A small group (4 people) is planning a trip to YNP in late May 2025. First time in YNP so we definitely need help finding wildlife.
The plan is to stay in Gardiner, MT and take day tours.
Any recommendations on the best accommodations in Gardiner and the best naturalist/photography guides/companies?
Thanks in advance!
If you're staying in Gardiner, the Ridgeline Motel is a good, reasonably affordable option. The rooms are clean and comfortable, and the location is easy walking distance to the market and restaurants. Personally, I prefer to stay at the cabins in Silver Gate, a small hamlet in a beautiful setting, with easy access to the Lamar Valley, which is considered one of the best areas for wildlife ("the American Serengeti"). The only downside to Silver Gate is that there are very limited food options, but not a problem for me because I like preparing my own meals in the cabin anyway (also, Cooke City is only 2 miles away if you feel like eating out).
As for finding wildlife, generally speaking it's fairly easy to do in Yellowstone if you're looking for the usual suspects - bison, elk, pronghorn, and wolves at a distance, as others have mentioned. However, as a first timer in YNP, I'd strongly suggest either hiring a guide for a day or two, or joining a short wildlife photography workshop, just to get you oriented to the area. Yellowstone is vast, and it's very easy to spend lots of time driving around, and getting stuck in bison jams and construction along two-way roads. Guides are expensive (~$800-$1200/day) but can be worth their weight in gold, since they know the area and wildlife very well. McNeil Lyons is an especially gifted wildlife guide and photographer, if you're lucky enough to be able to book him. Alternatively, Yellowstone Forever (formerly the Yellowstone Institute) offers some very good, very affordable wildlife photography workshops - perhaps starting with one of their 3 or 4-day workshops, then adding another handful of days to wander on your own would be a good option.
One other suggestion: be prepared for all types of weather, especially in May. Temperatures at that time of year can fluctuate wildly from freezing and heavy snow to T-shirt conditions. Also, be sure to book way in advance as reservations fill up fast.
Good luck, and have a great time!