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Wilderness Guide Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

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Wilderness Guide information

See Washington salary details

$8

$22

$45

How much do wilderness guide jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 16, 2026, the average hourly pay for wilderness guide in Washington is $22.32, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $15.53 and $22.60 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a wilderness guide?

Wilderness Guides are professionals trained to lead individuals or groups safely through natural, undeveloped areas such as forests, mountains, or national parks. They are responsible for planning routes, providing information about local ecology and wildlife, ensuring safety, and sometimes teaching outdoor skills like navigation, camping, and survival techniques. Wilderness Guides help create memorable, educational, and safe outdoor experiences for participants, ranging from day hikes to multi-day expeditions.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a wilderness guide?

To thrive as a Wilderness Guide, you need strong outdoor survival skills, first aid certification, and knowledge of local geography and ecosystems. Familiarity with navigation tools (like GPS, maps, and compasses), wilderness medicine certifications (such as Wilderness First Responder), and outdoor gear are typically required. Outstanding communication, leadership, and decision-making skills help guide groups safely and create memorable experiences. These abilities are crucial for ensuring safety, managing risks, and providing an informative and enjoyable adventure for clients.

What are some common challenges faced by wilderness guides during multi-day expeditions, and how are they typically managed?

Wilderness Guides often encounter challenges such as unpredictable weather, navigation through difficult terrain, and managing group dynamics over extended periods. To handle these, guides rely on thorough pre-trip planning, constant monitoring of weather updates, and strong communication skills to ensure group safety and morale. They are trained in first aid and emergency procedures, allowing them to address any medical or safety issues promptly. Adaptability and proactive problem-solving are key to ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for all participants.

What is the difference between Wilderness Guide vs Outdoor Educator?

AspectWilderness GuideOutdoor Educator
CertificationsWilderness First Aid, CPR, outdoor skills certificationsWilderness First Aid, CPR, teaching credentials
Work EnvironmentRemote wilderness areas, guiding outdoor activitiesSchools, camps, outdoor programs
Industry UsageTourism, adventure companies, outdoor recreationEducational institutions, youth programs

Wilderness Guides and Outdoor Educators both work outdoors and often hold similar certifications like Wilderness First Aid. However, Wilderness Guides primarily lead adventure activities in remote areas, focusing on guiding clients safely through wilderness experiences. Outdoor Educators typically work in structured settings like schools or camps, emphasizing teaching outdoor skills and environmental education. While their roles overlap in outdoor environments, their main focus and work settings differ.

What are popular job titles related to Wilderness Guide jobs in Washington?

For Wilderness Guide jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Wilderness Guide jobs in Washington look for?

The top searched job categories for Wilderness Guide jobs in Washington are:

What cities in Washington are hiring for Wilderness Guide jobs?

Cities in Washington with the most Wilderness Guide job openings:

Wilderness Guide jobs near you
Infographic showing various Wilderness Guide job openings in Washington as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 76% Full Time, 17% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $46,421 per year, or $22.3 per hour.

Pedagogical Director - Elementary / Adolescent

Fiore Montessori

Vienna, VA • On-site

$90 - $130/hr

Other

Medical, Retirement, PTO

Posted 10 days ago

Job description

Fiore Montessori School is seeking an experienced AMI Elementary / Adolescent Guide who is interested in joining our dedicated faculty and staff as a Pedagogical Director to lead our Elementary and Adolescent Programs.

The Pedagogical Director has the fundamental responsibility to directly manage the guides in the Elementary and/or Adolescent classrooms and take responsibility to deliver a high fidelity AMI Program to families, children and the school community. They will work directly with guides to support them in their classroom responsibilities. This includes:

Manage and Normalize Classroom Communities
  • Maintaining thorough knowledge of the students, offering strategic oversight and making recommendations related to their progress and parent relationships
  • Offering feedback and guidance to ensure beautiful, well maintained and effective environments
  • Reviewing lesson plans, lessons given, conference reports, parent presentations and written communication
  • Maintaining and/or overseeing classroom budgets and inventory, including ordering, materials and supplies
  • Reviewing new student applications and making admissions recommendations
  • Preparing student transcripts
Manage and Develop Guides and Assistants
  • Mentoring the elementary and adolescent teams and individual guides, assistants and experts/specialists
  • Assisting with hiring, onboarding and training of staff
  • Observing environments, faculty and staff in their roles
Assist Guides in Parent Relationships
  • Educating parents and answering parent questions about the programs
  • Conference Preparation, Feedback and Written Reports
  • Review Written Recommendation Forms from Guides
  • Parent Resource, Parent Education and Parent Support
Collaborating with the Pedagogical Directors of other program levels and administration strategically
  • Coordinating and managing after school and summer programs
  • Substitute for long-term absence of a guide when applicable
  • Coordinating staffing, events, logistics and schedules for the levels with the operations and business office teams
Our ideal candidate will be
  • trained as an AMI guide at the Elementary and/or Adolescent level and dedicated to the AMI philosophy
  • have 5-10 years of experience running an Elementary and/or Adolescent classroom
  • an exceptional communicator
  • able to manage a team of guides and assistants
  • Wants to commit long term

Conveniently located on two campuses, each 4.5 rural acres just 20 miles outside of Washington DC. The first is a renovated “village-style” multi-building campus with Nido, Toddler, Primary, Elementary and Adolescent communities, a commercial kitchen, a fully equipped “maker” space, an art and music studio building, garden beds, undeveloped open land, a basketball court, a soccer field and a swimming pool. The neighboring property includes a farm with a Farmer’s Market (CSA/Community Supported Agriculture) selling produce and eggs. The second has vast outdoor “natural play” areas for toddler and primary children, plus “wilderness” wooded acreage with a stream, garden beds in an “outdoor classroom,” and an outdoor stage with seating. Meadowlark Botanical Gardens and natural bike paths are directly across the street for student research, PE classes, and bike rides/hikes.

A fully AMI accredited school, Fiore offers a dedicated faculty and supportive culture. Our communities span the entire age range of three months (3) to fifteen (15) years. Our classrooms include: Nido (Infant Community) Toddler, Primary Children’s House, Elementary (6 year span) and Adolescent (Junior High 3 year span). Conveniently located on two neighborhood campuses just 20 miles outside of Washington DC, our lovely environments are well‑equipped with the full range of Nienhuis materials. We currently have 200 students.

Fiore is dedicated to supporting its guides and administrative team with competitive salaries, benefits, professional development and growth opportunities. We also regularly offer coaching from AMI trainers and consultants as new guides establish successful working environments. Our Pedagogical Council consists of talented and experienced trained guides who support each of the levels at our school thus raising the bar once again.

Salary is commensurate with education, experience and roles/responsibilities. Benefits include health, matching 401k, vacation plus holidays, and tuition for children.

Please email your resume and cover letter describing your background and interest to: staffing@fioremontessori.com

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