Imagine its your first summer after starting college, you pack you car to the brim with suitcases, then you start a 2000 mile trip from Georgia to Yellowstone National Park with your mom and sister. You guys decide to take turns driving and drive through the night, not getting a hotel room until you reach Montana, over 30 hours later. You do a little sight seeing, then the next morning you head into the park to start your summer job while your sister and mom ride off in their rental car.

This was me, right before I turned 18. I decided it was time for my first adventure- alone. I was ecstatic, but also a bundle of anxiety. My family was headed on their own road trip and I had just signed up to work the next three months in a national park I’ve never even visited. As I made my way through the park, to Lake Yellowstone Hotel, I knew I had made the right decision. What I didn’t know was that working at Yellowstone would change my outlook on life, make me realize my passion and create some of the most amazing memories.

Hiking is Harder at a Higher Elevation

Yellowstone’s elevation is about 8,000 feet, the exact number varies depending on what part of the park you’re in. Even though I knew hiking in high elevation would be harder, I was still shocked at how much I struggled on those first few hikes.

It didn’t help that I chose a 4.6 mile hike with a 1,300 feet elevation gain for my first hike. I quickly realized hiking at a higher elevation was no easy task. I thought the switch backs would never end and I definitely took my fair share of breaks, but it was all worth it as soon as I reached the top.

Yellowstone is a Truly Magic Place

Over 4 million people visit Yellowstone each year and I now understand why. I’m not being dramatic when I say Yellowstone is a magical place, hopefully when you look at these pictures you’ll understand what I mean! You can climb mountains, experience wildlife up close (in your car, never get to close to them!), see geysers erupt and soak in natural hot springs all in one national park.

Always be Prepared When Hiking

Unfortunately , I learned this one the hard way. Me and a group of friends decided to hike 9.1 miles(round trip) to Osprey Falls. About halfway to the waterfall, we realized a thunderstorm was brewing. There wasn’t much to do except wait it out. And while we all had rain coats, my cheap target one was no match for a downpour. Luckily we all made it back safe (and still got to see the waterfall) but it opened my eyes to how quickly weather can change and how you should always be prepared.

Before starting a hike, you should always check the weather, pack extra layers and snacks, and be prepared for changing weather conditions.

Wildlife is Everywhere in Yellowstone

Getting stuck in a bison jam is something I’ll never forget. Literally 30-40 bison with their calf were all over the road, walking past cars, just living their best lives. I was stoked to be apart of it! I would definitely rather be caught in a bison jam than traffic on I-85 any day.

Another time I was traveling back to my dorm when I saw a baby and mama bear just on the bank. Getting to observe them from the safety of my car was amazing!

Since Working at Yellowstone, All I Want to Do is Travel & Hike

Now I know what you’re thinking, that’s what most people want to do. But I was not prepared to feel the way I did after my summer working at Yellowstone came to an end. I was ready to drop out of college and apply for my next seasonal job. As you can imagine, my parents were not happy about that and my advisor was able to talk me into finishing my degree. In their defense, I was already half way done with my associates, why not just finish it, right? While I didn’t drop out of college and spend all my time traveling, I am still very passionate about traveling, hiking, and visiting all the national parks in my free time. Don’t worry, I am currently manifesting a future where I get paid to travel 🙂