This article originally appeared on The Trek, which you can read here.
Are you thinking of becoming a guide in the aftermath of your thru-hike and wondering what it’s really like to work in the outdoor industry? You’ve come to the right place.
When I completed the AT in 2021, I knew I wanted to create a new life that better aligned with the values I discovered during my thru-hike. A big part of that was a career shift. After experiencing months of freedom, I knew I didn’t want to return to working behind a desk, so I began looking into more nontraditional roles.
Ultimately, I landed a gig working as a backpacking guide in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I went on to work three seasons as a guide for a local company, leading tours throughout the Southeast and interacting with guests from around the world. My experience isn’t unique; many thru-hikers seek meaningful work in the outdoor industry after their hikes.
On the surface, the outdoor industry seems like the perfect place for hiker trash to land without clocking in for a traditional 9-to-5. There are certainly pros to these jobs, but there are also cons that can make this style of work unsustainable for many.
Here’s a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly side of the outdoor industry, based on my experience.
Pros of Working in the Outdoor Industry
More Time Outside
The biggest appeal of guiding was that Mother Nature became my office. After the AT, I worked remotely for a couple of months and quickly realized I wasn’t cut out for a desk job. After experiencing the freedom of trail life, being indoors all day felt stifling. When I clocked out, I rarely had the energy to get outside and do what I actually enjoyed.
Guiding meant earning money while spending time outdoors. I was literally paid to hike and teach people about the natural wonders I love.
Sharing my passion for the outdoors quickly hooked me. Watching guests summit mountains and learn skills like how to set up a tent, start a fire, and filter water made the work feel meaningful. I loved seeing guests’ confidence grow over the course of a trip and watching bonds form between people who had just met. It reminded me of the community thru-hikers often experience and how easy it is to connect with strangers when you’re working toward a shared goal.
Flexible Schedule
Depending on the company and role, schedules can vary widely. Most of my trips ran Thursday through Sunday, leaving Monday through Wednesday off. During peak season, though, it wasn’t uncommon to have only a day (sometimes even less than 24 hours) between trips. Some companies use a one-week-on, one-week-off model.
The schedule can be sporadic, but if a traditional 40-hour workweek isn’t for you, the outdoor industry offers alternatives that may be more appealing. I enjoyed having random weekdays off to go grocery shopping, schedule appointments, or visit less-crowded trails. The trade-off is that most weekends are spent working.
Pro Deals
One widely advertised perk of outdoor jobs is access to pro deals. Brands like Kuhl, Black Diamond, NEMO, prAna, and Big Agnes offer discounts to outdoor professionals. There are even whole sites dedicated to pro deals, like Outdoor Prolink and ExpertVoice.
Signing up is straightforward and easy, typically just filling out a form and providing proof of employment. Discounts often start around 25% off and can reach 50% or more.
One downside is that many ultralight and cottage gear companies don’t offer pro deals. It never hurts to email customer service and ask, though. Sometimes you’ll get lucky and score a discount.
Building a Community of Like-Minded People
One of my favorite parts of guiding was the people. From co-guides to guests, the outdoor world tends to attract folks who genuinely love being outside and share similar values. My coworkers quickly became close friends, and we often spent time together after trips.
Most guests fell into three categories: 1) Experienced backpackers who wanted someone else to handle logistics, 2) People who wanted to go backpacking but couldn’t get their friends and family to go with them, and 3) Complete beginners looking to learn backcountry skills. Whatever led them to sign up for the trip, they were usually excited to be there. Occasionally, there was a difficult personality in the mix, but most guests were enthusiastic, curious, and eager to challenge themselves.
Introspection and Growth
Guiding constantly prompted reflection. Guests regularly asked questions like, “Why do I have to pack out my trash?” or “Why do I need to dig a cathole?” Explaining Leave No Trace principles forced me to articulate my own values around stewardship.
There are often opportunities for continuing education, like naturalist programs, Master Leave No Trace certification, and more. Many companies require guides to be Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder certified, and some employers subsidize these credentials.
For example, the company I worked for wanted a yoga teacher on staff and paid for half of my 200-hour yoga teacher training. They also fully covered my Wilderness First Responder training and recertification. I still rely heavily on what I learned through these trainings.
Tips
The company I worked for paid hourly, though some guiding companies pay per trip. If you’re lucky, the base rate hovers near a living wage, but this career path isn’t known for its high pay.
Tips can significantly boost income. On good trips, I walked away with several hundred dollars, and once even cleared over $1,200 for a four-day trip. Other times, I earned less than $200. I was doing the same amount of work on every trip, yet the tips varied wildly. I list this as a pro because big tips can help offset inconsistent pay, but the variability is extreme and worth noting.
Cons of Working in the Outdoor Industry
Inconsistent Schedule
The flip side of flexibility is instability. Most outdoor work is seasonal. My guiding season ran from March through November. Many coworkers picked up winter jobs at ski resorts, while I scrambled for part-time work at home.
Outside of peak season, when we sometimes worked six or seven days a week, work could dry up completely. No trips meant no paycheck, which made budgeting difficult. It often felt like a constant cycle of feast or famine.
Housing Instability
Short-term housing can be one of the biggest challenges. Some seasonal jobs provide housing (often dorm-style), but many do not. Many guides piece together temporary arrangements through Facebook groups, short-term rentals, couch surfing, or even sleeping in their cars between trips.
Lack of Insurance
It’s rare for guiding companies to offer benefits. Many guides are classified as independent contractors (1099) rather than employees (W-4), which means no employer-provided insurance or benefits. Given the physical demands of guiding, this is a significant drawback. Many of my coworkers and I relied on government healthcare plans. Others simply went uninsured and paid out of pocket for routine care, or skipped annual appointments altogether.
A Glorified Customer Service Job
As glamorous as guiding can appear, it is fundamentally customer service in the backcountry. At times, it can feel like you are constantly performing and required to always be “on.”
My primary responsibility was keeping guests safe and happy. As fun as hiking for work was, I wasn’t there for my own enjoyment. I didn’t get to pick the routes; our pace was dictated by the group and was usually slower than I prefer, and we were required to stop hourly for breaks. Ensuring paying customers had a good experience sometimes meant sacrificing my own.
For the most part, it was easy to connect with guests, and I enjoyed the work tremendously. I was deeply invested in creating the best possible experience and worked hard to convey my passion for backpacking and the natural world.
Because I poured so much of myself into each trip, it was difficult not to take negative reviews or critical comments personally. Often, guest frustrations stemmed from things outside my control, like the weather or dissatisfaction with their gear.
While these experiences are my own, I’ve heard similar sentiments from guides across the outdoor industry — from hiking and rafting to bike tours and canyoneering. These shared challenges likely contribute to the industry’s high turnover.
Even so, I look back on my guiding years with deep fondness and gratitude. I met some of my closest friends in this role and spent countless days hiking in the sunshine instead of sitting in an office. I’ve seen guests cry happy tears on trips, watched eyes light up at the first sight of fireflies, and celebrated everything from a perfectly pitched tent to someone’s first time pooping in the woods. Creating a safe, supportive, and fun environment for guests to learn about the outdoors was the true highlight of my guiding career.
While working as a backpacking guide wasn’t sustainable for me long term, it was an invaluable bridge back into the “real world” after my thru-hike. If you’re unsure what to do post-trail, guiding for a season can create valuable breathing room while you figure out what’s next. No matter how many seasons you log, I don’t think you’ll regret it.
Magic in the Mountains 
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