While I was on the road, my boss called me and offered me a six-month contract as a supervisor. I had never managed anyone before and wasn’t sure if I wanted to commit to six months.

But I decided to give it a try.

Six years later, I’m still here working for Yellowstone’s Co-Op Employee Recreation Program.

The advantages are unbeatable

As a manager, I get free accommodation, which is great. At first, I lived in a dorm with roommates, but now I live alone and have a small studio with a double bed, a kitchen, a big wardrobe and a dining table.

From my bed I have a fantastic view of Electric Peak, the highest peak in the Gallatin Range. I climbed it, and it’s even cooler that I can see my accomplishments every morning.

Managers also receive three free meals a day. The cafeteria offers a hotline, cereal, soup, a sandwich bar and a salad bar. Some days are better than others, but I’m always happy because I don’t have to shop or spend time cooking.

As a manager, I work 10 hours a day and have three days off at the weekend, although sometimes I have to adapt to events. This has changed everything and I don’t think I could ever manage a five-day work week. My salary allows me to live comfortably here and even save a little for travel in my free time.

I have a built-in community and social life

Every day I have breakfast with everyone in the dining hall. It’s really fun because as soon as I wake up I’m surrounded by my friends and my community.

Every day is a little different, but our job is to organize events for around 5,000 Yellowstone employees. In the evenings, there is almost always some kind of program, such as karaoke, volleyball, movie nights, arts and crafts, and trivia games. We even have a prom where we all get ready together, go to the prom, and then end the evening at the staff pub.

On weekends, my friends and I do all kinds of activities around the park.

Sometimes we bundle up, take sleeping bags into the open valleys and go stargazing. We also enjoy wildlife watching, paddling, hiking, and visiting gateway towns. We even host campfires and camping nights where we bring large groups together and celebrate in the national forests.

Some aspects of the lifestyle can make it difficult to put down roots

Relationships develop quickly here because we all live and work together. People who met two weeks ago move in together or go to another park. I have a lot of friends who met and got married here and now have Yellowstone babies, which is cool.

For some, however, the exact opposite is the case.

A lot of people have “Yellowstone affairs” where you know you’re going your separate ways at the end of the season. Sometimes I meet someone and hang out with them and then they leave and I want to stay. I still find it’s a great place to meet people because everyone is like-minded. People want to travel, work seasonally and live this adventurous life. But it’s also really hard and usually doesn’t work out unless you’re both ready to walk away.

Generally, there is turnover every three to six months and that’s just the nature of seasonal work. So I’ve had to say goodbye to one group of friends after another. I think that’s the hardest part.

But I’m also very lucky to have good friends who have been here the whole time, like my boss, who started the same year as me and who I’ve been best friends with ever since.

At 28, it’s hard because I’m so happy here, but I also want to have a family and settle down. This job and lifestyle has opened my eyes to where seasonal work can lead, so lately I’ve been thinking about working in other parks and other places in the world.

But the great thing about living in Yellowstone is that there is always more to do and see. With so much land to explore, I never get bored.