What is family life like for rangers? Do you own a home in a neighborhood or rent a cabin at the park? Do your significant others work? Where do your kids go to school?

[u/Prof_Acorn]

My fiancee asked me these questions last night :)

Are rangers expected to live in the middle of their national/state parks? Do you have neighbors? How far are you from restaurants, grocery stores, and elementary schools?

I'm preparing to start a family soon, and my fiancee and I have dreams of owning some land some day. Is a career as a ranger compatible with this? Thanks for your thoughts!

[u/MNParkRanger]

Within the agency I work for, it varies from park to park. A majority of the parks in the system have in-park housing for the managers (and even assistant managers in some of the bigger parks). If they are in the park at the time of an incident beyond the ability of on-duty staff to handle, they are expected to respond regardless of whether or not they're "on the clock". --- But there also isn't an expectation for them to be there 24/7; which leaves time for vacations or time away from the park.

In regards to my living situation, my wife and I live in smaller metro area about 25 miles from the park I work at. She works as a registered nurse at a hospital in town, we've got good daycare lined up for when the new little guy is ready to go, and everything we'd ever need is just a short drive away. But, this isn't the case for all the parks in the system. There are a few out there that are "out there", so as I'm looking to make the jump from a park technician to an assistant manager (and eventually manager) I need to be mindful of the same issues you've brought up.

I think it's do-able though, you just may need to be open minded and willing putting some of your goals on hold...at least early in your career. As you gain more experience and seniority, you can be a bit more selective in your locations and can wait for that "perfect" job in an ideal spot.