Local Yellowstone Guides

Yellowstone Hiking Guides

Joshua Mahan—Owner/Guide

Emily Jo Mahan Yellowstone Hiking Guides

Emily Jo Mahan—Owner/Guide

Yellowstone Hiking Guides owners/operators, Joshua and Emily Jo Mahan, are Yellowstone locals who know the lay of the land as few others do. Josh has over 20 years experience as a card-carrying guide in Yellowstone National Park. Emily Jo has been certified as a guide in Yellowstone for 12 years. The Mahan’s and the Yellowstone Hiking Guides know how to cater to the active traveler’s needs. Most of all, Yellowstone Hiking Guides wants your tour in Yellowstone to be safe and fun!

GUIDES

Josh was born in Jackson, Wyoming and grew up in Darby, Montana. His first adventure job was as an assistant trail guide in 1996 for a backcountry outfitter. He became a raft guide on the Snake River in Jackson in 1998. He has degrees in Environmental Studies and Journalism from the University of Montana, 2001. He has penned several hundred news articles and two books, including Best Hikes Near Missoula, 2014. Josh has guided in Idaho, Alaska, Panama, Chile, Costa Rica, and every summer in Yellowstone since 2005. He established Yellowstone Hiking Guides with his wife, Emily Jo, in 2014.

Emily Jo Mahan Yellowstone Hiking Guides Owner/Operator

Emily Jo is from west Texas. She was a SCUBA Instructor where her career took her to remote seamounts and deep pinnacles all over the Pacific Ocean, as well as unique holes in the United States and Caribbean. Emily Jo met Josh in a National Park and switched her career from sea to land. Her enthusiasm for exploring the natural world is contagious. Emily Jo has a degree in Sports Media Journalism and Broadcasting from Oklahoma State University. Her favorite football teams are the Cowboys: OSU and Dallas. Emily Jo is an Emergency First Responder Instructor and has her WFA.

David is a passionate tour guide whose heart has always belonged to the wild landscapes of the American West. He began his career leading groups through the geothermal wonders, dramatic canyons, and abundant wildlife of Yellowstone National Park. He quickly became known for his knowledge of the park's ecosystems, engaging storytelling, and infectious enthusiasm for its untamed beauty. After Yellowstone, David felt the pull to explore farther afield. He went to chase the vast diversity of the western USA's wild places—hiking the red rock spires of Zion and Bryce Canyon, marveling at the endless horizons of the Grand Canyon, wandering the ancient bristlecone pines of the Great Basin, and discovering hidden gems in places like Glacier, Yosemite, and the high deserts of Utah. Eventually, the call of Yellowstone proved irresistible. David returned, bringing with him fresh perspectives, new stories, and an even greater reverence for the park that first sparked his love of the outdoors.

Max was born in Atlanta and raised in Savannah, Georgia. He spent much of his time exploring coastal marshes and wooded trails. He later moved to Auburn, Alabama to study Parks and Recreation Management at Auburn University, where he began working as an outdoor leader. In 2023, Max completed an 80-day expedition semester with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in the Pacific Northwest, where he mountaineered, sea kayaked, and traveled through remote backcountry terrain. That experience strengthened his appreciation for teamwork, resilience, and life outside. At Auburn, Max worked as a Trip Leader and Climbing Wall Attendant with Auburn Outdoors, leading backpacking and climbing trips for students. Max enjoys helping people feel comfortable in new environments. He is always curious about the landscapes around him, from wildlife and geology to the stories that shape a place. When he’s not guiding, he’s often planning his next road trip or exploring new corners of the country.

Originally from Rochester, Minnesota, Parker has always felt most at home outdoors. Whether he’s hiking, exploring new landscapes, or pushing himself physically and mentally, he’s in his element in nature. Parker’s passion for the outdoors and conservation has led him toward a career working in parks, where he helps others experience and appreciate the natural world the way he does. With a background in athletics and hands-on park experience, Parker enjoys combining adventure, education, and leadership while guiding others through meaningful outdoor experiences. Yellowstone represents an incredible opportunity for him to share his love for wild places, connect with people from all backgrounds, and help create memorable and safe experiences in one of the most iconic landscapes in the world.

Parker Navitsky Yellowstone Hiking Guides

Renee was born in Ohio but grew up in Florida. She became an athlete at a young age and secured a full college volleyball scholarship. Renee has always been active and loves, hiking, kayaking, yoga and working out on a regular basis. She has worked for a tour company on the coast of Maine and the San Juan Islands for the past 8 years with her husband Tim. Renee helped manage customer service and was also a co-guide on tours. She is definitely a “people” person and loves a good challenge. Tim and Renee left corporate jobs 11 years ago to travel full time in their RV. They have traveled to all 50 states and over 25 National Parks.

Originally a Massachusetts native, Tim identifies as an “East Coast” guy who finds his rhythm in staying active —whether he’s paddling, trail running, or hitting the gym. After moving to Florida at age eight, he traded snow for kayaks and intercoastal waterways, where he discovered his passion for the great outdoors. Tim and his wife, Renee, have spent over a decade living full-time on the road in their RV. They have explored all 50 states and over 25 National Parks. While his “work” has taken him from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to the San Juan Islands, the rugged beauty of the Intermountain West has always held a special draw for him. A Maine Certified Sea Kayak Guide, Tim spent eight seasons guiding in Acadia National Park and the San Juan Islands. He lead sea kayak and land based tours, including multi-day expeditions. For Tim, the best part of guiding is the people. He finds true fulfillment in learning from his guests’ life experiences. Before transitioning to life on the road, Tim was a CPA with a degree in Accounting. He eventually decided to trade the spreadsheets for sea kayaks, and has never looked back.

Maddie was born and raised in Wisconsin and has a degree in Environmental Science. Her career in conservation has taken her down many exciting paths - from drilling holes into the frozen lakes of northern Wisconsin to backpacking through the jagged Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho. She has even taught girl scouts how to tie knots and build fires. Maddie loves camping, wandering into the middle of nowhere, backpacking, biking, birdwatching, writing, reading, yoga and meditation. Maddie is beyond excited to show you around Yellowstone National Park and can’t wait to see what adventures await!

Conor fell in love with the outdoors after moving west from New York. In 2020, he backpacked 500 miles of the Colorado Trail. Since then, Conor has hiked and backpacked thousands of miles in all kinds of environments, including some of the tallest mountains in the world! He loves sharing his passion and expertise for the outdoors with others. Conor is committed to being a part of other people's journeys in the wilderness.

Kim has been YHG’s pinch hitter for over five years! She’s always ready to show Yellowstone to guests with a smile on her face. Kimberly grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia exploring the Jefferson National Forrest on horseback and hiking the Appalachian Trail. She has been an AmeriCorps state park interpretive ranger in VA and a cavern tour guide at Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park in Montana. Kimberly has a degree in Outdoor Adventure Leadership and a paraprofessional certification. Kimberly is passionate about experiential education and enjoys encouraging visitors to be engaged, present and have fun!
Kimberly has her WFR, SAR II, EFR and Swift Water Rescue!

Bob has lived with his wife and children in Missoula, Montana since 1992. He has backpacked extensively throughout the Rocky Mountains of Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho including Yellowstone National Park. When Bob was a teen, he escaped his urban home for canoe trips and hikes in Northern Michigan and Minnesota. He was inspired by the likes of Thoreau, Aldo Leopold, and Edward Abbey. He may have been the only 13-year-old with subscriptions to Mother Earth News and Alaska Magazine! Bob served in the U.S. Army as an infantry Medic. Later on, he worked for nearly 20 years in wildlife and natural resource conservation, helping to protect public lands, wilderness, and wildlife. Bob also spends a great deal of time in the southwest U.S., exploring and guiding in the beautiful canyon country of southern Utah – Escalante country, Canyonlands, Zion, and Capitol Reef National Parks. Bob has been leading trips for YHG since 2016.

Yellowstone Hiking Guides Bob Clark Backpacking Guide

Yellowstone Hiking Guides leads the pack for guided tours in Yellowstone National Park. Our tour guides are experienced naturalists who love to share their local Yellowstone travel knowledge with you! Our guides are certified in Wilderness First Responder or Wilderness First Aid and CPR. Our guides are fun to spend the day with and excited to interpret wildlife, history, and geology on your Yellowstone National Park vacation tour.

Person arranging kayaks on a beach at sunset.

Join the team

Work while exploring Yellowstone National Park! Share your love for the outdoors with visitors from all around the world. Commute through Yellowstone for your daily drive. Spend your season walking through herds of bison, steaming thermal features and untamed wild lands.

If you're passionate about outdoor education, we're looking for you!

E-mail mahan@yellowstonehikingguides.com to apply.

LEARN MORE