There is nowhere in North America as iconic as Yellowstone National Park. Towering mountains, spewing geysers, vast forests and valleys harboring the highest megafauna density on the continent make this a must-visit destination for anyone wanting to experience the classic American West. But the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, as it is known by locals and researchers, is much more than what is found within the National Park’s borders, despite its enormous size. The ecosystem includes huge, pristine prairies, alpine crags and meadows, near-arid desert, and the most diverse and lovely scenery one could hope for.

For birders, a visit to the Yellowstone region means Longspurs parachuting over Mountain Plover chicks, Western Tanagers at the same feeders as Red Crossbills, Black Rosy Finches foraging at the feet of Mountain Goats, Brown-headed Cowbirds on the back of the original bovine of the continent – the Bison. Yellowstone means time spent observing wolves and bears foraging, hunting, in their natural habitats, otters and Barrow’s Goldeneye frolicking in the Lamar River, and some of the most spectacular geothermal sites on Earth.  Any visit to Yellowstone is memorable and unique, but there is so much more to be seen and enjoyed than most visitors could conceive.

Day 1.  Arrive Bozeman, transfer to Hotel in Livingston. 
Day 2.  Prairie Birding all AM, return via Cottonwood Reservoir and Shields Valley. Overnight Gardiner.
Day 3.  Paradise Valley Birding AM, PM birding and wildlife in Yellowstone National Park. Overnight Gardiner.
Day 4.  All day wildlife and birds in Yellowstone National Park. Overnight Cooke City. 
Day 5.  All day wildlife and birds in Lamar Valley. Overnight Cooke City. 
Day 6.  Beartooth Pass to Red Lodge. Overnight Red Lodge. 
Day 7.  West Rosebud and Bridger Creek en route to Bozeman. End Tour in Bozeman.

Day 1 - Arrival Day.

Guests will arrive to the quaint Bozeman Airport where they will be met by YellowstoneWild staff for transport to their accommodations in Livingston. The group will convene for introductions and a nice meal, as well as discuss the upcoming adventure. 

Day 2 - Bridger Range, Shields Valley, and Paradise Valley. 

The day will begin at Battle Ridge campground, high in the mountains, where we will look for Three-toed Woodpecker, Williamson's Sapsucker, Pine Grosbeak and other montane birds. This site is one of the few semi-reliable spots for Great Gray Owl outside of Yellowstone National Park, and both Saw-Whet Owl and Northern Goshawk are frequently seen here, though all of these require a bit of luck. Depending on recent sightings, we might skip Battle Ridge and head directly towards Cottonwood Reservoir in the Shields Valley. The ecological diversity in the Shields River Valley is impressive, and worth a full morning! We will no doubt encounter our first Sandhill Cranes, Golden Eagles, Trumpeter Swans, Mountain Bluebirds, and Pronghorn of the tour here, but we will first focus on the Sage habitats looking for Sage Thrasher and Brewer's Sparrow. We will also make brief stops for Marsh Wren, Virginia Rail (sometime responsive, not always), and always have our eyes open for Gray Partridge. Cottonwood Reservoir is an amazing place! We will spend time here enjoying the displays of Eared and Western Grebes, huge American White Pelicans, as well as an exceptional array of breeding waterfowl including Barrow's Goldeneye, before heading South to Livingston for lunch. The early afternoon will be spent at a nice local riparian area on the Yellowstone, and visiting a spectacular feeder setup for breeding birds like Calliope and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches, Evening Grosbeak, Black-headed Grosbeak, Lazuli Bunting, Red Crossbill, Cassin's Finch, Northern Waterthrush, Western Tanager and Bullock's Oriole. We will finish the day with a stop up Tom Miner Basin, where we might get our first views of Moose or Grizzly Bears! 

Days 3, 4 & 5 - Yellowstone National Park. 

These days will be devoted to exploring and enjoying Yellowstone National Park to the fullest. We will visit a few of the famed geothermal sites during the slower parts of the day, but focus primetime viewing hours on what the park is best known for: charismatic megafauna. While there will plenty of great birds to search for, including Harlequin Duck, Common and Barrow's Goldenye, Dusky Grouse, Williamson's Sapsucker, Three-toed Woodpecker, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Northern Saw-Whet Owl, Great Gray Owl (rare), Pine Grosbeak, Audubon's and MacGillivray's Warblers, Ovenbird, and American Dipper, we will spend much of our time soaking up the scenery and observing the behaviors of the amazing wildlife here. We will dedicate a fair amount of time to locating and observing the famous Wolves of Yellowstone, hoping to come across a carcass, or perhaps even a pack hunting. Every year there are wolf dens staked out, so with luck we should see some pups, too! Bears are, of course, the other big predators of Yellowstone. On our route we should have several good opportunities to watch both Black and Grizzly Bears foraging, often with cubs in tow. Other exciting predatory species we often encounter include Coyote, Red Fox, River Otter, and Badger, while Mink and Ermine are less commonly seen though possible. Those are just the predators...the multitude of Yellowstone visitors are content simply watching the massive herds of Bison that thrive in the park. We will be at the right time of year to see the youngsters at their cutest and the herds will often be strolling right down the road creating the all too common "Bison Jam". It's an incredible experience to have a huge bull Bison stroll past within inches of the vehicles! Majestic Elk are also a common sight in the park. Depending on the time of year (Aug-Oct) the Bison rut and Elk rut offer some unique experiences ranging from the classic Elk bugling in the crisp morning air, to bull Bison in flat-out combat for dominance. Always exciting to watch these huge creatures! Photographic opportunities will be countless, so bring plenty of memory cards. And while this description of our time in Yellowstone is relatively brief, the steam and colors of Mammoth Falls, incredible sight of Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and stretching views down the Lamar Valley are but a few of the peaceful yet inspiring things we will experience, aside from the wildlife and birds. 

Day 6 - The Beartooth Pass, Hellroaring Canyon, and Red Lodge. 

Today will be one of the most dramatic and exciting days of the tour. By most testimonials, in fact, the drive from Cooke City to Red Lodge is one of the most dramatic and breath-taking days of the visitor's entire life. Starting near Cooke City in search of Wilson's Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Lincoln's, White-crowned, and Fox Sparrows, we begin in the beautiful high montane forest dominated by Englemann's Spruce and Subalpine Fir trees, with a high likelihood of encountering Moose. Shortly after breakfast, we will begin the ascent towards Beartooth Lake, Beartooth Plateau, and ultimately over the second-highest paved road in North America: Beartooth Pass. Climbing through beautiful meadows, dense stands of Subalpine Fir and White Pine, we will make our way across the most spectacular scenery in the lower 48. Fields covered in dozens of species of flowers, Mountain Bluebirds, Clark's Nutcrakers, Canada Jays, and finally we will pass above treeline, leaving the wind-swept, stunted firs (limbs growing from just one side of the trunk known as the "krummholz" effect) behind, with endless views of peaks, steep glaciated valleys, rock walls, and rolling alpine grasslands before us. It truly is something to behold! At these elevations (nearly 11,000 feet) there is understandably little diversity. The conditions here in any month can be erratic and harsh, and we will undoubtedly be standing in snow at times, even in Mid-Summer. But the lifeforms that have adapted to the difficult climate here are all the more impressive for it. Enter the Mountain Goat. While, by now, we have surely seen our fair share of Bighorn Sheep which are duly impressive, Mountain Goats are their own level of hardiness. Balancing on tiny ledges and effortlessly jumping and pelting themselves through rockfalls and across cliff faces, the Mountain Goats of Beartooth Pass are some of the most beloved by locals. Approachable, relatively docile, and seemingly unperturbed by almost everything around them (save a Grizzly or Wolverine) the two herds of Mountain Goat that frequent the Pass are a highlight of any visit to the region. That's just the goats! Don't get us started on how cute American Pika and Yellow-bellied Marmot are. The birds here are certainly special, too. At this elevation and habitat, there are two principal species to be sought. One is the American Pipit. While relatively drab in color, and not uncommon in Winter, to see the males hovering high above flower-covered meadows skylarking, singing endlessly in flight, is a spectacle that paints them in a different light. Black Rosy-Finch is the other. With a breeding population restricted to the highest elevations of just six mountain ranges, this is one of the most desired birds for enthusiasts and "hardcore" birders alike. The fact that they breed behind rocks on vertical cliffs that must be mostly snow-covered as a requisite is, alone, an incredible behavior the species has evolved! We will end the day in the adorable mountain town of Red Lodge, which has to be one of the nicest and most exemplary "mountain towns" of the region. The Hotel Pollard is centrally located on Main Street, and we will arrive in time for folks to take a stroll through town before convening for a fine dining experience. 

Day 7 - Prairies, Woodpeckers, and a fond farewell. 

We will set out fairly early, though not necessarily as early as previous days, for our final day's sights and sounds. We will make our way directly out of the mountains North into the prairie country that dominates Central and Eastern Montana. Focusing out time near Harlowton, the first thing most visitors notice on the prairie is the sounds: Sparrows, Longspurs, and Pipits dominate the scene! Special sights of the day will include parachuting McCown's and Chestnut-collared Longspurs by the dozens. Sprague's Pipits will grace the sky, singing loudly as they hang suspended midair to broadcast for a mate. Ferruginous Hawks and Golden Eagles will be cruising the fields in search of Ground-Squirrels and Cottontail, while Long-billed Curlew and, with luck, Mountain Plovers will make themselves known as they defend nesting territories. Both Grasshopper and Baird's Sparrows are thankfully common here, and often sit up to sing, sometimes very closeby. We will spend a bit of time talking about this very special, disappearing habitat, as these native grasslands are considered the most imperiled ecosystem on the continent. It will be a treat to enjoy the scarce and localized birds that call it home. After enjoying our time in the prairies, en route back to Bozeman we will make a special side trip into an old burn. Burns are very important events in the mountain west, and they allow for certain species to survive in areas they otherwise would not. This especially applies to cavity nesters. Before calling it quits, we will spend a bit of time at a special site in search of the stunning Lewis's and Red-headed Woodpeckers! This particular site is about the easternmost for Lewis's, and the westernmost for Red-headed. The fact that they occur side by side is astonishing. Other species here include Ponderosa specialists like Plumbeous Vireo and Pygmy Nuthatch, while the gorgeous Lazuli Bunting is common. It will provide an interest, colorful, final day to our sweeping tour of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem." 

This tour is perfectly designed to see the rarest and most desirable species for birders, at a pace anyone would enjoy. There will plenty of time for bird and wildlife photography, as well as downtime and wonderful options for cultural and shopping alternate activities, should any guests request an afternoon off.

Gardiner - www.wonderlandcafeandlodge.com, Cooke City - www.yellowstonelodges.com, Red Lodge - www.thepollardhotel.com

We’ll begin the day around 4:45am, as the sun rises early in Montana. We’ll have a light field breakfast at our first destination, after coffee and snacks in the accommodations before departure. Birding and Wildlife observation is great throughout the day, though we will plan to have a two-hour break, after lunch, during the heat of the day when activity is lowest. We will head back out again around 15:00 or 15:30, continuing to seek out the specialty birds and wildlife experiences we desire, until dusk. Owling is optional, and will be available on two of the six nights of the tour.

Great driving conditions and easy through some of the best scenery on the continent.

Hot Spring soaking, flyfishing, hiking, shopping, horseback riding, rafting.

Please note: these prices are subject to foreign exchange fluctuations.

Prices include water, non-alcoholic drinks associated with meals, all meals starting dinner on the Arrival day in Bozeman (MT) - ending Lunch on Final Day of services, all guides services, administrative costs, all transport costs, National Park entrance fees, and accommodations. The quoted prices do not include beverages other than water outside of mealtimes, alcoholic beverages of any kind, or consumptive charges incurred at accommodations outside of room charge.