YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Cam Sholly is leaving his post later this month, ending a nearly 30-year career in the federal government.
According to a release, Sholly will become the chief operating officer for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the largest conservation foundation in the country.
In an exclusive interview, MTN News reported in January that Sholly was hinting at his departure as he looked back at 7 years of service.
“... in some ways, I feel like I just got here. I mean, seven years in October. So that time has gone by really fast,” said Sholly.
“I still get up, and I love working in Yellowstone. It's been the privilege of a lifetime to be the superintendent here. Seven years plus is a long time. We've got a considerable amount of things that I want to make sure are solidified before I would think about departing.”
In January, Sholly seemed to have a clear path and vision for his own future. He remarked, “No matter how good of a job you might be doing, it's not a bad thing to have fresh leadership. I don't know exactly when that's going to be. I can assure you I will not be here for another seven years, but I don't know exactly what that time frame looks like.”
RELATED: Yellowstone superintendent Cam Sholly reflects on 7 years, hints at departure (Jan. 21, 2026)
Sholly has led Yellowstone — America's first national park — since 2018. During that time, he oversaw more than $1.5 billion in conservation and infrastructure projects, guided the park through the COVID-19 pandemic and record visitation, and expanded bison transfers to tribal nations.
He also launched one of the largest employee housing initiatives in National Park Service history.
Sholly is widely known for his leadership during the historic floods of 2022, when he helped reopen 93% of the park within 20 days of the disaster.
RELATED: Flooding in Yellowstone National Park, Park Co. (Jun. 13, 2022)
Before leading Yellowstone, Sholly directed the Midwest Region for the National Park Service, where he oversaw 61 national parks across 13 states and helped lead a massive transformation of Gateway Arch National Park.
Sholly actually started his career as a seasonal employee at Yellowstone in 1990. He is a U.S. Army veteran who served during Operation Desert Storm and has received the Presidential Rank Award for his government service.
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum praised Sholly for his dedicated leadership, saying Sholly leaves Yellowstone stronger and better prepared for the future.
The National Park Service will soon announce an interim superintendent. The agency has already started the search for a permanent replacement.
Additional reporting by John Sherer.
RELATED: Yellowstone hikes fees for international visitors: Full Cam Sholly interview (Jan. 12, 2026)
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