5T: Campground Host Position

Volunteering on the Tahoe National Forest

Welcome to the Tahoe National Forest located in the northern Sierra Nevada mountains of California. This diverse landscape offers 850,000 acres of forests, meadows, lakes, rivers and snowcapped peaks, stretching from the Foothills east of Sacramento at an elevation of 1500 feet, over the Pacific Crest at 9000 feet and down to the Nevada state line near Reno.

The unique scenic, historic, and recreation opportunities of the Tahoe National Forest, combined with its close proximity to multiple, major metropolitan areas attracts over six million visitors a year and creates one of the most popular National Forests in the country.

As a Campground Host, you will often be the first Forest representative the visiting public encounters and the first person they will contact for information regarding the area and their National Forest.  Volunteer Campground Hosts are an integral part of the Forest recreation program and are critical in achieving the Forest Service mission of “caring for the land and serving the people.” As such, we are seeking individuals who can represent the Tahoe National Forest in a professional and courteous manner. 

Campground Hosts are expected to be available from mid-May to October, five days a week with two consecutive days off per week. Longer breaks may be considered with prior approval. Hosts are requested to be available for public interaction the majority of the day and expected to make full campground rounds early in the morning and evening. Hosts are not expected to contact visitors after daylight hours or to participate in law enforcement activities.

 Excellent volunteer candidates for these positions will have the following strengths:

• Outgoing personality with strong verbal communication skills
• Ability to perform light maintenance work in outdoor conditions
• Ability to maintain daily written logs
• Ability to interact with diverse visitors while maintaining a positive, helpful and non-confrontational attitude

Host duties will include the following:

• Welcoming visitors and providing appropriate Forest information
• Informing visitors of Forest Regulations and campground Courtesy Rules
• Encouraging fee compliance and Courtesy Rule adherence
• Tracking daily arrivals and posting incoming reservations
• Performing light landscape and bathroom maintenance.
• Trash and fire pit cleanup throughout the campground
• Reporting emergencies and providing District Recreation staff with pertinent daily information
• Setting a positive camping example for other forest visitors, keeping a clean, presentable and welcoming campsite and encouraging common courtesy throughout the campground.
• Scoop horse manure into dumpster

Requirements of the position

• Pass a minimal background check and possess a valid state driver’s license.
• Volunteer 4-6 hours a day / 20-30 hours weekly and be available other times for public interactions when not actively working
• Provide your own personal RV accommodations maintained to be welcoming and approachable by the public.

Local Recreation Staff will provide full training and support in duties. Hosts perform daily responsibilities independently without direct supervision. Forest Recreation employees will make near daily contact to provide support, heavy maintenance and regulatory compliance. On the Tahoe National Forest you will be working individually in your designated campground, but also as part of a larger Forest-wide campground host program with up to 35 other volunteer hosts. Specific campsite conditions vary greatly from low elevation riverside campgrounds to higher elevation, mountain, and lakeside settings. The majority of Host sites have minimal services. Some may have electricity, some may have water, and some have waste holding tanks.

The Sierraville Ranger District is currently recruiting for 1 volunteer host opportunity for the 2019 summer camping season. Specific campground settings can be viewed via the following links

Sierraville District Camp Host Opportunity

• Lower Little Truckee Campground (1 Host needed) (water hookup at host site plus pit toilet on site) https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232907

Volunteer recognition and reimbursement

With varying  and possibly minimal site services in mind, the Tahoe National Forest reimburses Volunteer Hosts $40 daily for “on duty” days. This reimbursement is intended to cover out-of-pocket expenses related to transportation, subsistence, propane and generator fuel that are necessary, reasonable, and arise as a result of voluntary work. To receive this reimbursement, Hosts must be US citizens or international volunteers holding J-1, F-1or B-1 Visas.  In addition to reimbursement, volunteer campground hosts will be provided a complimentary campsite for the season, uniform components, and personal protective equipment for assigned duties. Certain sites may be provided a government golf cart or utility vehicle to perform official duties.

Volunteer hosts who complete a full season in good standing will receive an Interagency Volunteer Pass, valid 12 months from the date of issue. This pass grants the holder / signee and up to 3 accompanying adults access to federal recreation sites, including Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), National Park Service (NPS) and United States Forest Service (USFS) sites that charge standard entrance fees (overnight camping excluded).

For additional information, please email the program contact Rachel Westaby at [email protected], or Office 530-587-2558 ext 244, or Cell Phone 530-715-1700

Becoming a Volunteer Host in one of the nation’s premier National Forests can be competitive, and these positions may fill quickly.  Please be ready to provide a brief resume and reference.