Park Ranger Insider: Jim and Gayle Sleznick

Parks & Travel

Celebrate World Ranger Day with this “From the Vault” Big Blend Radio interview with Jim and Gayle Sleznick. We recorded this conversation onsite in late spring 2015, on a visit to San Benito County, Central California, the eastern gateway destination to Pinnacles National Park. It only took a few minutes to find out that they have one incredible life story to tell about living and working in various National Park units.
Gayle’s park story begins in Death Valley, where her father worked, and where her mother had to travel out to Riverside, California to give birth to her. Jim’s park story started when he was a teenager, on family vacations in parks like Yosemite and Yellowstone. His park career began with a summer job in Crater Lake, where he met Gayle. They married when he began his full-time park ranger job in Lake Mead. Together for over 55 years, they lived and worked in several parks including the Gila Cliff National Monument, Virgin Islands National Park, Yosemite National Park, Lava Lake Volcano National Park, and beyond.
Jim eventually retired from Pinnacles National Park, and they moved about 45 minutes northwest of the park, to the historic village of San Juan Bautista, which is on the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. They helped to create the local Anza Trail, a beautiful hiking trail that overlooks the valley. We recently learned that Jim passed away at the age of 91, on April 21, 2024. May he rest in peace. Our hearts go out to Gayle and his family. He is missed.