What if a summer trail crew job could completely change the direction of your life? What if saying “yes” to working outdoors led you to the Grand Canyon, Denali National Park, and some of the most incredible landscapes in the country?
In this presentation, Andrew shares how joining a trail crew opened the door to a career filled with adventure, travel, teamwork, and purpose. What started as hands-on outdoor work led him from the Great Smoky Mountains and Roan Mountain in Tennessee to Flagstaff, Arizona, the Grand Canyon, and even Denali, where he saw his first grizzly bear in the wild. Along the way, he discovered that the people he met and the connections he built through conservation work directly shaped future career opportunities and helped guide his path in the outdoor industry.
Andrew also shares what life on a trail crew is really like — spending long days outside building and maintaining trails, hiking rugged landscapes, learning technical outdoor skills, and ending the day watching thunderstorms roll across the rim of the Grand Canyon or exploring trails with coworkers who quickly became close friends. He explains how trail crew experiences helped him grow as a leader while giving him opportunities to travel, work in national parks, and experience places many people only dream of visiting.
Today, Andrew works as a Field Coordinator partnering with organizations like the Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and the Ozark Trail Association. His work includes prescribed burns, designing and building trails and trail structures, leading conservation projects, and helping young adults discover opportunities in conservation and outdoor careers through volunteer leadership and trail crew programs. If you enjoy hiking, working outside, traveling, building things, or simply want a career that feels meaningful and adventurous, this presentation offers a real look into how trail crew experiences can become the first step toward a future in the outdoor industry.