I grew up in a very active family. We traveled all over America hiking and camping in incredible locations. I am very thankful for my parents because they helped shape my love for adventure. I have been to forty-two states and I am trying to visit all fifty before I am twenty-five. My outdoor hobbies include kayaking, fishing, camping, and hiking. Most notably I have kayaked in the mangroves in Florida, in a lake in Glacier National Park, around the San Juan islands in Washington, and in the bioluminescent bay in Grand Cayman.
I started college at UNC Charlotte, but I was visiting Appalachian State so often to hike that I decided to transfer. I have hiked a lot of the Appalachian Trail, but not consecutively.
I have driven across America four times. In 2008, I drove across the country with my family and visited The Four Corners, Monument Valley, Chaco Canyon, Mesa Verde National park, the Grand Canyon, and many other places.
I have continued to hike and camp a lot on the east coast mostly in Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. In 2016 I wanted to plan a trip and see more of the north western states. Although I love the mountains of North Carolina I wanted to see the snow-capped mountains of the west. I realized, after planning a trip out west, I didn't have gear or finances to support a summer-long exploration. Instead of traveling across the country on an extreme budget I decided to get a summer job out west instead.
A friend of mine discovered a company called Xanterra Parks and Resorts. This company hires people from all over the world to come and work in American national parks. We both applied and were hired to work in Yellowstone National Park. This solved all my financial problems because the company provided food, a pass to all national parks, and cabins in the park with a small cut from my wages. So May 15th, 2016, a friend and I packed up my car and drove to Chicago. We planned to see the Bad Lands and the Washington Monument but were unable to because my car broke down in Sioux Falls South Dakota. After this three day set back we drove through the night to Butte Montana where we met up with others and all drove down to Wyoming together. We were assigned to Grant Village were we lived among people from all over America, Russia, Italy, Germany, Spain, Thailand, and many other places.
I was a waitress in the Grant Village Dining room that overlooked Yellowstone Lake. I did not learn about the parks are nature through my job, but I was given plenty of time off each week to travel and attend nature talks. I learned about the different trees, scat, and animals while getting to see everything in real life. During this time I hiked over one-hundred and fifty miles in Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, and visited the coasts of Washington and Oregon. I was able to swim in the hot springs, kayak, camp, hike, go white water rafting, and mountain biking.
I spent most mornings sitting by Yellowstone Lake and journaling. When I had a night shift I would take off to Grand Teton National Park, because it was only two hours from my village, and hike. Grand Teton National Park is filled with amazing lakes where I could sit and observe the bears, elk, and moose. I planned most of the hikes I did and able to take my new friends from around the world with me. We all became very close. Introducing camping and marshmallows to them was very rewarding. I was able to see and do more because I brought my car. The hardest hike I did was the Table Mountain Trail. It was a twelve-mile hike that led to the back of the Tetons.
I did not learn everything I know about hiking, camping, and nature by working in the park. This experience took my base level education and provided me with skills and knowledge about the national park world I could not get anymore else. I was given a hands-on experience and learned about tricks, trails, and locations only a national park employee can get. Because I was able to talk to people who have lived and worked there for years and learn about the best campsites, trails, and places to see animals. After a month of being there, I was able to give the guests guidance for a better experience than a regular tourist.
I now live in the mountains of North Carolina. Although the terrain is vastly different, I am still able to use skills and knowledge I learned in Yellowstone and apply it to my adventures here. I plan to continue checking out the best the east coast has to offer, but I will definitely be back out west soon to see the beautiful snow-capped mountains again.
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