Naturalist/Horseback Guide

Title: Naturalist/Guide (Horseback)
Agency: Yellowstone Wilderness Outfitters
Location: Yellowstone National Park

Job Description: Experience the best backcountry Yellowstone National Park has to offer! Use your wildlife and botany knowledge to work as a naturalist for Yellowstone Wilderness Outfitters. You will have the opportunity to view grizzlies, black bears, moose, and wolves all while interpreting Yellowstone's hottest conservation issues for our guests. Guiding horseback tours in Yellowstone is the adventure of a lifetime. You are not just a tour guide; you are a Yellowstone ecology expert. You'll learn all about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and add extensive backcountry experience to your resume.

Interpersonal skills are vital to interacting with our guests. A guide must be able to field any and all questions about Yellowstone National Park. Knowledge of wildlife, wildflowers, general ecology, geology, and history is essential. You will be required to come prepared with the basics of this knowledge and we will point you toward to materials to help you. You are essentially naturalists working on horseback. The job requires lifting 50 lbs or more, working in all weather conditions at altitudes of 6,000 to 10,000 feet, very long hours, and very few days off.

The daily routine is to gather, feed, groom, saddle, and load 12 horses into a trailer, drive a standard transmission pickup with a 32' horse trailer to meet guests at the trailhead, and, finally, lead a trail ride while giving interpretation of the surroundings. This position requires are great deal of responsibility and quick decision making. The applicant must be able to do the job alone, yet work well with a supervisor and a team of other guides. This job is a lot of work!!

If you plan to spend all of your summer nights in the local bars, please don’t waste your time and ours applying for this position. We expect all applicants to have a genuine desire to be in Yellowstone National Park.

We are based out of Gardiner, MT at the North entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Housing is required on site, shared with other guides, and you are responsible for about $200 in monthly rent. Pets are not allowed.

Qualifications: Our season runs from May 30th to October 3rd. A bachelor's degree is preferred. Previous naturalist and guiding experience is a plus, but not mandatory. Successful applicants will be able to demonstrate that they have worked with horses and have competent riding skills. Applicants must be physically fit, at least 21 years old and must arrive with valid Red Cross First Aid certification. A valid driver’s license with clean driving record are required. Preference will be giving to applicants willing and able to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License.

This is an outdoor job and you will be required to provide the equipment needed to be in the backcountry. The following items are required: Winter coat, long underwear, warm gloves, sturdy boots, western wear and hat, rain gear (slicker or jacket and pants), filter water bottle, Leatherman Wave (with serrated knife), headlamp, and zero degree sleeping bag. These are basic items that every outdoor enthusiast should own. If you arrive without any of this equipment, you will be immediately dismissed.

Salary: $350.00 per week, plus tips.