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 20 years experience as a card-carrying guide in Yellowstone National Park. Emily Jo has been certified as a guide in Yellowstone for 10 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!

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.

GUIDES

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.

Kim is YHG’s pinch hitter! 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!

Dallas grew up in Northeast Tennessee spending most of his days running, hiking, and biking. He has a Degree in Environmental Science and a minor in Watershed from The University of Tennessee Knoxville.
After working a few years after college, he decided he needed a change. So, Dallas traveled for two summers in his converted short bus. During his travels, he fell in love with the West.
Dallas now lives in Aspen, CO working for the ski company. He spends most of his days off skiing. When Dallas isn't outside, he is probably playing a board game, cooking, or looking at google maps for the next cool place to travel.

Chris is a Missouri native with a bachelor's in biology with an Environmental Science minor, and master’s in education. You can find Chris teaching Science and enjoying hikes or floats throughout Missouri. His most recent adventure took him nearly 400 miles on the Ozark Trail, cutting through the Missouri Ozarks. Chris spent past summers as a whitewater raft guide on Colorado's Arkansas River. While living among the Rockies, he hiked up several 14ers. His passion for outdoor adventures has taken him to multiple outdoor adventure destinations. Yellowstone National Park’s vast ecosystems allow Chris to merge both his science education and passion for the outdoors.

Michelle is from Tennessee and grew up with the Smoky Mountains as her playground. She graduated with a degree in Graphic design that she hopes to use to create field guides and personal maps of her favorite outdoor landscapes. Michelle spends most of her free time trail-running, backpacking, climbing, and in the winter months ice-climbing. If she is not exploring, you’ll find her drawing, baking, or trying to learn a new board game. She is excited about anything that gets her outside. Michelle chases adventures in different environments around the world.

Michelle Brown Yellowstone Hiking Guides

Spencer has been a tour guide since 2018 when he first worked in Yellowstone. Since then, he guided kayak, hiking, and driving tours in the Carolinas, Florida, and Alaska. He is excited to be back in Yellowstone where his mind never truly left. He is from Texas and acquired a Bachelor of Science in Biology from UT Austin before working several years as an entomologist and wildlife technician. Spencer loves to get outside and learn - where'd that mountain come from, what's that bird, or what happened here? There's always more to explore and he's up for the adventure!

Spencer Lockwood Yellowstone Hiking Guides

Originally from Alabama, Julia graduated from the University of North Alabama in 2021. She has been exploring the rest of the US ever since. Julia spent a few years in Alaska giving tours in the mountains. She recently completed a 6-month thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2024. Julia is excited for more adventures to come!

Hannah is originally from Buffalo, NY. Growing up, she spent a lot of time hiking in Vermont and the Adirondacks. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in social work from the University at Buffalo. After finishing college, she needed a change of scenery. Hannah spent a summer season in Arizona and most recently, winter in Colorado. Hannah immediately fell in love with hiking in the West. She loves to share her passion for the outdoors. Hannah also loves hiking with others and is excited to bring this passion to Yellowstone!

Hannah Wroblewski Yellowstone Hiking Guides

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 vacation tour.

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!