Camp Hosting in Florida State Parks

The Florida State Park System has been awarded 4 Gold Medals in Excellence by the National Recreation and Parks Association. They believe this was a result of their interlacing network of park staff, volunteers, and partners. There is a lot of pride in the way their system runs and volunteers, campground hosts included, are a vital asset to it.

Program Description

Camp hosting in Florida State Parks means being expected to perform the following duties:

Support all park operations when needed
Greeting campers
Answering questions and being an information hub for visitors
Assistance with light maintenance and some park landscaping
Gardening
Assistance with special projects when needed

Season Information

In the Florida State Parks, campground hosts can work for up to 16 weeks and one position. While at a volunteer post, they are asked to work a minimum of 20 hours per week, including weekends and holidays.

Almost all Florida State Park campground hosts will be needed in the peak time – summer. So if you remember there is a surplus of positions awaiting you when summer comes around!

Living Accommodations

This is a volunteer only position, but Florida State Parks campground hosts are provided a free campsite during their stay, as well as, other rewards. Once you reach 50 hours of volunteer work, hosts will be given a free family pass to their park as well as 6 free entrances to other Florida State Parks. Camp hosts that reach 250 hours of volunteer service will be rewarded with a family pass to other Florida State Parks.

Campground Hosting: How to Apply

In order to apply, you need to register and apply here: Volunteer Portal – Florida State Parks

Camp hosting is a popular position so there your application will be pulled on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you have a specific park in mind, you can search for their current volunteer opportunities and contact the park directly to pull your application.

Campground Host Position Examples

Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park

Time Commitment: 20 hours per week per campsite

Contact information: email Gabrielle.Bradley@floridadep.gov

Volunteer at one of Florida’s first State Parks: explore the ravine, hike the Florida trail, take a dip in the lake, view wildlife, and more!

Volunteer Position Description

Florida State Parks Campground Hosts are park ambassadors. They perform a variety of tasks such as greeting visitors and handing out information, and thus must like people, be courteous, outgoing, and helpful to all park visitors. The more physical side of the job includes assisting with maintenance of campgrounds, small repairs, cleaning restrooms and replacing restroom supplies, emptying trash, cleaning campsites- including raking sites, cleaning fire rings/grills, trimming limbs if needed, picking up litter, and informing the Rangers about potential problems. Host volunteers need to be physically capable of performing these duties. Florida State Park campground hosts also need to be available for late-night emergencies in the campground.

Hosts are scheduled to work varied days and hours, not to exceed 20 hours per week. We ask for a 30-day minimum commitment, with a maximum stay of four months possible.

Benefits to the Volunteer

Free campsite with electric and water, and access to dump station as needed (some campsites with sewer hookup are available at times)
Personal enrichment and experience working in a Florida State Park setting
Access to Park Linen Shed for doing personal laundry without charge at off-hours
A uniform designating your status as a volunteer–consisting of a cap, t-shirts, and name tag
Training by State Park personnel
Workers Compensation Insurance for job-related injuries
Free firewood and canoe usage when available
Free use of Recreation Hall for volunteer community social events, when available
Upon completion of 250 volunteer hours, a Free Entrance Pass will be provided that allows day access to most Florida State Parks.

Hontoon Island State Park

Description:

For our resident campground host, we have a camping trailer that you would be permitted to occupy at no monetary charge, in exchange for working a minimum of 20 hours per week, primarily cleaning and maintaining the campground: bathhouse, rustic cabins, primitive campsites, youth camp, trash removal, etc. We do not have vehicle access to the island. The island is accessible via the park provided by ferry or private boat. If you need to store a camper in our mainland parking lot, you can, but you would not be able to stay in your camper in the parking lot.

Next, with our provided Florida State Park camp host trailer, we do not allow pets. The oven/range uses propane, and the cost would be the responsibility of the camp host. The minimum timeframe for camp hosting is 4 weeks, and the maximum is 4 months. If you are interested in hosting beyond 4 weeks, we will meet after that time and discuss if it will work for you and the park to continue up to but not exceeding 4 months, according to the current schedule and availability.

We have one camp host position at this park. It is well suited for 1 or 2 people to fill the position. The requirement remains 20 hours/week total. For example, each person could work 10 hours during the week, or one person can fulfill the entire 20 hours. If more than one person will be volunteering, each person will need to complete an application.

Hiring Requirements:

Must Pass National and Florida Sexual Predator check

Must be able to lift 40 lbs.

Must be able to work 20 hours per week, primarily cleaning and maintaining the campground bathhouse, removing trash, cleaning rustic cabins, primitive campsites, and youth camp area. Other projects will be assigned according to the needs of the park, based on individual skills and abilities.

Campground Host Training:

Training will be on-going and provided by the park.

In the Volunteer Portal, complete a Volunteer Application and a current Volunteer Agreement and Volunteer DEP Annual Combo Training, State of Florida ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), Code of Ethics, and Bloodborne Pathogens. You may be asked to provide a valid form of identification.

BENEFITS:

Upon completion of your first 50 hours, you will receive a free entrance pass to the park you currently serve and 6 visits for you and your family to any other state park
Upon completion of 250 hours, you will receive a special volunteer annual pass for you and your family to any Florida State Park (*request passes from the Volunteer Manager. Some restrictions apply)
Join us in park staff gatherings (i.e., potlucks, celebrations, holiday parties, etc.) and the annual district Volunteer Appreciation gathering
Be a part of the Florida Park Service family, working alongside like-minded staff and volunteers
You have the opportunity for personal enrichment and experience working in a unique state park setting

Other Florida State Parks for Camp Hosting

1. Alafia River State Park

2. Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park

3. Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek Preserve State Park

4. Anastasia State Park

5. Bahia Honda State Park

6. Bald Point State Park

7. Big Lagoon State Park

8. Big Shoals State Park

9. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park

10. Blackwater Heritage State Trail

11. Blackwater River State Park

12. Blue Spring State Park

13. Bulow Creek State Park

14. Caladesi Island State Park (boat only)

15. Camp Helen State Park

16. Cayo Costa State Park (tent only)

17. Cedar Key Museum State Park

18. Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve

19. Collier-Seminole State Park

20. Colt Creek State Park

21. Crystal River Preserve State Park

22. Curry Hammock State Park

23. Dade Battlefield Historic State Park

24. De Leon Springs State Park

25. Deer Lake State Park

26. Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park

27. Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park

28. Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park

29. Dudley Farm Historic State Park

30. Econfina River State Park

31. Eden Gardens State Park

32. Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park

33. Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park

34. Falling Waters State Park

35. Fanning Springs State Park

36. Faver-Dykes State Park

37. Florida Caverns State Park

38. Fort Clinch State Park

39. Fort Cooper State Park

40. Fort George Island Cultural State Park

41. Fort Mose Historic State Park

42. Fort Pierce Inlet State Park

43. Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park

44. Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park

45. Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach

46. Grayton Beach State Park

47. Henderson Beach State Park

48. Highlands Hammock State Park

49. Hillsborough River State Park

50. Honeymoon Island State Park

51. Hontoon Island State Park (boat and one state owned trailer)

52. Hugh Taylor Birch State Park

53. Ichetucknee Springs State Park

54. John Gorrie Museum State Park

55. John D. MacArthur Beach State Park

56. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

57. Jonathan Dickinson State Park

58. Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

59. Koreshan State Park

60. Lafayette Blue Springs State Park

61. Lake Griffin State Park

62. Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park

63. Lake Kissimmee State Park

64. Lake Louisa State Park

65. Lake Manatee State Park

66. Lake Talquin State Park

67. Little Manatee River State Park

68. Little Talbot Island State Park

69. Long Key State Park CAMPGROUND CLOSED

70. Lovers Key State Park

71. Lower Wekiva River Preserve State Park

72. Madison Blue Springs State Park

73. Manatee Springs State Park

74. Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway

75. Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park

76. Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park

77. Myakka River State Park

78. Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park

79. Nature Coast State Trail

80. Ochlockonee River State Park

81. Okeechobee Battlefield Historic State Parks

82. O’Leno State Park

83. Oleta River State Park

84. Orman House Historic State Park

85. Oscar Scherer State Park

86. Paynes Creek Historic State Park

87. Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

88. Ponce de Leon Springs State Park

89. Rainbow Springs State Park

90. Ravine Gardens State Park

91. River Rise Preserve State Park

92. Rock Springs Run State Reserve

93. Ruth B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park

94. San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park

95. San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park

96. Savannas Preserve State Park

97. Sebastian Inlet State Park

98. Silver Springs State Park

99. St. Andrews State Park

100. St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

101. Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park

102. Suwannee River State Park

103. Suwannee River Wilderness Trail State Park

104. T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park CAMPGROUND CLOSED

105. Three Rivers State Park

106. Tomoka State Park

107. Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

108. Torreya State Park

109. Troy Spring State Park

110. Waccasassa Bay Preserve State Park

111. Washington Oaks Gardens State Park

112. Weeki Wachee Springs State Park

113. Wekiwa Springs State Park

114. Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park

115. Wes Skiles Peacock Springs