Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 178 is my conversation with Rick Hoeninghausen, who has spent more than 28 years working in Yellowstone National Park. Rick arrived in 1980 as a seasonal laundry worker, got the bug for the place, and never left, eventually becoming head of marketing for Xanterra Travel Collection. He shares what makes America's first national park so unique, what it is like watching Old Faithful for decades, and why the Lamar Valley is called the Serengeti of North America.
Listen now: Megaphone · Spotify.
Rick Hoeninghausen is the head of marketing for Xanterra Travel Collection. He started at Yellowstone in 1980 as a seasonal laundry worker and spent 28 years there, working through nearly every department from housekeeping to engineering to food and beverage before moving into management and his current marketing role.
Yellowstone was America's first national park, designated in 1872. It covers roughly 3,500 square miles, contains over 10,000 hydrothermal features, more than half of all such features on Earth, and is home to over 60,000 large animals, the largest concentration of wildlife in the temperate zone of North America.
Old Faithful erupts approximately every 90 minutes, shooting water up to 180 feet in the air. It was named by members of the Washburn expedition of 1870 for its remarkable predictability, which lets visitors plan around an eruption.
The Lamar Valley, in the northern part of the park, is often called the Serengeti of North America. It is a vast open valley home to herds of bison, elk, and pronghorn, with the best wildlife viewing at dawn and dusk when predators like wolves and bears are active.
While most people visit in summer, Rick recommends winter, December through March, for far fewer crowds, spectacular steam rising from geysers into the cold air, and wildlife that stands out against the snow, a more peaceful and intimate experience.
I have been to Yellowstone, and it is one of those places that stays with you, and after hearing Rick talk about it after 28 years working there, you realize there are layers most visitors never experience. His journey from the laundry room to leading marketing for one of the premier hospitality companies in the national parks is remarkable, and what really strikes me is his genuine passion for the place. I wanted listeners to get the park through his eyes.
Press play in the player above to hear it.
Rick arrived in 1980 planning to work one summer in the laundry and got the bug for Yellowstone instead. He worked through nearly every department before moving into leadership. Hear his full journey in the episode.
Over 10,000 hydrothermal features, more than half on the planet, sit inside one park, from Old Faithful to the Grand Prismatic Spring. Rick explains why Congress preserved it in 1872. Listen to that section of the conversation.
The Lamar Valley is Rick's favorite place in the park, full of bison, elk, and predators at dawn and dusk. He describes watching the sunrise with the whole valley to himself. Listen to the full story.
Most people come in summer, but Rick makes a compelling case for winter, fewer crowds, dramatic steam, and visible wildlife against the snow. Worth hearing in full.
Listen to the full conversation: Megaphone · Spotify.
Rick's descriptions of the Lamar Valley at dawn, the predictability of Old Faithful, and the park transformed by winter snow made me want to go back immediately. Having seen Yellowstone from every operational angle gives him a perspective that is genuinely valuable.
Whether you are planning a trip or just appreciate people who dedicate their lives to something bigger, this one is worth your time. Listen on Megaphone or Spotify.
Rick Hoeninghausen · Xanterra Travel Collection · Yellowstone National Park · Old Faithful · Lamar Valley · Tom Rowland (host)
The Tom Rowland Podcast brings you long-form conversations with the most accomplished anglers, hunters, conservationists, and outdoor professionals in the game. Listen to every full-length Tom Rowland Podcast interview.
Rick Hoeninghausen has spent over 28 years working in Yellowstone National Park, America's first national park. He started as a seasonal laundry worker in 1980, fell in love with the place, and built an entire career there, rising to head of marketing for Xanterra Travel Collection, the company that manages hospitality and services across several national parks including Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, and Joshua Tree. He has worked in nearly every department from housekeeping to engineering to food and beverage.
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