Yellowstone Guidelines
Yellowstone Guidelines
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About
Yellowstone Guidelines offers personalized tours and private adventures in Yellowstone National Park. YG specializes in wildlife tours that focus on bears and wolves in the Lamar Valley. Other services included guided day hikes, geology and sightseeing trips, and overnight backcountry excursions. All trips are custom and designed for all ages and skill levels. Come see Yellowstone with us!!!
Livingston, Montana
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Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
516 reviews
Excellent
502
Very good
9
Average
2
Poor
1
Terrible
3
jon c
Southington, CT2 contributions
Jun 2021
Our trip to Yellowstone in 2021 was an once in a lifetime trip that we had planned for over a year. The hopes of seeing wildlife was certainly high on the list. That said, my wife and I are not skilled "wildlife spotters" - we don't even have binoculars. Knowing this and knowing that there are certain times (think car repairs, electrical work, etc.) when you need a professional, I went about my research and found Yellowstone Guidelines. Well, let me tell you, we hit the jackpot with Phil our guide.
Phil was super friendly and super knowledgeable about all things Yellowstone - wildlife, history, geography, etc. He started by accommodating our slightly delayed start time so we could grab breakfast. He was able to then take us on a fantastic wildlife adventure where we saw a grizzly mom and her two cubs, a black bear right outside our car, mountain goats, wolves and pups and many other awesome sightings. All throughout the day, he answered all our countless questions, found a grab picnic spot for lunch and when I asked about the Indian history of Yellowstone, wouldn't you know it, he was able to show us an arrowhead!!!
Here is where the reason for getting a guide comes in. Had my wife and I been on our own to explore, we would have been among the many people who were pulled off the side to road looking into the fields/cliffs/etc. not knowing what we were looking for or even where to look. Being a once in a lifetime experience, you really want to have a guide help you scope out the wildlife otherwise you are quite likely to miss it. Yes, there is a cost involved but this is one of those times when you truly get your money's worth and then some. I would highly recommend Phil and Yellowstone Guidelines to anyone looking to fulfil their Yellowstone dreams.
Phil was super friendly and super knowledgeable about all things Yellowstone - wildlife, history, geography, etc. He started by accommodating our slightly delayed start time so we could grab breakfast. He was able to then take us on a fantastic wildlife adventure where we saw a grizzly mom and her two cubs, a black bear right outside our car, mountain goats, wolves and pups and many other awesome sightings. All throughout the day, he answered all our countless questions, found a grab picnic spot for lunch and when I asked about the Indian history of Yellowstone, wouldn't you know it, he was able to show us an arrowhead!!!
Here is where the reason for getting a guide comes in. Had my wife and I been on our own to explore, we would have been among the many people who were pulled off the side to road looking into the fields/cliffs/etc. not knowing what we were looking for or even where to look. Being a once in a lifetime experience, you really want to have a guide help you scope out the wildlife otherwise you are quite likely to miss it. Yes, there is a cost involved but this is one of those times when you truly get your money's worth and then some. I would highly recommend Phil and Yellowstone Guidelines to anyone looking to fulfil their Yellowstone dreams.
Written July 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I'm so glad you enjoyed your guided tour! We agree, going with a professional guide is the way to go! Phil does an amazing job. Thank you for the review and I hope you had a great rest of your vacation.
Written July 18, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tom K
2 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
We booked a Lamar Valley wildlife tour with Chris as our guide. This was our last of 4 days in the park and it turned out to be the highlight of our trip. He picked us up in Mammoth at 6am and we were out for 7 hours and saw bears, mountain goats, wolves and more! It was amazing how he spotted bears from the road that were several hundred yards away. His knowledge of the wildlife habits and patterns and where all the best spots were to set up the scopes made for an incredible experience. On top of that, he was great with our kids (10 and 9) and kept all of us engaged the whole 7 hours with cool facts about the wildlife, park and ecosystem. But wait, that’s not all…he also provided a picnic lunch at a great spot near a scenic overlook that we walked to and got great family pics. If we had drove through Lamar on our own, it would have been disappointing because we wouldn’t have known where to look nor had the right kind of scopes to get the full experience. Lastly, the price was very reasonable compared to other tour companies I researched, and it turned out to worth every penny. Highly recommend!
Written July 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I'm glad you enjoyed your day! Always nice to have such a positive review. Thank you!
Written July 18, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lauren S
1 contribution
Jun 2021
My husband and I went on a day hike in Yellowstone, and it was an amazing experience! Gabe is extremely knowledgeable on every aspect of the park's history, animals, and plant life and was able to answer any questions we had. He was able to stop and point out an array of different animals that we would have definitely missed on our own. We even got the chance to see three pronghorn chasing each other through one of the fields. We were able to give our input on the level of difficulty and location of the hike. I would highly recommend using the company and request Gabe if you're looking for an adventure that gets you into the backcountry of Yellowstone!
Written June 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John R
New Buffalo, MI16 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
We did the geyser / geology tour, a great tour starting at Norris Geyser Basin followed by the Lower Geyser Basin, Firehole Lake Drive and Grand Prismatic Spring. Our private tour guide was Elizabeth who was extremely knowledgeable about Yellowstone geology educating us on the vast array of geothermals including geysers, mud pots and hot springs. Our group included four adults and three children ages 12, 11 & 9. Elizabeth kept us all engaged and interested as we toured, balancing her knowledge with our abilities to comprehend / understand the complexities. I definitely recommend Yellowstone Guide Lines and will use then again.
Written June 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
George S
San Jose, CA18 contributions
Jun 2021
We held a family reunion for the first time in a year and a half in Yellowstone Park and needed a guide to help us locate and see the wildlife. Our guide Phil was spectacular in knowing where each species of wild animal was located and in finding them. Although it's unusual, we witnessed two wolves chasing down an elk.
The family, especially the grandkids really enjoyed the day in Lamar Valley. Phil was kind, patient and very pleasant in addition to being an expert. I highly recommend him and Yellowstone Guidelines.
The family, especially the grandkids really enjoyed the day in Lamar Valley. Phil was kind, patient and very pleasant in addition to being an expert. I highly recommend him and Yellowstone Guidelines.
Written June 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
melissava2
Arlington, VA55 contributions
Jun 2020 • Family
Took the full day wildlife tour in Yellowstone with Frank last week. He was waiting for us when we arrived (6 am!) and was ready to roll immediately. He made my husband, me, and our two kids (14 and 11) feel comfortable immediately. He is a WEALTH of knowledge about Yellowstone - not just animals but geology and history as well. He has scopes and binoculars that make seeing animals very easy. We learned a TON. We saw 10+ bears and a wolf as well as a badger, mountain goats and more. Lunch was excellent homemade turkey sandwiches, cut veggies and hummus and fruit at a picnic area on the most serene stream in the park. It was amazing. We all came away with such a great feeling about the entire day. Worth every penny!!
Written June 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yana G
Merrick, NY23 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
I contacted Chris a few weeks before our trip and asked if he had availability. I was not aware that he would not be our guide. We discussed a custom 8 hour tour and when asked if we wanted to see wildlife I did say “of course”. Two days before our tour I was told that Frank would be our guide. We were told to meet him at 630am - we got there at 625 and he got there at 635 with a beat up white van. He did not have a plan to fill up 8 hours of the day and he did end the tour after 6 hours stating “there’s nothing else left to do”. I would tell anyone considering booking this company, to save their money. My husband spotted more wildlife than the guide and staying in our SUV would have been far more comfortable. Frank felt like it was ok to burp at lunch and not say excuse me. He also didn’t separate his food from ours and didn’t have serving utensils. I wouldn’t normally care as much but with the current climate, maybe don’t share lunch or at least provide serving utensils. For $600 we expected a high end experience and it seemed like little to no thought was put into this tour. I did reach out directly to Chris to avoid writing this review but he chose not to respond - also unprofessional. We spend our second day in the park on our own - we saw more, it was a better planned day and we spotted plenty of wildlife. This tour should not have even have cost 1/2 of what we paid. Chris should care more about the quality of the guides he hires and the types of vehicles he is putting people in.
Written August 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for the review.
I am not sure where to start when replying to the this review. Your statements are false and grossly exaggerated.
I am sorry if you thought I was going to be the guide. Not trying to mislead anyone. I have several qualified guides who take trips for me. Frank is highly reviewed often.
My 2012 Chevy Passenger Van is hardly beat up. The vehicle is clean and well maintained. No one has EVER complained about my vehicles. Plenty of room. I personally cleaned and sanitized the vehicle before your trip.
You seem to complain about the price and harp on the $600. Did you do any research? The price is fair for a private tour in Yellowstone. In fact, we are cheaper than many of our competitors offering the same service.
You complain about the itinerary being short and not structured. Not true! We discussed the itinerary before the trip and agreed on a wildlife tour in the Lamar Valley. The itinerary and timing for wildlife tours is not set in stone and is constantly evolving. Wildlife is wildlife and you never know when and where they are going to show up. Yellowstone is not a zoo. In fact, Frank drove you to a location to look at wolves feeding on a bison carcass. Your family was able to use their own scope to have an incredible wildlife experience. The day only lasted 6 hours because your family did want to hike or even go on short walks, and when wildlife was present, you didn’t want to stop and enjoy. What else is he supposed to do? Frank even went above and beyond by taking you to the Roosevelt Arch to learn about the storied history of Yellowstone.
What wildlife did your husband locate? Are you referring to the one mountain goat? Yes, your husband spotted one animal before Frank. Did your husband know to look in this location? No, Frank drove you to the spot. Without his park expertise, would you know to go here? Where and how to look? Sometimes clients see the wildlife before the guides. Yes, it happens. Remember, our guides are DRIVING the vehicle and keeping you safe.
Your complaint about lunch is simply not true. Yellowstone Guidelines is very concerned about the safety of our staff and clients with COVID. Frank used hand sanitizer before lunch and passed around the table for you too. He did not touch your food! He handled the container that the food was in, carefully portioned his meal out first, and allowed your family to help themselves.
I did respond to your initial email complaining about the tour. I asked for details to hopefully remedy your unhappiness. You replied and made complaints. A day had passed, and you posted this mean review. To be honest, I thought you had stated your complaints. You did not ask for my feed back, and I thought an additional reply would be unwarranted. I am extremely busy guiding and responding to prospective clients. Our customer service is outstanding and get back to people in a timely manner.
To readers of this review…Frank is an awesome guide, a great person, and former Interpretive Ranger in Yellowstone. Just scroll through our Trip Advisor page and you will read plenty of articles about his passion, professionalism, and knowledge of Yellowstone. Any guide company would be happy to have him on their staff.
Written September 3, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jim M
2 contributions
May 2021 • Couples
My wife & I did a 3 day Yellowstone National Park guided tour. We would highly recommend the company & Gabe (our tour guide)! Gabe made significant effort in personalizing the 3 days. It was a truly amazing trip! Chris, the owner, prior to the trip communicated all pertinent information in a timely manner. I have some very restrictive dietary requirements. Chris worked to accommodate those needs with food provided each day for lunch.
If you want personalized tours for Yellowstone, you won’t be disappointed in Yellowstone Guidelines. Their knowledge of the geology, the park history, & the animals (& where to see them) is amazing!
If you want personalized tours for Yellowstone, you won’t be disappointed in Yellowstone Guidelines. Their knowledge of the geology, the park history, & the animals (& where to see them) is amazing!
Written June 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gohogs441994
Marianna, AR4 contributions
Sep 2020
This was an amazing day starting with sunrise! Elizabeth was wonderful. She has a keen eye for spotting wildlife. We saw wolves early morning, pronghorn, mountain goats, bison with a fairly new baby that was still red and elk. Our highlight of the day was a bull moose we saw off in the trees, she led us on a wild “moose” chase through the trees. This big boy is what we found. Credits for the photo go to Elizabeth. She was wonderful!
Written September 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jim B
Richmond, CA243 contributions
May 2021 • Couples
After After spending two 11 hour days with Ken Davis, Abby and I can only say, he was fabulous! And, I mean that in every sense of the word. Abby and I have traveled to over 50 countries together and we’ve had many great adventures and fond memories of guides we’ve hired in destinations far more exotic than Yellowstone.
But, Ken tops them all. He’s more than a knowledgeable, competent, guide who really knows Yellowstone and everything it has to offer. Ken is an, intelligent, kind, caring human being who’s absolutely a pleasure to be around. You can be certain that if any of our friends are planning a Rocky Mountain vacation which includes Yellowstone, we’ll recommend Yellowstone Guidelines Tours to them and have ask for Ken Davis as their guide. He deserves a 5 star rating!
Thank you for assigning Ken as our guide.
But, Ken tops them all. He’s more than a knowledgeable, competent, guide who really knows Yellowstone and everything it has to offer. Ken is an, intelligent, kind, caring human being who’s absolutely a pleasure to be around. You can be certain that if any of our friends are planning a Rocky Mountain vacation which includes Yellowstone, we’ll recommend Yellowstone Guidelines Tours to them and have ask for Ken Davis as their guide. He deserves a 5 star rating!
Thank you for assigning Ken as our guide.
Written May 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
So great! Ken is awesome and a valuable member of our guiding team. Thanks for the kinds word. Hope to see you again in Yellowstone!
Written May 21, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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