Welcome to In Our Nature Guiding Services
- Expertly Guided Yellowstone Tours and Hikes
Yellowstone is the world’s first national park, with 2.2 million acres (1 million ha) of incredible wildness, abundant wildlife, geothermal wonders, and fascinating history. This huge intact ecosystem has an incredible variety of landscapes and activities for you to enjoy. Whether you want world-class wildlife viewing opportunities, a beautiful day hike, a few nights in the backcountry, or you'd like to create your own fully custom tour; make the most of your visit on a private tour with In Our Nature Guiding Services. One of our local wildlife biologists or naturalists will craft your day to your personal interests.
Choose Your Own Adventure!
Wildlife & Wolf Watching Tours
Join one of our Biologists or Naturalists on a wildlife watching tour in Yellowstone's intact ecosystem. Our expert local ecological knowledge will help you see the wildlife you're interested in. This is the best place in the world to see wild wolves and the best place in the lower 48 states to see grizzly bears. Tours are offered year-round.
Snowshoe and Cross-Country Ski Tours
Indulge in winter's splendor: exploring varied terrain, searching for fresh animal tracks, and taking in stellar views of Yellowstone's northern range. There are different routes to choose from depending on your abilities, snow conditions, and weather. Snowshoeing and XC Skiing tours are offered December - March
Private Winter Tours and Lodging
Choose the winter tours you would like and stay at Wanderlust Haven, an ideally located house in Gardiner with amazing views! Wanderlust Haven is only available to In Our Nature clients this winter. We are so excited to get to offer this to amazing package to make your visit extra special!
Guided Day Hikes
Yellowstone has over 900 miles (1,450 km) of trails in a variety of habitats, from lush pine forests to stark thermal basins, from steep mountain treks to casual strolls along boardwalks. Take a closer look by getting off the beaten path and onto a trail with a biologist or naturalist guide to show you what you would miss on your own.
Backpacking & Backcountry Cabin Trips
Get off the beaten path and enjoy parts of the park others rarely see on a Yellowstone backpacking trip. We offer fully custom, private backpacking trips throughout Yellowstone with a duration and difficulty level just for you. Backpacking is a great way to recharge your body and mind, meet your own challenges, or just relax and ponder the wonders in front of you.
Birding Tours in Yellowstone
Birding in Yellowstone is incredible! Yellowstone is home to about 300 species of birds during the summer months, creating a unique birding opportunity in the Rocky Mountains. Mountain bluebirds are a local favorite, Yellow-headed blackbirds sing to their mates in the wetlands, and Sandhill cranes make their eerie call as wolves howl in the distance.
Night Sky Photography Tours
Although Yellowstone National Park has not yet been recognized as a Dark Sky Park, it is 2.2 million acres with few light sources, and supports the most remote areas in the lower 48. With all the other amazing aspects of the Yellowstone, it has been easy to overlook the importance of its pristine night skies. Explore and connect with a part of Yellowstone unseen by most.
Yellowstone Geology Tour
Yellowstone is one of the largest volcanoes in the world, with a chamber of partially molten magma underneath which causes all of the thermal activity in the park. There is no other place like this on earth! Visit several famous features including Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, and other geysers, hot springs, and fumaroles. Learn about the Yellowstone volcano and how the thermal features work.
NEW! A Week In The Wild
An exciting program for adults in a group tour format
A Week in the Wild is a great opportunity to discover and enjoy the spirit and splendor of Yellowstone’s wilds at a deeper and more comprehensive level. You'll stay at North Yellowstone Lodge near the Northern entrance to the park with meals catered from dinner on the first evening until breakfast on the last day. You'll spend your days enjoying a variety of activities including hiking, watching wildlife, checking out geysers and hot springs, and a scenic float on the Yellowstone River. Choose the activities that most interest you. In the evenings, enjoy a group dinner with new friends in the lodge. Evening programs include talks from local experts on current issues in Yellowstone. Learn more here.
Upcoming Dates
May 9-14 2022: Baby Season
July 4-8, 2022: Holiday Week*
August 8-13 2022: Bison Rut
September 12-17 2022: Elk Rut
Space is limited. Reserve your spot today!
About Us
In Our Nature Guiding Services is a small, woman-owned, community-minded, sustainable business operating in Yellowstone National Park, founded in 2015 by Cara McGary. She settled in the tiny town of Gardiner at Yellowstone's northern gateway with a vision to create personalized, educational and fun tours for visitors from all over the world, while committing to sustainability and a respectful way of life on the edge of a wild and fragile ecosystem. Today, In Our Nature is a successful custom tour provider offering exceptional wildlife watching tours, day hikes, multi-day backpacking trips, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, as well as custom adventures in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. Our team of experienced local biologists, naturalists and environmental educators is looking forward to guiding you through Yellowstone and providing you with exciting journeys and unforgettable nature experiences.
We operate year-round out of Yellowstone's north entrance in Gardiner, Montana. No matter where you're staying in or around Yellowstone, we can meet you at a central location for our tour. Choose from wildlife watching trips, birding expeditions, day hikes, overnight backpacking trips, night sky photography tours, cross-country skiing & snowshoeing, or make your own custom adventure.
In Our Nature Guiding Services LLC is an Authorized Permittee of Yellowstone National Park.
We acknowledge that we operate in Yellowstone National Park, or as the Apsaalooke refer to it, Land of Steam. This is a traditional shared homeland for dozens of Nations for at least 13,000 years including the Blackfeet, Shoshone, Salish, Kootenai, Pend d’Orielle, Nez Perce, and Northern Cheyenne. The Sheepeaters-Shoshone were the only known group who lived in the park year-round. We honor, with gratitude, the land itself and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations.
Check out our reviews!
What others have to say about their experience with us....
- gordonr1234
This was our first time cross-country skiing and Cara made sure we learned how to properly put on our skis, move, stop and enjoy our selves for the duration of... read more our experience. We did a trail around Mammoth Hot Springs inside Yellowstone by the North Entrance. There was a perfect mixture of geysers and fumaroles that you pass by on the trail. Cara has an abundance of knowledge to share with you about each and everyone you pass. The views of the mountains and the park itself are stunning. Cara was more the happy to take pictures and videos of our trip and even offered to record a video of us skiing. At the end of our guided tour with Cara, she treated us to a hot cup of coffee and coco by on of the fumaroles. After, Cara gave us the option to do a few more laps of the trail on our own with the rented equipment and only asked us to have them back before the store closed at 5pm. If you're new or experienced at cross-country skiing rest assured this trail is both easy to learn and challenging enough should you seek some excitement. The views are absolutely astounding and Cara is a great guide and instructor.
January 24, 2021G8803OAjosephp It was a pleasure setting up my tour with Cara. She gave tips not just on the snowshoe excursion but my visit in general.
I went out with... read more Mike for two days, to Tower and Mammoth Hot Springs. Both snowshoe trips were very enjoyable. Mike has an incredible depth of knowledge about the geology and the wildlife of Yellowstone.
I did a third day on my own, on Blacktail (stunning) but would not have wanted to go out on my own prior to an orientation from Mike.
You can tell that these folks really want you to have a good experience.
The only downside is that cross country skiing looks like a hell of a lot of fun. Wish I knew how to do it.
March 9, 2021 Great tour. Cara was awesome, fun to hang out with on the full day tour and very knowledgeable about the land and animals. We saw piles of animals, including all... read more of the various hooved animals in the park, coyotes, wolves, mountain goats on high cliff...More kullen_6
December 20, 2018 - Met Audra at our specified meeting point (Tower Junction) and she jumped in the car with us to head to our hiking spot with guide books, walking sticks, snacks, and... read more scat and track guides at the ready! We had a fantastic hike on Hellroaring Trail,...More Amy W
September 19, 2018 This was an amazing day for us! Cara is very personable & casual, but very professional. It really was like going out with your new best friend! She clearly loves... read more the area & the wildlife & to educate everyone on these magnificent creatures. She knew...More mosba
September 17, 2018Margaret H We had a great day with our guide Nancy! She communicated from the start all that we would need for the trip and gave text and email updates to... read more make sure we were all ready. She met us at the planned time in a very clean and comfortable mini van. We had our six year old and moved his booster seat right in. Nancy was very obliging with us wanting to wear masks in the car the whole time. We enjoyed our day cruising the park, getting our questions answered, and jumping out at any hope of seeing animals. We got to see tons of bison and pronghorn. We also got to see mountain goats on the cliffs and a pouncing fox through amazing spoting scopes. We had a nice lunch by a creek. Nancy was great with our 6 year old and was fine with him snacking in the back seat. It was a lovely day and made us forget about covid for a while. We highly recommend this guiding service and Nacny.
October 1, 2021 - julie z Cara was a wonderful guide in every way. Within an hour of our time with her we saw the wolves of Yellowstone! Cara was super smart, informative about... read more the wildlife, friendly, had coffee and hot cocoa for us, and had a very comfortable car for us to roam around Lamar Valley all day. She introduced us to some of the local wildlife enthusiasts, and we had a great time spotting the wolves, a grizzly, bison, coyotes, and 2 bald eagles! Our time with Cara was the highlight of our trip!
September 1, 2021wess699 We had a fantastic time in Yellowstone courtesy of In Our Nature Guiding services. We actually spent two days with them: one watching wolves and wildlife and one snoeshoeing... read more in the back country. Both Cara and Cody were excellent guides. We have already booked for a return trip in the summer!
March 15, 2022Travel139554 Great trip. Cara is awesome. We had a group of 8 and Cara took very good care of us. We watch 17 wolves for over an hour.... read more We saw many more animals on our trip but we requested wolves and Cara delivered. I would highly recommend using Cara services. It was our 2nd time to use her and will use her again when we come back
October 7, 2020 - AugustusTheTraveler From the time that we booked Cara, we were excited with her excellent communication with us in order to learn more about what we were interested in for Yellowstone.
Overall, our experience with Cara was wonderful. When we met she had amazing hot chocolate, tea, and coffee for us. From there we communicated via radio (during COVID) as we drove to the various sights. She had 3 fantastic spotting scopes which allowed us to see plenty of wildlife. But, the best thing was being able to tell that she truly cared about the animals. Whenever we saw one we did not know who was more excited (Cara or us). Lastly, she brings her own camera (see attached photos) and will take both videos and photos of animals for you.
Was our best guide in Yellowstone and highly recommend.
August 21, 2020johnshaftjones From the moment I contacted Cara, I knew I chose the right person to book a tour with. Cara is a biologist, communicative, knowledgable, and easy to work with. I... read more requested a call to discuss the tour and options before committing considering that my group would be large - 10 people. Cara was happy to do so. When we spoke, she gave me an overview of what she offers and explained the need for two guides, how the tour would look and the cost. She asked what animals we hoped to see so that she would have an idea of how to frame the tour. Also, due to size of the group and current affairs with the pandemic, we would have to follow Cara in her vehicle. I was sold and booked a full day wildlife/nature tour.
On the day off, we met at Zero Dark Thirty because as Cara said "that's when the animal are up". We met at 05:30 hours and Cara and her fellow biologist Garret. Cara had coffee, tea, hot chocolate for us. Nice touch. She provided two-way radios to communicate while we drove. It worked excellent, we didn't get separated, and Cara and Garret gave information about Yellowstone and the animals, as well as a little trivia as we drove to each location.
Once we made it to a location, Cara and Garret set up high powered spotting scopes to view the wildlife. We were lucky to see a grizzly bear, a pack of wolves feeding on a bison carcass, bison, bald eagles, mountain goats, baby wolves and their den, and more. Cara even grabbed photos and videos which she emailed to me.
After lunch, Garret did a bear safety training and we were off on the nature hike. The hike was great, but be prepared for a good workout - you will see some inclines! Also, as wear layers. Cara will tell you this. It's chilly in the morning and will warm up as the day progresses.
We all learned a ton from Cara and Garret. They love questions and answered them all for us. My next trip to Yellowstone, I will be calling Cara again for sure.
August 21, 2020Barbara D To view and to truly understand the wildlife of Yellowstone, In Our Nature Guiding Services is a must! On June 29, our family of eight experienced the perfect Wildlife Watching... read more Tour with guides Nancy and Mike. We observed and learned about an active wolf den, black bear, bison, elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, mountain goats and an array of small mammals and birds. Both Nancy and Mike are professional, knowledgeable and passionate. They did a wonderful job engaging our three grandchildren, ages 17, 13 and 9. From thorough pre-tour communication, to the light breakfast and delicious picnic lunch, to excellent spotting scopes for all, In Our Nature is a top shelf organization. During two previous visits to Yellowstone, we were fairly successful “finding” wildlife on our own, but nothing compares to the variety and depth of experience provided by Nancy and Mike. Highly recommend In Our Nature Guiding Services! …
July 7, 2021 - 656gerrys Cara was all we could have asked for in a nature guide in Yellowstone. Very knowledgeable on everything from the history, geology and animals of the area. What... read more we also liked was we were never lectured on this information, she just shared it with enthusiasm like it was the first time she was telling it. Each day and each guest was clearly a fresh start for Cara that she looked forward to. The thrill of finding any animal was very apparent and she did find us many more then we would have found wandering around the massive area on our own. We will be going back for a different part of the winter season and look forward to having Cara guide us again through an area she clearly loves.
November 15, 2020 I highly recommend In Our Nature Guiding Services. My family enjoyed spending the day looking for wildlife. Cara made it so much better than going out on our own because... read more she knows where to find specific wildlife and she knows a lot about their habits....More lauraah51
June 7, 2019 My wife and I spent five days with Cara In Yellowstone National Park. One day was better than the next. Wolves going in dens, Black Bears chasing siblings up a... read more tree, Coyotes and Foxes searching for food, a bison traffic jam, and Grizzles 20 yards...More Tommycuban
May 2, 2019 - Sharon R There were 15 of us taking the guided hike with Audra. We had a great time learning about the different birds and animals. The scenery was great and... read more we had a great day of hiking. I would recommend them to anyone.
Sharon
July 7, 2019David K Brief summary: In Our Nature provided two fantastic hiking trips for my dad and for me in Yellowstone National Park. Their communication was excellent before the trip, their knowledge of... read more both the landscape and the wildlife was exceptional, and their guiding service was by far...More
June 11, 2019 When you travel to a national park like Yellowstone to view wildlife in their natural environment, you need a professional biologist to make that happen. To find those animals that... read more are the most allusive like the wolves and tap into all of the knowledge a...More Cindy G
February 14, 2019 - I had a great day out with Audra exploring Yellowstone and all it’s surprises! She told me a lot about the animals and the nature, and showed me some amazing... read more views. We were very lucky, because we had already seen wolves and moose before 9...More HannekeJ45
June 4, 2019exploreforaliving We spent a day with Cara in early August and had such a fantastic time! It was the perfect way to start our trip as we got a great overview... read more of the area, its wildlife and geology, plus some good recommendations for the rest of our time in Yellowstone. We’d heard that August is the worst time to see wildlife but within the first 10 minutes we’d seen wolves, bears, bison and elk, and later saw bald eagles, pika and lots more that I don’t remember the names of oops. Excellent day, would thoroughly recommend, we had so much fun!
August 22, 2020 Cara is a true professional, we started early and the fog was pee soup. Yeah it was not what anyone wanted, but Cara made it work, and put in... read more serious time with us to not only find wildlife (Badgers, coyotes, cranes, Bald eagles, Running Bisions...More Phil H
September 4, 2018 - Navigate802764 Cara rocked it! Our family was able to see amazing wildlife that would not have been possible without her keen knowledge and fantastic scopes. In addition, her appreciation... read more for the park and its inhabitants is deeply felt. Cara was wonderfully patient with my overly eager nature loving children. Our trip to Yellowstone would not have been the same without Cara. Oh, the lunch/brunch was also awesome. So glad we shifted out Yellowstone tour to match Cara's availability. If you can, book In Our Nature Guiding Services!
September 24, 2020 My husband and I enjoyed a truly memorable day with Cara from the wildlife sightings to the excellent food and professional service. Cara can spot wildlife that we... read more would have missed completely. We saw moose (which have eluded us for years), 7 grizzly bears, pronghorn,...More Susan M
October 19, 2018 My husband and I had a full day of viewing wildlife in Yellowstone which was so informative and exciting. Cara picked us up at our lodging in Gardiner very... read more early and before leaving the driveway prepared coffee and hot cocoa for us. Then, it was...More TarHeel-Vicki
October 1, 2018 - rgandel Cara is a very knowledgeable and friendly guide. We spent two days with her and were very pleased. She went out of her way to make sure our... read more experience was memorable.
February 17, 2022carrietA3237HH Cara is the best. She was an amazing guide, well prepared and knowledgeable! She listened to what we wanted to do, and she gave us an awesome day. Best Day... read more of Our Yellowstone Trip.
April 8, 2020Glenda S On our trip we were very lucky to see a grizzly bear, a black bear, wolf cubs interacting with bison and mountain goats. This wasn't just down to luck but... read more due to Cara's extensive knowledge of the Lamar Valley and its wildlife and her network...More
November 16, 2019 - ALeigh75 Our guide, Audra, spent two days with us in the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone. Her goal was to find us a wolf sighting. What she ended up finding... read more was an AWESOME wolf sighting with eight wolves, old and young, play with each other along a...More
October 18, 2019Megan W We spent 10 days in and around Yellowstone, and we both agree that our day spent with Mike from In Our Nature was the highlight of the trip. We were... read more fortunate to see bear, wolf, moose, and bison! Mike was easy going and welcoming, and so kind to wait for us early in the morning when we arrived late. He was knowledgeable about the history and ecology of the area - we learned a ton! Ask him about the petrified tree! This tour taught us how to better spot wildlife and we’d recommend it early during your trip as it benefitted us long after.
November 1, 2021 This was a fantastic tour! Cara was so knowledgable about the area and the wildlife. We saw so many animals that we had not expected to get to... read more see and we had a lot of fun along the way. Cara showed us Yellowstone through her...More sdwyer2018
June 4, 2019
Meet Our Team
Owner: Cara McGary MS Biology
On a winter visit to Yellowstone, Cara was smitten by the wonder of this "American Serengeti". As a result, she decided that she wanted to spend her life helping others develop and feed their fascinations with the natural world in Yellowstone. Cara is a qualified biologist (B.S. Aquatic Biology and M.S. Biology). Before settling in Gardiner MT, she worked extensively in the forests of Redwood National Park, the outback of Western Australia, and the jungles of Papua New Guinea. When not in Yellowstone, she likes to explore places where there are likely good tidepools or snorkeling.
Naturalist Guide: Nancy Lewis
Nancy has been a naturalist guide and educator in the Yellowstone area since 2015, but she has been fostering a passion for the outdoors and wild places since she first became a naturalist leader in junior high school. Now, she combines her experience in education with her love of the park to help lifelong learners look closely at nature. With In Our Nature, she leads wildlife and thermal basin tours, guided hikes, and birding trips. She takes her passion for the outdoors south for the winter, working as a naturalist guide in Arizona. Nancy speaks Chinese conversationally and Spanish fluently.
Biologist Guide: Claire Lacey
Born and raised in Alaska, Claire developed a passion for wildlife ecology and environmental studies leading her to Montana in 2017 for the opportunity to study the wolves of Yellowstone National Park. Her curiosity prompted a three year, self-directed undergraduate research project, which she finished in 2020 while earning her Bachelor of Science in Fish & Wildlife Ecology and Management from Montana State University. She has spent hundreds of hours watching wolves and studying their interactions with each other and with other species in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Claire continues to follow her passion by inviting clients to share the same incredible experiences in Yellowstone that captivated her during her research.
Naturalist Guide: Ben Buescher
Ben developed his passion for wildlife visiting and working as an educator for the zoo in his hometown of Saint Louis, Missouri. He later moved to Fort Collins to earn his bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology at Colorado State University where opportunities opened up for him to study in South Africa, Baja California, and CSU’s satellite campus in the Rocky Mountains. At school, he worked as a technician for an acoustic ecology lab where his love for communicating and weaving together the stories of ecosystems blossomed. After graduating, he spent a year as a park ranger and educator for the national wildlife refuge system in Kauai. Landing in Bozeman following his move back to the mainland, Ben is now excited for the opportunity to work as a guide in Yellowstone, using his background in conservation biology and environmental education to share the world-renowned stories of Yellowstone National Park with our guests.
Snowshoe & Ski Guide: Kody Marr
Kody first visited Gradiner, MT back in 2016 while on a 10-day backcountry fly fishing adventure and once he laid eyes on this stunning small town he was hooked, he moved out of his home state of Colorado the following summer and hasn't left since. Kody learned to ski about the same time he was potty trained as he grew up in a ski bum family with his mom being a member of the US Ski Team through his childhood. He now spends his time guiding fly fishing trips during the summer months and guiding over snow activities during the winter months. When Kody isn't in the field you may find him scouting the local mountains for wildlife or traveling the Rockies looking for exotic trout species.
Night Sky Guide: Angela Tempo
After 12 years of working in the corporate sector in sales and marketing, Angela decided to become a Certified First Responder in Natural Disaster. Angela has worked for FEMA and BLM as a swift water rescuer, EMT, and Wildland Firefighter, and has responded to a variety of hurricanes and wildfires. In 2018, she moved to the edge of Yellowstone National Park and has focused her efforts on night-sky and long-exposure photography, as well as wildlife and landscape photography. Angela speaks both Spanish and English.