A Season in Yellowstone National Park

I love rivers. Big ones, small ones, urban ones, wild ones. Every landscape that enjoys the presence of a river is made the better for it. Natural beauty, history, commerce, recreation. Though often hidden from modern eyes, even neglected, a river is a very special place.

I have started this blog to share my thoughts and experiences about rivers. The catalyst for it is the adventure that Heidi and I will be having this year as seasonal employees in Yellowstone National Park.  From May to October, we will be living at Old Faithful working for Xanterra Resorts, Inc., operators of lodging and guest activites in Yellowstone. Forty hours of work each week, then three days off to explore the Park and beyond in Montana and Wyoming.

I first saw Yellowstone in 1999 on a family vacation trip. Four fishing trips later, it is still a magical place to me. When I first heard about seasonal employment in the Park, it seemed like a great way to experience more than can be shoehorned into a week-long vacation. Family circumstances, much research and simply good timing finally made it a reality for us this year.

I said season...actually, we will definitely be seeing three seasons in Yellowstone. Old Faithful sits at an elevation of 7365 feet within miles of the Continental Divide on the 44th parallel.  May/June will still be spring there; you begin to see fall in the Park shortly after Labor Day. Summer, the sweet spot, is July and August when the Park is warm, lush and full of life.

And oh, the rivers of Yellowstone National Park! The Firehole, Madison, Gibbon, Gallatin, Lamar, Bechler, and the Yellowstone River itself.  They all start along the Continental Divide, flowing through an immense landscape that's still wilderness.

Trout fishing is the main attraction for me. In addition, we're taking our bicycles. There are great trails to hike (Yellowstone gets 3 million visitors a year, less than 3% of them get 100 yards off the roads. Hike 200 yards down any trail, and you have it all to yourself). Bozeman Montana, a great college town, is less than 2 hours away. The Grand Tetons are just outside Yellowstone Park's south entrance. Cody Wyoming, a great cowboy western town, is just outside the east entrance. 

My first day on the job is May 5th; Heidi will be joining me on May 26th. I start driving out there around April  30th. I'll be sharing as much as I can right here.