Rylee was born and raised at the foot of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, with red rock playgrounds to the south and powder-soft ski trails to the north. Inspired by icons such as Jonathan Scott and Ingrid Visser, her passion for animals found an outlet through the camera lens. Initially a pastime, photography became a mission to support conservation efforts through visual storytelling. From Alaskan brown bears to the wolves of Yellowstone National Park, Rylee's photographs capture creatures and moments. She is an ambassador for Girls Who Click, mentoring aspiring women photographers from around the world.
Rylee graduated from Utah State University in 2019 with a degree in Wildlife Ecology & Management. Her studies sent her deep into the field, from Utah and Oregon to Alaska and Africa.
Rylee pursued full-time guiding in 2021 to stay connected to wild ecosystems and show travelers the wild places she loves. She has guided winter snowcoach trips into Yellowstone's interior, flown to remote islands in Southeast Alaska to view brown bears and kayaked with humpback whales in Juneau. As a Nat Hab Expedition Leader in U.S. national parks and Alaska, she gets to connect travelers to these wild places and lead adventures focused on conservation and sustainability. When not guiding, Rylee still has a nomadic heart and enjoys travel. You can often find her on a pair of skis in the wintertime and backpacking the Rocky Mountains in the summer.
Keep it light and waterproof! You never know what you're going to come across in the field; I always keep my telephoto and landscape lenses on me, as well as a basic lens cleaning tools and rain cover. Although I have plenty of gear, I consolidate the essentials in one camera bag when I'm on the go for easy access.
Rylee’s passion for bears was infectious. Extremely warm and genuine, Rylee made Bear Camp feel like visiting family.
Nancy S.
Rylee is awesome. She's excellent in the field, spotting bears and keeping the group's energy calm and focused when in close proximity to them. She's incredibly intelligent and had answers to pretty much every question I heard anyone ask throughout our time at camp. She seems to be a natural in this type of setting, and everybody seemed to really enjoy talking with her and learning from her.
Malia K.
Rylee was an excellent leader! She was knowledgeable beyond her years, consistently prepared, always kind and considerate to everyone, and a damn good spotter!
Together, Natural Habitat Adventures and World Wildlife Fund have teamed up to arrange nearly 100 nature travel experiences around the planet, while helping to protect the magnificent places we visit and their wild inhabitants.
Get Weekly Updatess
Discover the World's Best
Nature Travel Experiences
Our weekly eNewsletter highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more. Sign up today!
Send Us a Message
Send Us a Message
Have a question or comment? Use the form to the right to get in touch with us.
Refer a Friend
Refer a Friend, Get $250 Off
Earn rewards for referring your friends! We'd like to thank our loyal travelers for spreading the word. Share your friend's address so we can send a catalog, and if your friend takes a trip as a first-time Nat Hab traveler, you'll receive a $250 Nat Hab credit you can use toward a future trip or the purchase of Nat Hab gear. To refer a friend, just complete the form below or call us at 800-543-8917. It's that easy! See rules and fine print here.
View Our 2025/2026 Digital Catalog
View Our 2025/2026
Digital Catalog
Help us save paper! We offer a digital version of The World's Greatest Nature Journeys. If you'd prefer a mailed copy, please provide your contact details here. To view our digital catalog, please enter your info in the form to the right.