 0530 and we drove for about an hour into the park to Lamar Valley where we spend 3+ hours watching a wolf pack from afar using high powered spotting scopes provided by Leo. We saw the pack interact with a grizzly, bison and pronghorns plus a wolf that appeared from another pack. We then relocated to another spot to view mountain goats, and there Leo set up a table of food and drinks - an amazing variety and far more then we could eat. We then took a short hike up a stream to see beaver dams, and throughout the day we saw numerous bison, pronghorn and a few elk. Leo had a setup to take video and pictures with his cell phone through the scopes and he tool multiple pictures and videos which he shared with us. He was extremely knowledgeable about the park and animals, and knew each wolf by name, including their lineage and history. The day was well worth the money and far exceeded our expectations! We are already discussing a return trip next winter. read more

Our morning with Leo observing the wildlife of Yellowstone was an incredible, informative experience. It was, by far, the highlight of our two week trip through Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. We asked Leo a broad range of questions during nearly the entire tour. His knowledge of the park, its history, geography, and the plants and animals was incredible. It didn't hurt that we saw 11 grizzlies on a bison carcass first thing in the morning, but it was, ultimately, the education that we received that was invaluable to us. I lived near Yellowstone for years and have made over 10 visits to the park. Our morning with Leo, though, provided a much more in-depth and enjoyable experience than we could have imagined. In addition to seeing grizzlies, black bears, and wolves, Leo educated us on other wildlife we saw, including bison, pronghorns, bald eagles, and peregrine falcons, among others. In addition, Leo was incredibly knowledgeable about the plants in the region, as well. The food, preparation, tour, etc. was all top-notch. We have been on safaris in Africa and this guided trip was on par with them. We definitely recommend it to others who want a fun, informative experience in Yellowstone. read more

I booked this tour a long time ago. First they were really helpful before booking (especially because I'm french and I was afraid since I'm not fluent in american). I got answers for all my questions and really appreciate it. At 5am, Leo the guide pick me up at my cabin and it was the beginning of an awesome tour! He asked me which animals I'd like to watch and adapted the program according to what I said. We saw a lot of wildlife (fox, bears, grizzlis, eagles, marmots, pronghorns and of course bisons!!). No wolves this day but I knew it was a possibility and I accepted that. I learnt so many things about the park, about wildlife. Leo is definitely a fantastic guide and it was very easy to talk with him even if my american is far from perfect. I could not dreaming of a better guide and better moment. We didn't use anything to track the wolves, and for me it's way more fun than just having GPS to find them. I only can recommand to anyone to book a tour with Yellowstone wolf tracker, you won't be disappointed! I'm already planning my next trip, in winter and will definitely book 3 days for wolf watching with them! read more

Leo picked us up on time and with coffee, tea and hot chocolate ready for any takers. We headed out, stopping regularly along the way to scan the hillsides for wildlife. Leo was in communication with other wolf trackers all day, alerting us to a sighting that we were able to take advantage of. Knowing that seeing wolves was my main priority, Leo took us there directly and set up multiple spotting scopes for me and my family. It was very special to see a wolf in the wild and to learn about her story. We spent the rest of the day checking wildlife off our list including coyote, moose, elk, deer, bison, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, eagles, and river otters. Leo provided snacks and a delicious spread at lunch, which he set up nicely in an area where we could continue to watch the wildlife. The meal offered something for everyone, including healthy options and sweet treats. Leo also sent photos and videos from our day to me via email after we returned home. Leo is a true professional and I recommend this trip. Of course, wildlife viewing is never a guarantee, but if its out there, I trust Leo to spot it. read more

Wish we could give more stars to Wolf tracker and our guide Brandon. Well worth every penny spent, wish we had booked him sooner in our trip, so we could've spent more days with him! Our adult "pack of 7" started @ 5:30 AM on July 3, 2018, excited and ready for whatever the day had in store. It was a very chilly morning, glad Wolf tracker had recommended gloves and hats, AND Brandon provided hot coffee/tea and delicious muffins! We spotted lots of grizzlies ( a coy with mom, a yearling cub with another mom, PLUS a huge boar), black bear, pronghorn, bison, elk, and a coyote den with pups. No one was seeing wolves that day, but Brandon also found mountain goats with kids,a red tail hawk with young, an osprey feeding her chicks and a golden eagle tending her nest! He was super efficient setting up the scopes, providing direction, and incredibly patient helping us to see the animals. His knowledge of animal behavior and passion for preserving habitat is infectious, well appreciated by this group! Wolf tracker is an outstanding organization to work with, we heartily recommend them! read more

If you want to see and learn about wolves in Yellowstone, this is the group you want. We were picked up exactly on time and were driven in a clean and comfortable vehicle for the morning viewing. A wonderful breakfast was also provided. We were able to see a pack of five animals and watched and followed the three cubs in the pack as they moved and played together. Quite a sight. We were also able to watch two females as they moved through the park and even watched as one of them apparently hunted some small game. It was also a thrill to hear the wolves howl--it makes your hair stand on end. Brandon was a terrific guide; very enthusiastic, very knowledgeable, and eager to transmit what he knew to us. He not only conveyed to us information about the wolf packs, how they survived and changed over the seasons and years, but also information about the geology and ecology of Yellowstone Park. If you or your children are interested at all in our wonderful natural areas, I would strongly recommend this group and hope that you would be lucky enough to get Brandon as your guide. read more

My husband and I stayed at the Canyon Lodge within Yellowstone, and Wolftrackers picked us up promptly at 6 a.m. Leo, our guide, was friendly and fun to be with from the get-go. After stopping at a scenic spot so I could take some sunrise photos (photography is my thing), we moved on into the Hayden Valley. Within the first hour, we spotted, as Leo described her, the alpha female of the Wapiti pack! She was white and beautiful and less than 400 feet away. It was thrilling, and was the first time I've seen a wolf in the wild. Along our journey Leo also pointed out a bald eagle in a tree, two 2-month-old osprey in a nest, and a pronghorn. There were 3 more wolves spotted later in the day, and although they were very far away, they were viewable in Leo's spotting scopes. Leo gave us tons of information along the way about the animals and about the park itself. During a break, he brought out a lovely breakfast spread with lots of fun choices. The six hours went by quickly, and I highly recommend hiring Wolftrackers for at least a day. It's worth every penny. read more

Put Yellowstone on your bucket list, and make sure Leo guides you. A friend in Montana kindly arranged this trip, and I'm so glad she did. Yellowstone quickly exhausts superlatives - it's some of the most stunning, dramatic and varied scenery we've ever seen. And with Leo as our guide, we saw a lot of it, with more wildlife thrown in than we could have imagined. From the moment he picked us up from our hotel in Gardiner at 6:00am, Leo was the perfect host - entertaining, engaged, thoughtful and hugely knowledgeable about the park and the animals. No, we didn't see any wolves (though judging from the walkie-talkie chatter, neither did any other groups that day). But we did see a grizzly, bison a-plenty, elk, pronghorns, a coyote, bald and golden eagles...the list goes on. Regular coffee and loo breaks kept us warm and comfortable, and our breakfast picnic was nothing short of sumptuous. Leo did a great job, and I'd recommend his services to anyone seeking a Yellowstone tour that goes the extra mile. read more

What an EPIC trip! Friends and family converged on Yellowstone for an adventure and Wolf Tracker got us off on the right foot. With Nolan as our guide, we hit the Lamar Valley in the early morning and we were not disappointed! As others have stated - grizzly, elk, deer, prong horn, bison black bear, owls, Osprey, eagle, red-tailed hawk, big horned sheep, coyote, and YES, the ever-elusive black wolf! And, because it's Springtime, there were babies to boot! It was amazing! Nolan did an awesome job of telling us about his experiences in the park, about recent movement of animals, park history and about other activities we should consider for the rest of our stay. The van was comfortable, we each had our own set of binoculars and at every stop, Nolan brought out at least 3 sets of spotting scopes for us to use. The rest of our trip was amazing too. Based on some of Nolan's tips, we hit each of the highlights of the park that were on our list and so overall, it was truly an EPIC trip! read more