How to get a Camp Host Job (State Parks)

We got serious about looking for a state park job when we remembered our fabulous tour of Florida parks the winter of 2010.  We tried for Wekiva Springs (pictured) because it was the closet one to our youngest son, who lives with his family in Orlando.  It was a recreational bonanza, but our call to the nice volunteer coordinator revealed half of it was closed to put in a sewer system...and so there's be no openings until 2012.  Our call saved us putting in an application.

We called the next closest one, Lake Louisa State Park , and the coordinator, Jenny, was super nice and helpful.  She had no openings, but she explained the best way to apply:  Don't just fill out the ap (by clicking here:  Volunteer Opportunities ) ...but call the park you are interested in and then follow up with a hand-written ap.  You can get the contact info at the bottom of the home page for many campgrounds by going to ReserveAmerica.com or Recreation.com and searching the campground or area you are interested in.  Here's a link:  Campground Addresses and Phone Numbers   According to Jenny, the campground managers get a steady stream of emailed applications...and they often just get lost in the deluge or deleted.  But a good application that comes in the mail (especially with a picture and a friendly note of introduction) gets filed for when an opening does come up.  We followed Jenny's instructions and mailed our explanation of what we hoped would happen...and sure enough....the next month she called with an offer to work for a one-month opening she had.  We wanted something for the whole winter, but she promised to hang onto our ap in case something "bigger" opened up.  [If you need help doing any of this, just email me at camphost.white@gmail.com ]

Camp Hosting National Parks

Hosts in national parks seem extra, extra happy. There's a generic online application that can go to all of the parks, but volunteer coordinators suggest you send a paper copy to any park you are most interested in. We sent a picture of ourselves as well with a cover letter. You have to be enthusiastic and really sell yourself, as the baby boomers are flooding the coordinators with applications for host positions. You can find the ap at any park's site. Here's the one we found for Zion, as we talked with the hosts there in person: http://www.nps.gov/zion/supportyourpark/campground-host-volunteer-opportunity.htm The only pay for your labors is your spot and up to a $30 propane allowance per month.  It's always worth a try...  We got a very nice offer from the Everglades.  Click here to see the Volunteer Application 

Above is the 31K parked on the Virgin River. I went up Watchman Trail to get an "aerial" view of our RV. Taken 4/1/11

Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk

Tell everyone who will listen to you that you are interested in camp hosting. We decided to visit as many state parks and national forest campgrounds as we could while driving up the coast. At Pismo Beach everyone in the shops, the streets and the beach knew we were interested in campground management.

Networking - Job Search Contacts

We drove ourselves from Arizona right to the California Coast, landing at Leo Carillo State Park. Lovely!...but it was winter and the days were short. We thought by traveling south we'd find summer...but Southern California enjoyed their coldest and snowiest winter since the 40's. But we weren't there for the beach. We talked with every camp host we could. They all loved their jobs, and their happy faces showed it...especially when they zipped around on their electric carts! On February 25, 2011, it was raining like crazy...so instead of paying for a day at the park or the beach....we camped out at Walmart. Everyone has to try it. We asked if it was OK first, because it's not true that Walmart "doesn't care" if you stay overnight. We found the stores near tourist spots do not allow it at all. Even though we got permission, we were asked to move in the middle of the night...because only one spot was set aside for overnight use.