In this paper we discuss the intractability of the "great divide" between higher education and professional practice in parks, recreation, and tourism. We begin by drawing parallels between our field and other professional fields to demonstrate that the issue is not ours alone; indeed, it is common to most professional fields. We then employ Pasteur's Quadrant (Stokes, 1997) as a conceptual framework for bridging the "great divide." Finally, we discuss some practical strategies for bringing the goals of higher education and professional practice in parks, recreation, and tourism into closer alignment.