Workamping Jobs in Idaho State Parks

Idaho State Park Workamping Jobs

If you’re thinking about spending some time in the northwest, it’s time to consider looking into workamping jobs in Idaho State Park. Volunteers have been helping to bring the Idaho State Park Host Program closer to its mission of providing quality recreation opportunities to guests for about 50 years. Each volunteer, regardless of their position, plays a critical part in allowing the program to meet its goals for day-to-day operations as well as specialized programs.

There are many different ways to volunteer your time inside the Idaho State Parks including Maintenance Hosts, Visitor Services Hosts, Interpretive Hosts, Special Projects, and the popular Campground Host position that is so well known throughout the Workamping community.

In this post, we’ll talk about the Idaho State Park Jobs and Volunteer Positions! If you’d like more information on camp hosting in general, please jump over to the Camp Hosting Ultimate Guide to read more!

Idaho State Park Jobs

Campground Hosts
Campground Hosts are considered park ambassadors who live and work inside the park’s campground. Every host needs to have a friendly disposition, an outgoing personality, and be genuinely helpful and courteous to all park visitors. They play an integral part in greeting visitors, providing information to the public, and working with the rangers regarding issues inside the park.

Campground Hosts will have a variety of routine tasks such as answering questions and providing local tourist information, checking voicemails and accepting incoming calls, locking and unlocking park buildings, checking the campground daily, making reservations, working in the Visitor Center, as well as cleaning restrooms and picking up litter throughout the park grounds.

In most cases, the volunteer hosts live and work onsite in recreational vehicles, although sometimes additional accommodations can be made.

A typical schedule will include a variety of days and times but will usually include 24-30 hours of service. Time commitments between 30-180 days are typical and they have positions for singles, as well as couples throughout the season. Although specific dates and times will be scheduled for each host to work, you will be considered ‘on-call’ at all times of the day and night and they request that you take days off Monday -Thursday.

Visitor Services Host
Visitor Service Hosts are volunteers who answer questions and provide information to park visitors at park entrances and/or inside the visitor centers. Working as clerks in the parks’ retail stores, helping with clerical and front desk receptionist duties, as well as other tasks like posting information on the park’s bulletin boards, conducting informational tours of the exhibits, assisting with group scheduling and school field trips, as well as maintaining inventory of merchandise in gift stores.

Hosts in this role benefit from computer and secretarial skills which can be used to help park personnel do various reporting procedures, keep records, and reorder supplies. Visitor Service Hosts work a minimum of 24 hours a week, which can sometimes include weekends and holidays.

Interpretive Hosts
Interpretive Hosts are park-trained volunteers who have the unique job of interpreting the natural, cultural, and recreational resources available to state park visitors. Volunteers in this role will greet visitors, sell tickets to exhibited areas, and give short presentations to orient park guests on the specific exhibits and facilities. Knowledge of the history pertaining to the Oregon Trail is helpful in this position, but not necessarily required. Interpretive Hosts work a minimum of 24 hours a week, which can sometimes include weekends and holidays. Continued on-site training is available in this role and you are encouraged to add your own custom approach with the delivery of the material to make it your own.

Maintenance Hosts
Maintenance Hosts assist in the minor repair and maintenance of state park facilities and grounds. Existing buildings and other structures need cleaning, painting, repairing, and improvements on an ongoing basis making this position a labor-intensive role that takes some special skills. Sought-after skills include: electrical, carpentry, painting, masonry, landscaping, and small motor repair.

The Maintenance Hosts’ job duties will include trail maintenance, facility construction, plumbing and electrical jobs, sanding and painting picnic tables, running errands when necessary, cleaning restrooms, stocking bird feeders, removing litter from walkways, as well as mowing, trimming vegetation, weed removal, mulching, and operating the irrigation systems throughout the park. The Maintenance Hosts can also help park staff on new construction projects if necessary.

In this role, you can expect to work at least 20 hours a week for a minimum of 30 days. A state vehicle will be provided for work-related driving needs and you will also have support evaluations on job performance throughout your commitment.

Idaho State Park Workamping Jobs: Benefits for Volunteers

Volunteering in one of Idaho State Parks can be a very rewarding experience that comes with an array of non-monetary benefits from being part of the community.

Whether you are planting trees, teaching safe boating practices, providing insight on an exhibit, restoring a historic area, building a trail, assisting campers, or answering public inquiries, Idaho State Park volunteers will have the following benefits:

• Full or partial hook-up campground
• All-access pass to all Idaho State Parks in return for 100 hours of donated time
• Insurance for job-related medical costs
• Uniforms provided for all volunteers
• Learning historical information about the area.
• Formal and informal recognition for a job well done.
• Gain valuable skills and work experience.
• An opportunity to maintain skills you’ve previously mastered.
• Strengthen your social ties to the community and fellow RVers.
• Chances to meet new people and interact with a diverse group of guests.

When considering if any position is right for you, you’ll need to make sure you are 100% capable and willing to complete the duties and tasks associated with it. Consider your physical limitations and how they may or may not play a part in your daily job responsibilities.

Don’t hesitate to ask questions during the hiring process to make sure you’re comfortable with the job and the area. Then, once you’re on-site take some time to get oriented to the area so you’ll be better suited to share your personal insight with future guests.

Volunteer Job Requirements

As part of the volunteer program at Idaho State Parks, all hosts are asked to meet the following expectations:

• Agree to job duties as outlined in the signed Volunteer Service Agreement.
• Show up for your scheduled shifts on time and carry out your job as described.
• Stay through the time frame you’ve committed to and allow for a replacement to be found if you need to leave early.
• Maintain a clean, uncluttered, and orderly campsite at all times, where additional storage and structures are not added, and plants or gardens are grown in portable containers.
• Dress appropriately in uniform and refrain from consuming alcohol or using tobacco while on active duty.
• Avoid offensive language and conduct at all times.
• Keep dogs on a leash and have current rabies certificates.

If you are interested in a position as a host for Idaho State Parks, consider working at one of the locations listed below that still have openings for the 2023 peak season. This chart will provide an overview of the location’s peak season, the electrical service available at the host sites, as well as what type of positions they currently have available.

Contact Idaho State Parks

Email: idprvolunteer@idpr.idaho.gov 

Website: https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/activities/volunteering 

Ready to Camp Host across the country? Check out Camp Hosting: State Parks for more ways to volunteer while you’re on the road.