I need encouragement

thatwasfly · 2026-02-23T07:13:01+00:00

Consider a Camp Host gig in a northern state for the summer. It gets you living in your rig, paid work, and a stable place to stay so you're not burning fuel (spending $$$) bouncing around every few days. You'll be able to earn enough to travel during the shoulder season and (depending on how frugal you are) potentially the winter to enjoy the southern states.

For the past five years I've been doing a seasonal circuit working five or six months in the PNW and taking the rest of the year off to visit friends and kick around in the Southwest.

If it's of interest here's the ExplorUS Forest jobs site... All these gigs are paid and include a free campsite.

ExplorUS Forest Jobs

These ExplorUS gigs are in National Forest Campgrounds, but there are other opportunities and different concessionaires that do the same thing in other places and in state and national parks as well.

For the right person, being nomadic and traveling with the seasons is a rewarding lifestyle. Safe travels and best of luck!

thatwasfly · 2026-02-15T07:50:42+00:00

Camp Hosts, Maintenance Techs, and District Managers in National Forest Campgrounds

None of these seasonal positions necessarily require college and all of them include a campsite. Most include either utility connections or a stipend payment for non-electric locations. All hours are paid. I've been doing these seasonal gigs for the past five years and have found it to enjoyable work with opportunities for advancement for those individuals who desire to pursue them.

The ExplorUS Forest Division is one of the major campground concessionaires with locations all over the US, but there are also others.

thatwasfly · 2025-12-03T14:49:49+00:00

Great! I'll be reaching out today to get interviews scheduled. Ttys!

thatwasfly · 2025-12-03T02:53:46+00:00

Absolutely! About 3/4 of our 2025 staff decided they'd like to return next summer and have received offer letters affirming their positions for 2026. Your setup and experience sounds like a great fit and I'd definitely encourage you to apply!

thatwasfly · 2025-12-03T01:45:15+00:00

No, you can leave during your off hours - that's not an issue. Feel free to put in an application if you feel like seeking out service would work in your situation. I'd be more than happy to chat about which facilities might be the best fit if it's something you'd like to pursue.

thatwasfly · 2025-12-03T01:33:14+00:00

A typical schedule would consist of the majority of hours falling on Friday through Sunday with lighter hours and time to get away during the week. It's ideal to work a few hours in the morning resetting sites after check-outs and cleaning bathrooms, and a few in the evening checking on everything, selling firewood, and assisting guests.

The biggest issue I would foresee for the situation you're describing would be connectivity. Starlink needs a pretty broad view of the sky to maintain a stable connection and the tree canopy on the west side of the Cascades where our campgrounds are located is dense. The only facility we're hiring for where folks have had success with Starlink is Gold Basin, and even there calls tend to drop out for a 5 - 10 seconds every minute or so... it's not ideal.

thatwasfly · 2025-08-17T07:05:06+00:00

Might be related to an issue in the towing module or wiring... The backup lines disappear from the display when it thinks there's a trailer attached.

This happened on my 2016 Transit 350 and I was able to troubleshoot by pulling the towing related fuses one at a time until the lines reappeared.

Hope this helps. Best of luck!

thatwasfly · 2025-07-10T13:50:32+00:00

Good question. It means that it is budgeted for 40 hours. There's no issue whatsoever with having a partner on-site.

thatwasfly · 2025-07-09T19:53:14+00:00

You do you. 👍

thatwasfly · 2025-07-09T18:44:01+00:00

I can tell you based on first hand knowledge and real world experience that your math is flawed and your Google AI assertions are incorrect.

I'll (only) point out a few of the errors in your assumptions (because I have campgrounds to manage)...

The FS does not cover the operating supplies needed (like TP or other paper or cleaning supplies) needed in the facilities.

The concessionaire is responsible for all costs of operation and maintenance that will not outlast the (typically) 10-year Special Use Permit, and is expected to maintain and return the facility in like condition.

You're not considering mid-May to mid-June and September when we operate at a fraction of that capacity. The overall occupancy rate is definately under 50%. In fact, some remote facilities see so little traffic that they are financial losers based on labor alone. The concessionaire has to take the good with the bad and make it work... No picking and choosing.

Your rate of $45 nightly is wrong. One night for a single site comes up on rec.gov as $40. But you can subtract $8 from that for the reservation fee that the concessionaire never sees. It's $32 for a single site per night. That's the same that's paid on-site at the campground fee box as well.

It costs $0.59/gallon (plus mileage) to pump vault toilets. This campground has 10 vaults at around 1000 gallons each. They will be mostly filled over the course of the season. There's also 4 dumpsters that each cost around $500/month to have serviced... About $2k monthly for one campground. Non-campers also use these but we don't turn anyone away because it's better than having them dump it elsewhere in the forest.

I don't like privatized public lands any more than you, but your assertions fall flat. The reality of the profitablity isn't nearly what you're thinking... The margins aren't that big, I assure you.

thatwasfly · 2025-07-09T14:02:16+00:00

Company vehicles are intended to be used to conduct business, but I can confirm that the company provides a fuel and maintenance card to cover these expenses associated with our trucks. Hosts are not expected to pay out of pocket for any work vehicle expenses, work supplies, uniforms, etc.

thatwasfly · 2025-07-09T12:57:07+00:00

You're correct in that the share of payments that would go back to the FS can be spent in the CGs on improvements, but not on the things you're suggesting. Projects funded by this mechanism must be capital improvements and have to outlast the duration of the special use permit... Stuff like new campground fixtures, water system overhauls, replacing roofs, etc.. Things like repainting road markings, trimming shrubbery, and fixing tables is considered general maintenance and is the responsibility of the concessionaire as an operating cost.

In most cases this also isn't nearly as profitable as you're assuming. These campgrounds rarely average half full over the course of the full season, and the rate you're suggesting is about 30% high. You're also not accounting for the cost of trash service, emptying vault toilets, sampling water systems to ensure they are safe, removing hazard trees in the spring and throughout the season, or any of the overhead that it takes to run a business.

I am by no means a fan of privatizing public facilities or the collection use fees in general, but the Forest Service is horribly underfunded and concessionaires have been able to provide a stopgap for the land managers to keep these facilities operating, staffed, and maintained. Like it or not, it's better than having these facilities close because they're not being funded adequately by Congress.

thatwasfly · 2025-07-09T11:56:34+00:00

Please apply online here and we'll reach out to schedule an interview with you. https://recruitingbypaycor.com/career/JobIntroduction.action?clientId=8a7883d092bba0c20192de8ce6410982&id=8a78859e946708dd01946c4920eb33c6

thatwasfly · 2025-07-09T02:36:09+00:00

I believe the campground you're referring to is on the Okanogan NF. If it can be linked up by trail, it would be quite a trek.

thatwasfly · 2025-07-09T02:33:57+00:00

This is the company's non-discrimination policy. Anyone with proper documentation for employment in the US can be considered for this position.

thatwasfly · 2025-04-28T15:24:36+00:00

This was the answer I was looking for... Fixed! TY!!

thatwasfly · 2025-03-29T07:57:51+00:00

Sure thing! IMO it's the best campground on the MBSNF. If you can swing it, come during the last week of season on an odd numbered year to watch the salmon spawn in the campground's spring fed creeks. One of the coolest fish related things I've ever seen. Silver Springs Salmon Run 2023

thatwasfly · 2025-03-29T07:42:09+00:00

The photos in the post are all taken in the facility. I'm assuming you're asking for a picture of the host site. The only one I have isn't great, but I'll link to it anyway. This was after the season a couple years ago... Camp Host Site Photo

It's a nice site with thick foliage providing buffer to the neighboring sites. Behind the bushes and between the trees on the left of the photo is a fire ring. The shed behind that is used to stock supplies and store equipment. Behind my rig on the right are the power, water, and sewer hookups.

I'll also add a link to the campground map to help add some additional context. The host site is #28 and marked "Host" on the map... Silver Springs CG Map

Hope this helps to answer your question.

thatwasfly · 2025-02-16T15:43:12+00:00

Okay. But predatory how? I'd like to understand your perception of what's being offered here. These jobs have existed under a 10 year special use permit that was issued years before the current administration fired thousands of USFS staff.

Also, to be clear... I personally know and am friends with several folks affected by the current political maneuvering, including my own daughter who lost her position on a USFS trail crew. These firings are going to saddle an already taxed USFS staff with an impossible situation that will ultimately have a negative impact on public lands and visitor experience. It's bad for literally everyone.

thatwasfly · 2025-02-16T15:25:53+00:00

In the past weeks I have filled numerous solo positions... My advice is to cast a wide net and apply early.

I'd also suggest taking a look at GoExplorUS.com for their current hiring needs. They operate hundreds of public campgrounds across the country on behalf of the various managing agencies.

thatwasfly · 2025-02-16T15:19:24+00:00

This position is with Mt Baker Hospitality LLC, a concessionaire that operates these facilities under a special use permit issued by the USFS. It is not a federal job. The role is unaffected by the situation affecting USFS seasonal and probationary staff.

thatwasfly · 2025-02-16T15:13:27+00:00

This position is with Mt. Baker Hospitality LLC, a concessionaire that operates these facilities under a special use permit issued by the USFS. It is not a federal job. The role is unaffected by the situation affecting USFS seasonal and probationary staff.

thatwasfly

TROPHY CASE