# Nomad Sidekick

> National park guides & seasonal work tips from someone who lived there


## Posts

- [Best Gifts for Hikers: 10 Gift Ideas I'd Actually Want (2026 Gift Guide)](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/gifts-for-hikers/): Shopping for a hiker? Here are the gifts I'd actually be excited to unwrap, from Darn Tough socks with a lifetime guarantee to my favorite water filter, all sorted by price.
- [Do You Need Bear Spray in Glacier National Park? Yes, and Here’s How to Use It](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/do-you-need-bear-spray-glacier-national-park/): Yes, you need bear spray in Glacier. A former Glacier server shares how to actually use it, what to do if you spray yourself, and where to buy or rent it cheap.
- [Driving Going-to-the-Sun Road: Is It Scary? My Honest Experience Living in Glacier](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/is-going-to-the-sun-road-scary/): Is Going-to-the-Sun Road scary? I've driven it 30+ times. Where the drop-offs are, which direction is less scary, and tips for nervous drivers.
- [5-Day Glacier National Park Itinerary for Hikers & Non-Hikers (From Someone Who Lived There)](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/glacier-national-park-5-day-itinerary/): The 5-day Glacier National Park itinerary I'd give a friend: the best of the park plus Waterton and Bowman Lake, with hiker and non-hiker versions.
- [3 Days in Glacier National Park: The Itinerary I’d Give My Friends (Hikers & Non-Hikers)](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/glacier-national-park-3-day-itinerary/): The 3-day Glacier National Park itinerary I'd give a friend, with Two Medicine for non-hikers and Grinnell Glacier for hikers, from someone who lived there.
- [2-Day Glacier National Park Itinerary for Hikers & Non-Hikers (From Someone Who Lived There)](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/glacier-national-park-2-day-itinerary/): Only have 2 days in Glacier National Park? Here's exactly what I'd do, with a hiker and non-hiker version, from someone who lived and worked in the park.
- [5 Underrated Hikes in Glacier National Park (From Someone Who Lived There)](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/underrated-hikes-glacier-national-park/): I hiked about 400 miles in Glacier. These are the underrated trails that surprised me most, with almost no crowds and jaw-dropping views.
- [7-Day Glacier National Park Itinerary for Hikers & Non-Hikers (From a Former Park Employee)](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/glacier-national-park-7-day-itinerary/): The exact 7-day Glacier National Park itineraries I'd give my friends, one for hikers and one for non-hikers, from someone who lived and worked in the park.
- [Where to Stay in Glacier National Park: East vs. West Side (From Someone Who Lived There)](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/east-vs-west-glacier-national-park-where-to-stay/): Where to stay in Glacier National Park, from someone who lived there: east vs. west side, the best lodges, and where I'd book.
- [Best Many Glacier Hikes Besides Grinnell Glacier (From a Former Local)](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/best-many-glacier-hikes/): Not doing Grinnell? These are the best hikes in Many Glacier, from someone who used to live there and has done them all: Cracker Lake, Iceberg Lake and Swiftcurrent.
- [Bowman Lake to Kintla Lake via Boulder Pass: The Most Underrated Backpacking Trip in Glacier National Park](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/bowman-lake-to-kintla-lake-backpacking-guide/): I'm sharing my full Bowman Lake to Kintla Lake route through Boulder Pass and Hole in the Wall in Glacier National Park, plus permits, campsites, shuttle info, gear, and everything I wish I knew before going.
- [My Backpacking Gear List: The Hiking & Backpacking Gear I Actually Use](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/favorite-hiking-backpacking-gear/): These are my favorite hiking and backpacking essentials, including the gear, snacks, and little comforts I actually use and love on the trail.
- [Best Time to Visit Glacier National Park: A Month-by-Month Guide From Someone Who Lived Here](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/best-time-to-visit-glacier-national-park/): After spending an entire summer living in Glacier National Park, I definitely have opinions on the best time to visit! Here's what Glacier is really like from May through October, and why early September is my pick.
- [My First Backpacking Trip in Glacier National Park: What I Packed & What I Learned](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/backpacking-glacier-national-park/): Come along for my first-ever backpacking trip through Glacier National Park: a 3-day adventure from Belly River to Goat Haunt, what I packed, what I learned, and what it's really like backpacking in grizzly country.
- [Yellowstone vs. Glacier National Park From Someone Who’s Lived in Both: Which Should You Visit?](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/yellowstone-vs-glacier-national-park/): Yellowstone vs. Glacier National Park: which should you visit? I've lived and worked seasonal jobs in both. Here's my honest comparison of wildlife, hiking, crowds, scenery, and what each park does best, plus which one I'd choose.
- [What It’s Actually Like to Work a Seasonal Job in a National Park](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/seasonal-job-national-park/): Curious what it's really like to work a seasonal job in a national park? I'm answering the questions I get asked most about pay, housing, food, getting hired, and everyday life from my own experience.
- [A Beginner's Guide to Solo Travel: How to Actually Start Traveling](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/beginners-guide-solo-travel/): Everything I wish someone had told me before my first solo trip: the mindset, the money, the packing, and the first small step that gets you out the door.

## Pages

- [Blog](https://nomadsidekick.com/blog/)
- [Home](https://nomadsidekick.com/): I'm Renata. I share firsthand national park guides, hikes, road trips, seasonal work tips, and everything I learn from actually living in the places I write about.
- [Custer State Park](https://nomadsidekick.com/custer-state-park/): Winding wildlife loops where bison, pronghorn, and burros roam free beneath granite spires.
- [Yellowstone National Park](https://nomadsidekick.com/yellowstone-national-park/): Geysers roaring skyward, steaming hot springs, and bison grazing across a vast volcanic wilderness.
- [New Zealand](https://nomadsidekick.com/new-zealand/): Misty fjords, rolling green hills, and adrenaline-fueled days bookended by starry skies.
- [Glacier National Park](https://nomadsidekick.com/glacier-national-park/): My favorite hikes, backpacking routes, hidden gems, and firsthand tips from a full season of living and working in Glacier.
- [Affiliate Disclosure](https://nomadsidekick.com/affiliate-disclosure/): Transparency matters. Here’s how Nomad Sidekick earns money and how I choose what to recommend.
- [Contact](https://nomadsidekick.com/contact/): Questions about seasonal work, a trip you’re planning, or a brand collaboration? Send me a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I have service.
- [About](https://nomadsidekick.com/about/): Seasonal worker, slow traveler, and the person behind Nomad Sidekick.
- [Destinations](https://nomadsidekick.com/destinations/): Firsthand guides to the national parks and places I’ve actually lived and worked: the hikes worth your time, when to go, where to stay, and what I wish I’d known before I arrived.
- [Privacy Policy](https://nomadsidekick.com/privacy-policy/): How Nomad Sidekick collects, uses, and protects your information.


[comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)