24h • General discussion
How I Ended Up Living Inside the Grand Canyon
Almost 30 years ago, I decided I wanted to live in the Grand Canyon.
Not “in the town near the Grand Canyon.” Not “a cute hotel with canyon-y views.”
I mean IN the actual park. Like… wake up, brush teeth, casually exist next to one of the Seven Wonders.
Here’s the part that makes it extra unhinged: at the time, I hadn’t even been there.
The closest I’d gotten to Arizona was a Phoenix layover and whatever airport nachos I could emotionally justify. I didn’t even start really exploring the Southwest until 2023… but that little dream? It just sat there. Quiet. Patient. Like it knew something I didn’t.
And then in May 2025… I finally did it.
Yep. I lived in the Grand Canyon for a little over two months — North Rim (aka the quieter, less touristy, higher-elevation side that feels like the Canyon’s introvert twin). I got a job out there, and it came with employee housing inside the park.
Which still feels fake to say out loud.
And it wasn’t just “cool.” It was one of those experiences that rearranges your insides a little.
The first time I pulled over and saw the Canyon in real life, my brain straight up refused to process it.
Like: nope, that’s a backdrop. That’s a painting somebody commissioned.
It took me a couple weeks to fully accept - this is not art. This is geology showing off.
Then came the night sky.
The first night I sat outside with my stargazing binoculars - whew! I’m talking a disrespectful amount of stars. Like the universe was being dramatic on purpose. Stars blinking... shooting... doing the cha-cha slide and whatnot.
(And yes, I’m aware this makes me sound like someone who owns crystals and says “downloads,” but I swear I saw more than one UFO. 😅 Or… a "satellite," if that helps you sleep better at night lol.)
In my free time, I learned how to hike the North Kaibab trial - one of the most strenuous trails in the Canyon. There's a sign that says, "You don't have to go down, but you have to come back up." I didn't understand how funny in a wheezing, leg-shaking-kind-of-way, that sign was.
Until that point, I had never hiked before. Ever!!! Not “I’m not really a hiker.” Not “I mostly do flat trails.” I mean, zero hikes. And for those of you who have never hiked... get the damn hiking poles.
With that said, I also have to admit that there were moments where I had to meet brand-new fears I didn’t know I was carrying.
Like finding out (while I was driving up the mountain with 3 cars riding my tail on a one-lane road) that wide open spaces, with drop-offs scared the crap out of me. I went from doing 40mph to 10, while nearly passing out behind the wheel. But I made it, because I had to!
Now here’s the wild part... if someone had told me, “Living in a national park will be on your 2025 bingo card,” I would’ve rolled my eyes so hard I’d have seen my own brain. I didn’t even know seasonal jobs inside the national park system were a thing.
In March 2025, I randomly came across a seasonal job listing… and it cracked open this whole hidden world:
- Park jobs that are real (not “volunteer for vibes”)
- Employee housing (yes, inside the park)
- Seasonal work that you can stack strategically
And once I saw it, I couldn’t unsee it.
I was like… why isn’t everyone talking about this???? This is a whole super awesome industry sitting in plain sight.
Today, I live and work in another national park. (There was a major wildfire at the North Rim in July 2025 and we were evacuated - which is a sentence I never expected to write in my life.)
Now I wake up surrounded by red rock canyons. White tail deer and wild turkeys casually wander outside employee housing like they pay rent. I hike some of the most beautiful trails in Arizona and Utah… and I’m within driving distance of slot canyons that would blow your mind.
But the biggest change? I learned how to make a real living doing seasonal park jobs.
I didn’t start out making great money. I started out learning. I learned what to target, what to ask, what to avoid, and how to move smarter instead of just hoping it works out.
That’s why I started Park Jobs Insider.
I want people to find real park jobs, understand the actual housing situation, and know the real expectations so they can do this without showing up and going, “Wait… WHAT do you mean I share a bathroom with four strangers and a moose?” (Just kidding... about the moose!)
👇 Now I want to hear about YOU:
- Which park (or state) would you love to work in?
- Do you need housing provided, or are you RV-friendly?
- What roles would you actually do? (kitchen, housekeeping, cashier, driver, guest services, maintenance, etc.)
Drop it in the comments. I read every single comment, plus I may be able to direct you to parks that are hiring right now.
0
0 comments
How I Ended Up Living Inside the Grand Canyon
powered by
skool.com/the-park-jobs-insider-3080
Seasonal jobs in and near national parks—fresh postings, housing notes, and real expectations so you can apply with confidence.
Suggested communities
Powered by