'Wonderful memories.' Live at Lassen National Forest as a volunteer park campground host

If you’ve ever left a campground wishing you could stay the whole summer, the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management can give you a chance to do just that.

Both agencies are looking for outdoorsy and people-loving hosts to live on campgrounds in Lassen National Forest and other public campsites for a season — or even longer.

Volunteer hosts live rent free — in exchange for work greeting guests, helping campers with information and directions and, in some cases, doing light cleaning on the site.

While the forest service and BLM have paid staff who maintain the campsites, "we rely on hosts just to be a friendly face" and assist guests, BLM Northern California district spokesman Jeff Fontana said.

“There is no substitute for the personal touch that makes a camper feel welcome,” Lassen National Forest spokesperson Amber Marshall said of Lassen’s volunteer hosts.

'Wonderful memories'

Four years ago, Jeanie Miller of Burney and her husband Ken volunteered as summer hosts at Hat Creek Campgrounds and as winter hosts at a state-run campground in Mendocino County.

During that year, the couple met people whose families had visited the same campgrounds for five generations. Jeanie Miller said the friendships she and her husband forged as campground hosts are still strong.

Their grandchildren frequently visited while they were camp hosts, she said. In addition to going fishing and hiking, she said they'd all gather "around the campfire, making s'mores and hot chocolate. This made wonderful memories for us and them."

Here are answers to five questions people frequently ask about being a campground host for a season or making a lifestyle of migrating from park to park year round.

Which North State campgrounds have openings for hosts?

Volunteer hosts usually work in North State campgrounds from spring to mid-autumn. However, parks elsewhere in the country have different seasons. So, motivated people can find winter hosting opportunities in some southern states, according to government land agencies.

This year, Lassen needs live-in volunteers in spring, summer and early autumn at campgrounds in two of its three ranger districts — Hat Creek and Almanor.

The BLM hires hosts annually for several North State campgrounds, Fontana said. These include the Pit River Campground near Fall River Mills in Shasta County.

Douglas City, Junction City and Steel Bridge campgrounds along the Trinity River in Trinity County also hire hosts.

What do volunteer hosts do while living on a campground?

Campground hosts greet visitors, help them with directions and information and monitor the area, letting agency employees know if problems arise.

Lassen and BLM hosts also help with camp cleanliness: Picking up litter, cleaning restrooms and other basic tasks, according to host job descriptions.

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Hosts usually provide their own shelter, like an RV or camper. Some hosts live in a sleeping trailer with no hookups, while others arrive in tricked-out RVs equipped with solar power, a TV and other amenities, said Outdoor Recreation Planner Stan Bales at the Susanville BLM office.

There are challenges to living in the wilderness, including limited services at some sites.

At remote places like the Pit River campsite in eastern Shasta County, hosts may need to drive some distance to get groceries or other supplies, or to connect with cell phone service, Fontana said.

While there's time to explore and have fun, hosts usually need to be available during certain hours. Schedules depend on the site and agency.

Campground rules apply to hosts and campers alike and hosts may need to remind campers of those rules, said Miller, the former campground host.

“The most challenging and frustrating thing about being a volunteer camp host is when people have their dogs off leash (and) think that the rules don’t apply to them," she said. Leash rules are there "for safety reasons," she said.

So volunteer hosts on campgrounds receive stipends, amenities?

Some agencies offer a small stipend or supplies to help curb costs for camping items that volunteers need,

Lassen provides their volunteer hosts with training, supplies, uniforms, a free campsite and free propane refills and a daily reimbursement at certain locations, said Marshall.

The BLM provides a free place to park, free power, water and sewage hookups, plus a small stipend to help with living expenses.

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Agencies also cover costs for applicants' background checks and training programs for people who get accepted as hosts. Lassen and each BLM field office hires and trains its own campsite hosts, sculpting their training to their particular site’s needs.

Miller said agency staff were "very supportive and try to accommodate your needs when you’re a camp host."

Camp hosts may need to call for help in an emergency. “One time, we had a person come to our campsite at 1:30 a.m.," Miller said. He'd been "walking mostly undressed and had hypothermia. We called 911 to get him help," she said.

How long can you live on a North State campground per year?

How long a host lives in a park or other federal land depends on the dates the campground is open to guests.

The season lasts from May to September at most Lassen campgrounds, Marshall said. However, the length of a host’s stays also depends on the campground’s location. Sites at high elevations may close earlier in autumn than those at lower elevations since the weather turns cold earlier high up, she said.

The season at most North State BLM grounds lasts from mid-April to mid-November, but Fontana said dates depend a lot on the weather.

Some people make volunteering a year-round experience, moving from camp to camp around the country, Bales said. Some North State BLM host regulars come for the summer, then head to Southern California or Arizona campsites to host during the milder winter camping season in those areas.

More: How to live on a campground: BLM wants volunteers for 2023 vacation season

How can people apply to be a campground host?

If you’re ready to live on a campsite and be a volunteer host, here’s what to do:

• To apply for a Lassen National Forest position call the Almanor Ranger District at 530-258-2141 or the Hat Creek Ranger District at 530-336-5521 during regular business hours.

• To apply for a North State BLM position call the Redding field office at 530-224-2100 or email dbyers@blm.gov; or the Applegate field office in Alturus at 530-233-4666.

For a list of volunteer opportunities nationwide go to volunteer.gov.

Applications are accepted until all host positions are filled, according to both agencies.

Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: How to live in Lassen National Forest as a volunteer campground host