Campground Host

Live on-site and assist visitors at Joshua Tree National Park as part of our residential Campground Host team!

Joshua Tree National park is currently recruiting campground hosts for our busy season, between October 1, 2020 and May 2nd, 2021. There is flexibility in start and end dates, but hosts must work for at least 2 months. We are recruiting hosts for the following campgrounds: Hidden Valley, Ryan, and Jumbo Rocks. More information can be found through the descriptions and website links below.

Hidden Valley Campground
This campground host position is a challenging opportunity set in beautiful and central Hidden Valley Campground. This is a dry campground at 4,400 feet elevation with no water, electric, or cell service. Water and cell service can be found within a 20 minute drive at the park's entrance gate. There are 44 first-come first-served camp sites, some that will fit RVs. Each site is unique and set among large rock formations that glow in campfire light. A major job duty is managing the full campground and informing the public of places to camp outside the National Park, which can be difficult. Because it is a major site for experienced rock climbers and climbing guide services, this campground also hosts our volunteer Climber Stewards and is the location of our weekend "Climber Coffee" gathering.

Ryan Campground
This campground is centrally located in the park and new to the reservation system! Ryan Campground has 31 campsites, 4 designated equestrian sites, and 3 bicycle sites. This is a dry campground at 4,400 feet elevation with no water, electric, or cell service. Water and cell service can be found within a 20 minute drive at the park's entrance gate. Ryan is adjacent to the 35-mile California Riding and Hiking Trail and other park hot-spots like Cap Rock and Ryan Ranch. This beautiful campground has both large boulder formations and Joshua trees.

Jumbo Rocks Campground
This campground host position is a challenging opportunity set in scenic Jumbo Rocks Campground at 4,400 feet elevation. It is a dry campground with no water, electric, or cell service. Water and cell service can be found within a 20 minute drive at the park's entrance gate. This is a major site for experienced rock climbers and climbing guide services.  Each site is unique and set among huge boulders that glow in the light of campfires.  There are 124 camp sites, many that will fit RVs.  This campground is so popular that it is consistently full during the 6 months it’s on the reservation system.  A major job duty is managing the full campground and informing the public of places to camp outside the National Park.  This position may involve working hours into the early evening. This is a challenging job that involves a hard stance on “the campground is full” and “reservations only."

Joshua Tree National Park General Information
Joshua Tree National Park is the eighth largest in the lower 48, set in the Southern California high desert, where the Mojave and Colorado deserts meet. The park has variations in elevation and terrain that make a surprisingly diverse resource, from giant boulder stacks to a spindly Joshua Tree forest to craggy mountain peaks of six different mountain systems. The park has a rich Native American and mining history as well. The park has a way of altering interpretations of just what a desert can be, and draws an eclectic group of visitors.

Joshua Tree National Park is located within 45 minutes from Palm Springs and approximately three hours from Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas. A full range of shopping facilities, grocery stores, schools, churches, hospitals, and other services are available in local communities. There are also art galleries, restaurants, a farmers market, festivals, parks, and one of America's last drive-in movie theaters. Several major universities and colleges are located in the surrounding areas. The spring climate is warm with abundant sunshine most days.

Visitation has gone up by 112% in the last few years, so this park is extremely busy during peak season. More information is available on the park’s website at www.nps.gov/jotr.

Campground Host Responsibilities

• This park is heavily visited and successful applicants must be dedicated, observant, and patient
• Campground hosts are 32 hour/week customer service volunteer positions that involve regular interaction with and orientation of campers
• Work weekends and holidays
• Morning and evening campground inspections
• Post and remove campsite permits
• Perform light maintenance duties like trash pickup
• Collaborate well with park staff and visitors that have diverse interests and view, including visitors and co-workers
• Work independently, be a self-starter, adapt to frequent change
• Live happily in a remote area with few amenities
• Climbing experience or familiarity with climbing culture is preferred
• Handle the occasional upset camper in calm, professional manner
• Complete and submit forms including daily log and monthly timesheets
• Provide and maintain a safe driving record, valid driving license, and dependable personal transportation

Benefits
Park provides sewage pumping weekly. Water is available at Cottonwood campground. For those campgrounds without water, it can be accessed within a 20 minutes drive at or just beyond the park's entrances. Host will be awarded an annual interagency pass when they reach 250 hours of volunteer work.

Please reach out with any questions!