The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is an incredible place to live, work, play, and explore. Our staff, dispersed across the region, know this firsthand and are excited to share some of their favorite things in this new blog series, GYC’s Staff Picks. Each month, we’ll be sharing Greater Yellowstone favorites from all of our staff – favorite trails, books, gear, artists, places and much more – that help GYC staff members make the most of this remarkable place. This month, acquaint yourself with the region’s wildflowers, discover new music, learn about one of Montana’s iconic non-native species, feed your podcast addiction, and experience new heights in Grand Teton National Park.  

Recipe: Biscuits and Mushroom Gravy & Huckleberry Pancakes

Foraging for edible goodies is one of my favorite hobbies and can be done year-round. Making teas, tinctures, and meals with local plants, berries, and fungi is a great way to learn about the landscape and explore new parts of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Mushroom hunting and berry picking are at the top of my list. Biscuits and mushroom gravy and huckleberry pancakes are my go-to recipes. Remember to only take what you need when foraging; keep wildlife in mind who may depend on those wild foods and do your research beforehand as there are plenty of non-edible and poisonous goodies out there too.

— Blakeley Adkins, Volgenau Foundation Wildlife Conservation Associate | Livingston, Montana

Book: The Artist’s Field Guide to Yellowstone

Read recommendations from TWO GYC staff!

If you appreciate a naturalist’s perspective of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem’s landscape and hold an affinity for art, look no further than The Artist’s Field Guide to Yellowstone: A Natural History by Greater Yellowstone’s Artists and Writers. Katie Shepherd Christiansen has compiled an excellent read filled with colorful stories from a wide variety of individuals with a connection to Greater Yellowstone. The book also features unique artwork from over 50 different Greater Yellowstone artists and inspiring illustrations of Greater Yellowstone’s diverse flora and fauna. Whether you reside inside or outside of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, this book lends a natural bridge to the profound experiences and memories this one-of-a-kind ecosystem offers. 

— Lindsey Benov, Senior Development Associate | Bozeman, Montana

If you are looking for a field guide to Yellowstone, I recommend The Artist's Field Guide to Yellowstone. It is a compilation of short stories and beautifully drawn pictures of animals and plants in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The book is organized by four habitat strata: sky, earth, soil, and water. It also "argues for the intrinsic value of this world-renowned ecosystem." The author and one of the artists have lived in ecosystem for many years.  

— Carol Walden, Senior Operations Associate | Bozeman, Montana

Place: Saint Lawrence Basin

During the summer months in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, I always make the time to camp in Saint Lawrence Basin. It is a high-elevation basin in the Wind River Range and located within the Wind River Reservation. There is an unofficial campsite near the closed ranger station cabin and has natural springs where hikers and campers can collect drinking water (this is up to your personal risk and preference). Note: Non-tribal members of the Wind River Reservation must purchase a fishing/trespass permit with a recreation stamp to be on tribal land to hike, climb, fish, etc.

— Colleen Friday, Wind River Conservation Organizer | Fort Washakie, Wyoming

Trail: The Thorofare

I will forever cherish the opportunity I had to spend 10 days backpacking with my husband from Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park all the way to Turpin Meadows just outside the Teton Wilderness Area in Wyoming. For most of those 10 days, the Yellowstone River was our trail companion. At night we often woke to the sound of wolves howling or elk bugling and sometimes emerged from our tent to revel in the most inspiring starry skies. In the mornings we shook the frost off our tent fly and felt so much appreciation for those first rays of sunshine. We saw endless grizzly bear tracks and our hike carried us to the crystal-clear headwaters of the Yellowstone River, at the base of Younts Peak. It felt as if we were in the heart, perhaps even the aorta, of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The experience reminded me why I fell in love with Greater Yellowstone and reaffirmed my commitment to protecting the health of such a remarkable place.

— Brooke Shifrin, Wildlife Conservation Coordinator | Bozeman, Montana

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is the land of 49+ Indigenous Tribes who maintain current and ancestral connections to the lands, waters, wildlife, plants, and more.