Naturalist Tour Guide

What is it like to be a Guide? 

It sounds like the best job in the world, right? Spending your days outdoors, hiking through stunning scenery, meeting interesting people from around the globe. We have the best guides in the business, and we try to make it all look effortless and fun.  

So, is it really the best job in the world? I think so – but it is not for everyone. Like any job, it comes with its own set of stresses and joys. This might give you some insight as to whether these are the right stresses and joys for you.   

The days at Evergreen Escapes are long but rewarding. We are typically “on” for 12, 14 hours a day. There are breaks in the action, but guides must calmly work hard all day with an audience, problem-solve on the fly, and have enough energy to keep the group engaged throughout the day. The pace of the day can seem like a magic trick to the guests. As the guide you have to keep everyone on schedule and herd your group throughout the day without making it feel rushed or too structured.  

It follows that you probably won’t get in a good workout every day. Some groups walk much slower than others, but occasionally you’ll get an active group who wants to get in as many miles as possible. You are a part of the group, yet apart from the group. It’s their vacation, not yours, which means you can’t always say what you think or can’t always kick back with everyone else because you have tasks to do.  

At Evergreen, storytelling is the method with which we connect our guests to our region. The story begins with the Escape Artist: How did you end up as a guide for Evergreen Escapes? What makes you passionate about your role with Evergreen Escapes? What is the story of our region? However, the whole adventure is part of the Cascadian story and each component of your tour or program connects to this narrative. 

Thanks for checking us out. I hope to continue the conversation and learn what kind of adventures you’re looking for!  

Naturalist Tour Guide

Position 

Naturalist Tour Guide

Naturalist Tour Guide in Seattle, WA, with Evergreen Escapes for small, luxury nature adventures and urban tours in the Pacific Northwest region.

General Info 

Evergreen Escapes guides lead small group, public and private, nature day tours that depart from Seattle, WA. Evergreen Escapes is seeking guides for the 2025 peak season with the possibility of long-term positions for the right candidate(s). We operate tours year-round; tour volume is highest May through October, during which time we need Full Time Hourly and Part Time Hourly guides to join our existing veteran staff. This is a seasonal position.

Skills and Qualifications 

Required

1.     21 years of age or older (required for our insurance)

2.     Resident of the greater Seattle area or willingness and ability to relocate by May (a must).

3.     Experience in environmental, outdoor, and/or adventure education (semi-confident naturalists required).

4.     Responsible, independent, creative-thinking, self-starting, charismatic individual.

5.     Able to provide 5-star guest service for individuals from various backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures.

6.     Clean driving record.

7.     Comfortable driving 15-passenger vans, crossovers, or SUVs in all conditions (city streets under heavy traffic through winter mountain roads requiring chains to be installed/removed).

8.     Valid Wilderness First Responder or Wilderness First Aid Certification

9.     Valid Washington State Food Handler’s Permit (within 30 days of hiring)

10.  Ability to pass a DOT medical examiner's certificate (physical) and an internal driving exam

11.  Ability to lift 40 lbs./18 kg.

12.  Pass a Washington State Patrol background check.

13.  Exemplary customer service with guests, fellow

guides, and other tour partners

14.  Passionate about the outdoors

15.  Prioritizes safety

16.  Miscellaneous: Owns a cell phone

Desired

1.     4-year degree or higher

2.     Experience in Leadership development, team building, and/or group facilitation

3.     Minimum 1 year experience as an educator and/or interpretive guide

4.     Knowledge of naturalist specialties which may include: anthropology, birding, botany, geology, glaciology, volcanology, or similar.

5.     Pertinent adventure certifications, including: Certified Interpretive Guide, Leave No Trace, Avalanche Level 1, or similar.

6.     Multilingual.

7.     Innate desire to be a more kind, more curious, and more-frequently outdoors human being.

Duties & Responsibilities

Pre-Tour

·      Pre-tour research is required to prepare you for the day. This may include checking weather conditions, traffic alerts and possible road closures, checking your manifest and familiarizing yourself with guest’s names and any relevant information. With this information you’ll come up with your itinerary for the day.

Tour

·      Begin the day at our office in Sodo, Seattle (The Adventure Hub or Hub). Load the vehicle with the supplies for the day. This may include drink cooler, food cooler, lunch kit, breakfast kit, extra clothing, sunscreen, snowshoes, trekking poles, maps, guidebooks, etc.

·      Pick up all guests from their downtown hotels at a predetermined location and time.

·      Safely drive your guests in all weather conditions in a 12 or 15 passenger van.

·      Deliver the best tour itinerary possible for your guests while providing interpretation and sharing your knowledge of the flora, fauna, environmental systems, and history along the way.

·      Serve coffee/tea, snacks, beverages, and lunch throughout the day.

·      Provide value add opportunities for your guests including scenic viewpoints, stops of interest, interpretive storytelling and more.

·      Return guests to their hotel and drive back to the Hub.

Post Tour

·      Fill up the vehicle with gas and return to the Hub.

·      Unload the van, removing all tour supplies, trash and personal items.

·      Rinse and load all dirty dishes in the dishwasher, put away leftover food, place tour linens in the laundry, and return any equipment to its storage location.

·      Complete administrative DOT paperwork for your tour and then clock out for the day.

Expectations throughout the day

·      Promote safety through all aspects of the tour (driving, hiking, snowshoeing, etc.)

·      Facilitate a worry-free experience for guests 

·      Provide 5-star guest service for individuals from various backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures

·      Prepare and deliver quality interpretive information throughout the tour experience

·      Maintain high energy levels throughout a 12–14-hour work day

·      Respond to and anticipates guests’ needs and strive to exceed expectations 

·      Complete tour administration tasks in a timely manner 

Compensation Expenses

Our base pay is $20.76/hour with opportunities for advancement and raises. As a first year guide you can expect to make approximately $270 per trip, plus tips. All guides are paid hourly – this is just an average based on a typical 13-hour day.

We offer higher starting salaries to those with relevant guiding experience and specific certifications. Compensation will increase as guides learn and become proficient in leading multiple itineraries with our company and for those who return in subsequent seasons. Finally, we offer an employee bonus program for those who achieve certain milestones.

Tour expenses will be paid via a company credit card provided to the guide at the beginning of each tour day.

Schedule

We offer Full-time and Part-Time naturalist guide positions

Full-time guides will lead up to 3 trips per week.

Part time guides will lead around 3-8 tours per month.

The schedule will vary week to week as tour demand changes throughout the season. Guides will be expected to work weekends and holidays during the peak season, however, we do our best to give everyone one weekend off each month, depending upon availability and business demands

We expect new team members to commit during the entire peak season and not take any extended vacations from May-October. 



Hiring & Training

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis between January and March, or until all positions have been filled.

Qualified candidates will be invited to an initial interview with a member of our team.

One of the best ways to learn the style and expectations of this role is to come out and see it for yourself. Final candidates will be requested to shadow a complimentary tour with our team as our guest. This offers you the opportunity to see if this position will be a good fit for you and a chance for our team to get to know you even more. You will not be expected to work or hold any responsibilities during this experience.

Newly hired guides will be required to attend our team trainings on all the following dates:

1. Onboarding Week: April 28 – May 2, 2025

2. Field Training: May 20 – May 22, 2025

In addition to our internal training days, each new guide will be expected to shadow a variety of tours before they begin leading their own trips. Most guides will shadow between 3-5 tours in total.

Thank you for your interest.

We look forward to meeting you!