Campground Hosts
Most campgrounds have hosts. Sometimes these are paid employees and sometimes they are volunteers. Sometimes they are seasonal positions and sometimes year round. There's clearly a lot of variation in the way this works. If you have an RV and would like to stay in a beautiful spot longer than the two week maximum that is standard at most campgrounds, becoming a host might be for you. The site is always included, so you get to stay for free.
The duties of being a host vary, but the main thing is to be available if campers have issues. Usually the hosts will check in with new arrivals, introduce themselves, share any necessary rules or information, and let the campers know where they are located in case any issues arise. Sometimes there will be light maintenance or cleaning that needs done and sometimes you'll have to collect fees.
We've seen hosts who stop by in their golf carts on a regular basis to chat and at some sites, we never interacted with the host at all. At the national parks campgrounds, the hosts had the stamps for the passports, so if the visitor center was closed, you could get these with the host. The campground host at Davis Bayou, for example, not only had the Davis Bayou stamp, but stamps for all the little islands in the area as well. He said none of the boats are running, so we could stamp our books as if we went there. We got West Ship Island; Ocean Springs, MS; Mississippi Gulf Coast NHA Gulf Islands NS Davis Bayou; and Fort Massachusetts. It would be great to come back someday and actually get to go to all those places!
We learned that camp hosts at the National Parks have to have at least a level four clearance with their background checks. They are under the Department of the Interior, but the Department of Homeland Security actually does their background checks. State parks have different regulations and there are often maximum lengths of times one can serve (12 weeks, 16 weeks, etc.). Also, these positions tend to be competitive and you should apply at least one year in advance of when you wish to be there. There are also other volunteer opportunities, so check out the website for your park of choice to see how you can be involved!
