US host and recreation jobs: October 2026 report

The main finding: there is no single US system

In British Columbia, much recreation-site hosting runs through one provincial system. In the US the same work is spread across many separate employers, each with its own application and its own terms:

• Federal agencies: national forests, Bureau of Land Management sites, Army Corps of Engineers lakes, national wildlife refuges, fish hatcheries, Bureau of Reclamation projects and national parks. NAT01 NAT08
• Private companies on public land: many national forest campgrounds are run by concession companies that hire their own paid crews.
• States, counties, cities and park districts: state parks and forests, county parks, municipal campgrounds and regional park districts all recruit separately.
• Private campgrounds, chains and camps: RV resorts, KOA franchises, family campgrounds, youth and church camps, and lodges.

Many of these jobs never use the words "campground host". Look for resident caretaker, park attendant, visitor services, facilities, RV volunteer and work camper as well.

Host work goes well beyond campgrounds

The research found resident and seasonal roles at fish hatcheries, kayak launches, lighthouses, museums, nature centres, gardens, art colonies, youth and family camps, golf and RV resorts, farm campgrounds and amusement parks. Some examples:

• Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia: a 2027 resident host at a kayak and canoe launch, not a campground. The RV pad has electricity and non-drinking water, drinking water is supplied separately, waste goes in a portable tank, and pets are not allowed. VA13
• Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery, North Dakota: 2027 resident RV volunteers give tours and help visitors, with water, sewer, electricity and Wi-Fi at the pad and free laundry nearby. ND04 ND05
• Outside Inn Campground, South Carolina: work campers help on a working farm (farm stand, animal care, maintenance) as well as with guests, on a full-hookup site. Hours are not stated. SC12
• Wanee Lake Golf & RV Resort, Georgia: an RV resort job that includes golf course and café work. The published example pays $10–12 an hour plus tips with a full-hookup site. GA13 NAT33
• Adventureland, Iowa and Beech Bend Park, Kentucky: amusement parks that run work camper programs with paid hours and a campsite under stated conditions. Beech Bend's published rates are for 2026; the 2027 terms are not yet confirmed. IA16 KY12 KY13

Read the offer, not the label

Two jobs at the same kind of place can have very different terms. The research kept each offer's own words, and so do our listings.

Housing

"Housing available" does not mean free housing. A dry site, a water-and-electric site, a full-hookup site, a shared dorm and a private house are all different offers, and a park that rents cabins to guests may not house staff at all.

• YMCA Camp Erdman, Hawaii advertised a facilities job for November 15, 2026 to May 15, 2027 at $400 a week with free on-site housing and utilities. Its retreats coordinator job pays $450 a week and requires living on site, but the notice does not say what that housing costs. The two jobs do not share terms. HI19 HI20
• Grand Marais Art Colony, Minnesota: a property and guest caretaker at $22,000–$24,000 a year for about 20–24 hours a week, with housing charged at $400 a month including utilities. MN09 MN10
• Medora, North Dakota: approved 2027 work campers can rent an employee RV site for $60 a week, subject to availability. The posting calls the campground pet-friendly, but the employer's FAQ says staff housing is pet-free, so ask before you bring a pet. ND11 ND13

Pay

Hourly wages, weekly stipends, monthly contract fees and yearly salaries cannot be compared without knowing the hours. YMCA Camp Olson lists $48,000–$60,000 for a year-round facilities director with on-site housing and utilities; when we rechecked, the posting did not say whether that figure is yearly, so ask. MN08

Hours

Hours may be set per person, per couple or per campsite. At Standing Pines, South Carolina the exchange is about 16 hours a week per campsite, which a couple can split, for a full-hookup site with utilities and laundry. SC11 Elsewhere each adult must work the full hours. Hosts may also have after-hours or emergency duties.

Big operators differ too

• Sun Outdoors' corporate work camper program advertises pay from $16 an hour and charges $20 a night for the site. NAT25
• Northgate Resorts offers a 20% discount on a seasonal site plus credits tied to hours worked. NAT29
• Island Hospitality Management offers a free or discounted RV site depending on the property. NAT27 NAT28
• Volunteer networks such as Habitat for Humanity's RV Care-A-Vanners are not paid jobs; Habitat says volunteers normally pay their own camping fees. NAT48

Who the employer really is

The landowner, the brand on the sign, the company that runs the campground and the agency that hires can all be different. Shenandoah National Park in Virginia is an example: a new concession takes over campgrounds there from January 1, 2027, including some the Park Service ran itself, and who will recruit hosts there for 2027 still needs confirming. VA10 VA11 NAT11 Before you apply, check who actually employs you and whose terms apply.

Where things stand

Most entries are standing programs or recruiting routes that hire every year, not a specific vacancy. Past job ads are kept so you know who hires and when, but they are never shown as open.

We rechecked all 99 openings the research reported as open or coming up: 72 were taking applications, 17 had announced their next intake, 1 had closed, and 9 could not be confirmed. 66 are marked "Taking applications" in the state lists; the host-type ones are also on the job board.

When to apply

Most US seasonal hiring for summer happens from late fall to spring. Dates employers had announced for the 2027 season when we rechecked:

• Late fall 2026: Medora, North Dakota work campers (interest list open now), Wisconsin Lions Camp summer staff.
• December 2026: Star Island, New Hampshire seasonal staff, Camp UniStar, Minnesota summer staff.
• January 2027: Yosemite visitor information assistants, Mount Washington Observatory summer volunteers, and Chincoteague Bay Field Station interns (applications open January 18).
• February 2027: Morey's Piers, New Jersey seasonal staff.
• March 2027: Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad volunteer work sessions (registration opens the first week of March).

Many state parks, federal sites and private campgrounds take host applications all year; see each state's list.

Tips before you apply

• Get the written agreement. Check what the site or room costs, which utilities are included (electricity, water, sewer, Wi-Fi, propane, laundry) and whether you need your own RV.
• Ask whether hours are per person, per couple or per site, the minimum stay, days off, and whether every adult in your rig must work or pass a background check.
• Check the pet rules for that role, not for the campground's guests.
• Confirm who employs you: the agency, a concession company, a management company or a staffing agency.
• Canadians: US federal agencies may not accept international volunteers for host work because of visa rules. Ask the agency before you apply.

Employers and programs by state

• Alabama 16
• Alaska 16
• Arizona 19
• Arkansas 16
• California 26
• Colorado 17
• Connecticut 18
• Delaware 12
• Florida 21
• Georgia 16
• Hawaii 19
• Idaho 15
• Illinois 18
• Indiana 16
• Iowa 17
• Kansas 19
• Kentucky 17
• Louisiana 17
• Maine 19
• Maryland 18
• Massachusetts 19
• Michigan 24
• Minnesota 16
• Mississippi 18
• Missouri 18
• Montana 17
• Nebraska 20
• Nevada 17
• New Hampshire 19
• New Jersey 15
• New Mexico 18
• New York 18
• North Carolina 22
• North Dakota 16
• Ohio 16
• Oklahoma 18
• Oregon 23
• Pennsylvania 15
• Rhode Island 17
• South Carolina 20
• South Dakota 21
• Tennessee 16
• Texas 21
• Utah 17
• Vermont 19
• Virginia 21
• Washington 19
• West Virginia 22
• Wisconsin 16
• Wyoming 16

How this report was made

The research covered all 50 states (not Washington, D.C. or US territories). It checked government volunteer and job pages, agency notices, employer career pages, application portals and selected employer-written ads, and searched many job titles, not only "campground host". Official sources were preferred; some official sites blocked automated reading, and those entries say so. It is a broad survey, not a count of every campground in the US. Each entry in the state lists links to its sources and the date they were checked. No employer was contacted.