Zoe De La Paz, a 26-year-old former corporate mechanical designer, has embraced a new life working as a seamstress at Yellowstone National Park. She left her $75,000-a-year engineering job in Chicago to pursue a career that aligns more closely with her creative passions. After visiting a friend working seasonally in Yellowstone, she was inspired by the park’s natural beauty and the freedom of seasonal work, leading her to secure a sewing job with Xanterra Parks & Resorts, the concessionaire managing hotels and services inside the park.

De La Paz’s work involves mending and tailoring uniforms for thousands of Yellowstone employees, including housekeepers, security, and tour guides. Her days start early with a shuttle ride from her dorm in Mammoth Village, where she pays $96 monthly for lodging shared with roommates. Despite earning less than before, De La Paz values her proximity to nature and the lower living costs, with meal stipends helping offset food expenses. She enjoys the unique challenges of her job, such as upcycling old backpacks into fanny packs and working alongside colleagues with diverse backgrounds.

Her July 2026 expenses highlight a frugal lifestyle, with $96 for rent, $742 on food (including both subsidized meals and eating out), and $586 allocated to savings and investments. De La Paz maintains about $11,000 in emergency savings, retains a 401(k) from her corporate career, and benefits from low-cost health care through an employee clinic. On special occasions like her birthday, her spending spiked with purchases like a new sewing machine and hosting family and friends.

Living in Yellowstone has transformed De La Paz’s outlook on work and life, blending her creative interests with a deep connection to nature. As her seasonal contract ends in September, she is exploring new opportunities in Los Angeles and New York related to costume and tailoring work in the entertainment industry. She remains optimistic and ready to build on the career foundation she established in Yellowstone, embracing the uncertainty of what comes next with enthusiasm.