© 2021 All Rights Reserved.
01
All Yellowstone Guide Academy instructors are experienced guides & trainers, each with over a decade of experience in Yellowstone.
02
Earn your nationally-recognized Certified Interpretive Guide certificate or your Professional Yellowstone Guide certificate.
03
We present the latest information and ongoing research from one of the most studied and most popular National Parks.
Explore the foundations of interpretation – and beyond – in this nationally-recognized certificate program offered in partnership with the National Association for Interpretation. Engaging classroom sessions and targeted field sessions in northern Yellowstone will engage individuals who are new to the field of interpretation as well as more experienced interpreters looking to add formal training or additional tools to their interpretive skill set.
Are you an aspiring Yellowstone guide? Or an experienced guide looking to hone your interpretive skills and deepen your Yellowstone knowledge? Join us for the Professional Yellowstone Guide training course!
Build your Yellowstone guiding skillset, earn your Professional Yellowstone Guide Certificate, and network with other experienced and aspiring Yellowstone guides.
Earn your Professional Yellowstone Guide Certificate by completing the 5-day core Professional Yellowstone Guide Course including at least 1 elective or deep dive.
This course is aimed at new and experienced Yellowstone guides. Through targeted classroom sessions, plenty of field time in the park with veteran guides and trainers, and guest presentations from local experts, the 5-day core class will provide everything a new guide needs in order to begin their Yellowstone guiding career. In-depth Yellowstone information, “guide specialty” locations, and interpretive skills specifically for Yellowstone guides will provide even long-time guides with new tools to deliver the best possible Yellowstone experiences for their guests.
Additional course components, elective sessions, and information-rich Yellowstone “deep dives” offer a flexible and even more in-depth experience targeted to individual guides’ interests and goals.
Itinerary
Price: $695
Your Registration Includes:
Registration Does Not Include:
This class is taught by experienced Yellowstone naturalist guides, instructors, and guide trainers, each of whom has extensive experience teaching, guiding, and training in Yellowstone.
Staff Instructors for Core Course
Brad Bulin, M.S.
Brad has been guiding in Yellowstone for over 20 years. He earned his Master’s in Wildlife Biology from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, and he is a certified trainer of interpretive guides through the National Association for Interpretation, which he enjoys as a way of passing on his experience as a Yellowstone guide. Before coming to Yellowstone, Brad was a formal educator, teaching K-12 and serving as school principal. He has authored The Grand Lady of Yellowstone and Other Yellowstone Wolf Stories, has had several wildlife videos broadcast on national television, and has conducted many wildlife presentations throughout the country. Brad loves to entertain as well as educate people in this fantastic park he now calls home.
Carolyn Bulin
Carolyn fell in love with Yellowstone on a family vacation 25 years ago, when she watched the Druid Peak wolf pack successfully hunt an elk in Lamar Valley. She has been guiding and teaching in Yellowstone for nearly 15 years. Carolyn holds a B.S. in Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management with emphases in Ecology and Cultural Anthropology from Northern Michigan University, and she is a certified guide trainer and interpretive coach through the National Association for Interpretation. Carolyn and her husband own and operate Yellowstone Wildlife Profiles, which connects people to Yellowstone and the natural world through immersive educational experiences. Previously, she was a seasonal field instructor, year-round resident instructor, and program manager for the Yellowstone Institute. Carolyn’s specialties include multi-day seminars on wolf research and management, day hiking and backpacking courses, and training courses for new and experienced guides. Carolyn has volunteered on snow tracking surveys for the Yellowstone Cougar Project, carcass surveys with the grizzly bear research team, and raven trapping and tagging operations. She has hiked and canoed thousands of miles through the GYE backcountry. During her free time, Carolyn enjoys exploring the GYE with her husband and two small children from their home in Gardiner, MT.
Rob Harwood
Rob was first captivated by the grandeur of Yellowstone as a 9-year-old on a family vacation. His first memory of Yellowstone’s wildlife was watching the famed Druid Peak wolf pack hunting in Lamar Valley during the height of their reign. Over the next two decades, the pull of Yellowstone grew ever stronger as he racked up hundreds of miles exploring the trails of Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. He spent three seasons working for one of the park’s main concessionaires before relocating to Gardiner permanently as a full-time guide. He is passionate about sharing Yellowstone’s eminent wildlife, geology, and natural history with others. Rob is also an avid landscape and wildlife photographer with 13 years of experience behind the camera lens. He loves the challenge of capturing the raw beauty and truly wild fauna of Yellowstone in photographic form. In addition to guiding, Rob enjoys climbing in the Tetons, backpacking throughout the GYE and beyond, and trying amazing new foods from around the globe. Rob is a Certified Interpretive Guide and Certified Wilderness First Responder. He studied Outdoor Recreation Leadership & Management at Northern Michigan University.
Tyrene Riedl
Originally from Portland, Oregon, Tyrene fell in love with Yellowstone and its ecological diversity during her first visit to fish in the park in 1996, while pursuing a BFA in Acting in Ashland, Oregon. It was a life changing experience, and in 2002, she made the choice to give up her dreams of Broadway to live the dream of moving to Yellowstone. Since 2007, Tyrene has worked in the park as an Interpretive guide, snowcoach driver, fly-fishing guide & instructor, Interpretive Trainer, and outdoor educator. Tyrene is a Certified Interpretive Trainer through the National Association for Interpretation, and she finds inspiration in guiding both new and seasoned park visitors to find a deep and personal connection to Yellowstone as well as encouraging them to discover what wildness means to them.
Guest Instructors for Electives
Cara McGary, M.S.
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 their fascination with the natural world in Yellowstone. Cara owns and operates In Our Nature Guiding Services, and she is a co-founder of Wild Livelihoods Business Coalition – a group of over 250 business members from southern Park County, Montana, who support projects and work together to protect open spaces, clean air and water, rich soil, native plants, and vibrant wildlife populations for all. Before settling in Gardiner, MT, Cara worked for the National Park Service in Redwood National Park, the US Fish & Wildlife Service in southern California, the Queensland Government, the Western Australian Government, and a couple of private environmental consulting firms. She has worked on shorter stints in Antarctica and the jungles of Papua New Guinea. Cara is a qualified biologist, holding a B.S. in Aquatic Biology and an M.S. in Biology. When not in Yellowstone, she likes to explore places where there are good tidepools or snorkeling.
George Bumann, M.S.
George has been a lifelong observer of nature, a researcher, guide, artist, and educator for almost 40 years. After completing a M.S. in Wildlife Ecology, the last 22 years have been spent here in Yellowstone, during which time he has helped over 15,000 people learn how to enjoy the wonders of animal language to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of the natural world through in-person and online courses and his new book, Eavesdropping on Animals: What We Can Learn from Wildlife Conversations. George is also an accomplished sculptor. His nature-inspired artwork can be found in collections throughout the United States and around the globe, including the permanent collections of the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and the C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana, among others.
Dr. James Halfpenny
Jim is an author, scientist, educator and Vietnam vet who specializes in environmental ecology, animal tracking, and carnivores. He has written over 25 books, including Scats & Tracks of the Rocky Mountains and Track Plates for Mammals. He led the American First East Greenland expeditions in 1975 and 1976, is a Fellow of the Explorer’s Club, received the Antarctic Service Medal, and is past Chairman of the Board of Directors for the National Outdoor Leadership School. Jim earned his Ph.D. in Biology, Ecology, & Mammology from the University of Colorado in 1980. He is currently the President of A Naturalist’s World, an ecological education company.
Don't have time for a multi-day class? Register a la carte for half-day or full-day sessions geared toward guides and covering specific Yellowstone guiding topics in-depth. Choose the sessions that meet your goals, or add half-day electives or a full-day deep dive to your Professional Yellowstone Guide Course registration for a truly customized training experience.
Electives are half-day field- or classroom-based sessions covering specific topics for Yellowstone guides.
Rates: $99 for your first registration unless otherwise noted. Discounts offered for subsequent registrations.
Eavesdropping on Yellowstone’s Wild Conversations – In the Field with George Bumann
May 8 | 6 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Field | $129
Search for wildlife along Yellowstone’s Northern Range through new eyes – and ears – by learning how to decode the wild conversations happening all around you. What can the coyote or the raven tell you about where the wolves are? How can the movements of bison or elk help you find the bears? Spend the morning in the field with renowned naturalist and animal language expert George Bumann learning how to tune in to Yellowstone’s wild conversations to help you become a better guide and enhance your own enjoyment of the natural world.
Charismatic Microfauna: Lesser-Known Carnivores, Birds, Reptiles & Amphibians – with Jim Halfpenny and Brad Bulin
May 8 | 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Classroom
Sometimes, it’s the small things (literally!) that can really make a tour memorable. When the wolves and bears aren’t cooperating, when you have the same group for multiple days and they want a deeper dive into Yellowstone, or when you have the kid who is crazy about birds, it pays off to know your microfauna! Join Jim and Brad in this class to learn about the biology and current research of lesser-known carnivores such as wolverine and lynx, how to identify birds (even if you’re not an experienced birder!), and where to search for the park’s often-overlooked reptiles & amphibians.
Giving Back to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem – with Cara McGary
May 8 | 1:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. | Classroom
As guides and locals, we are so fortunate to have lives and livelihoods that are supported by the Yellowstone ecosystem, and we may see a need to protect this ecosystem. We also have unique opportunities to inspire and advise our guests to contribute in ways that are meaningful to them (because you got them totally stoked!). In this class, we will discuss ways to stay informed about current events, how to engage as members of the public, tips for minimizing compassion fatigue, and resources to share with our guests to help them act. The class will be part presentation and part workshop where you can explore and strategize about your own interests. We will have a Q&A at the end. While this class is designed with local guides in mind, it will be useful to anyone who loves the GYE. All are welcome!
Interpreting Wildlife Tracks & Signs – In the Field with Brad Bulin
May 8 | 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. | In the Field
Learn how to read the stories animals leave behind in their tracks, scat, and other signs during this field-based session. We’ll cover basic principles of track and scat identification, finer points for interpreting the stories they’re telling, and tips for finding and reading less-obvious signs such as a strand of fur left behind on a bush, a scrape of displaced soil, or the scent of animals moving through a forest.
Deep Dives are full-day field-based excursions that explore one area of the park or one topic in-depth. Designed by guides for guides to enrich your guided experiences!
Rates: $129 for your first registration. Discounts offered for subsequent registrations.
Natural History & Ecology of Wolves & Bears
May 10 | 6 a.m. – 4 p.m. | In the Field
Most tour guests have two species at the top of their wish-list: wolves and grizzly bears. Join us to immerse yourself in the world of wolves and bears, gaining the most up-to-date and in-depth information about these charismatic species and learning where and how to find them even on the quietest days. This session is designed to complement the Lamar Valley field day of the Professional Yellowstone Guide course, and repetitive information will be kept to a minimum.
Principles of Environmental Education for Yellowstone Guides
May 12 | 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Classroom & In the Field
Environmental education brings the landscape alive for guests of all ages and gives them the knowledge and inspiration to care about the natural world in Yellowstone and beyond. Through classroom and field sessions, you’ll explore best practices of education including the 5 E’s model of instruction and Bloom’s taxonomy of learning, see these educational practices modeled in real-world field situations, and explore techniques for how to engage your guests through multiple learning styles and multiple senses, how to connect guests to the park by fostering a sense of place, and how to meaningfully and intentionally incorporate fun games and activities for all ages into your tours.
© 2021 All Rights Reserved.