Latitudes with Lucy

I wrote this post for the people who message me, “How can I get a summer job in a national park?” I receive many requests like this, and it’s not a simple question to answer. If you’re here from one of my viral TikToks about my job in Glacier, welcome to my blog! 

I found my first seasonal job when I ate at a restaurant in Many Glacier Hotel, and my mom suggested, “You could work here!” I applied with Xanterra, and I spent the following two summers living and working in Glacier National Park. Read about my jobs and experiences here.

Most seasonal jobs in national parks are in food service at restaurants, retail at gift shops, and housekeeping or front desk at hotels. There are also unique jobs with tour operators such as raft guides or horseback tours. There’s a seasonal job for nearly everyone. Seasonal workers might be college students on summer break, retired seniors, professionals undergoing a career change, or just full-time parkies.

Xanterra is one of the major national park concessioners with properties in Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Death Valley, and Rocky Mountain national parks. Pursuit is a similar company with locations across the U.S. including Alaska. I also recommend looking for independent, family-owned businesses to work for. CoolWorks.com is a great place to start.

Whether you work for a large company or small business, seasonal jobs are hit-or-miss. With seasonal positions, don’t expect competitive pay, benefits, or time off. High staff turnover rates mean it’s hard to keep talent, so management and working conditions are inconsistent over seasons. A great place to find honest insight is the r/seasonalwork thread on Reddit.

What to consider when choosing a seasonal job:

• Housing– Is it included? Dorm or apartment-style? How do you feel about bunking with random roommates who might not be your same age?
• Food– Is there an employee dining room? Where is the nearest grocery store?
• Transportation– Can/should you bring a car? Access to groceries and a pharmacy?
• Location– Nearest town? Proximity to park attractions? What activities and services are important to you?

Seasonal work has high highs and low lows. If it were easy, wouldn’t everyone work in a national park?

If you’ve worked in a national park, leave a comment! How was your experience?