I am consistently impressed with this blog’s ability to connect me with other people that are interested in the way my husband and I are living and working. The private messages I have been getting have given me the sense that many people want to find ways in their own lives to live and work somewhere spectacular, even just temporarily. In the past four years I have had lots of experience seeking out job opportunities in amazing places and I want you to know it’s not hard! There are amazing opportunities everywhere; you only need to know where to look. Below are three stellar options for living and working off the beaten path that have been tested and approved by me. I may be 22, but these opportunities have absolutely no age limit. So read on, get inspired, and go do something amazing!

Work in a National Park

So many people live for the week or two in the summer when they can get away from their jobs and take a vacation in one of America’s majestic national parks. Why not flip that equation by living and working in one instead? In 2012 I joined the Grand Teton Lodge Company and spent the summer working in a small campground in Grand Teton National Park. Days off were spent hiking and backpacking through the mountains and occasional trips to Yellowstone. To say it was an incredible experience is an understatement. I made lifelong friends and got to know a mountain range intimately. Overall, working in the Tetons was one of the most rewarding summers I have ever had.

What to Expect:

Vail works with the Grand Teton Lodge Company, and companies like Xanterra work in Yellowstone and Death Valley. You will want to look for jobs through them, not the National Park Service. National Park hospitality is typically run by concessionaires that hire a wide range of people for both seasonal and full time positions.works with the Grand Teton Lodge Company, and companies likework in Yellowstone and Death Valley. You will want to look for jobs through them, not the National Park Service.

Park concessionaires hire people from around the world, making park living a truly international experience. I shared my dorm room with roommates from Jamaica and Moldova.

Most jobs deal directly with hospitality. Expect to do housekeeping, fill reservations, bus at a restaurant, or work in a campground. I worked in a campground and had friends that did everything from run a grocery store to be nighttime security guards.

Food and lodging is usually provided through dorms and an employee dining room, although some parks have an employee campground with hookups for RVs.

Unless you have previous experience in related fields, expect to make minimum wage or just above with a small portion of your salary deducted for food and lodging.

Most national parks are busiest in the summer months, meaning that a lot of hospitality positions are seasonal. However, many employees migrate from park to park, spending the winter months working at ski resorts or hot climate parks like Death Valley. Oftentimes concessionaires like Vail are located in several parks and are happy to move their employees around seasonally.

NOTE: If you want to do ministry work while living and working in a park, check out A Christian Ministry in the National Parks. This incredibly organization forms ministry teams from willing employees and trains them to lead worship services in the park. It’s a very rewarding experience and it was the defining part of my summer.

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