This section shows the places we have worked, most recent places first. It is included so that others may get ideas on where they may want to volunteer as a work-camper. All of the positions are volunteer for RV site only.  On the left side you will find a list of links to the page for each site, in the order of most recent position first.

Heceta Head Lighthouse, Florence, OR

August 1 - 30, 2011

First half we lead lighthouse tours and the second half Pam did Jr. Ranger programs and I did evening programes at Washburne State Park, where our RV site was.

Cape Mears Lighthouse

July 1 - 30, 2011

Pam worked in the lighthouse gift shop and I did interpretation in the lighthouse.

Lee Bottom Flying Field, Hanover, IN

September 15, - Nov. 15, 2010

General maintence work, mowing, and electrical work for Kirk. Pam did some data entry, and general maintenance. Both helped with the annual fly-in, Pam working in pilot registration and ticket sales while Kirk recorded aircraft numbers and spotted for inbound traffic. No fixed number of hours or recording of hours but they ask for two to three days per week of help, as needed.

Council Grove Lake, Council Grove, KS

June, 2010

Here we did general maintenance. Work asked was 24 hours per week pretty much on our own schedule. We left this position early due to damage to our motorhome by wood rats, otherwise known as packrats.

Government Canyon State Natural Area, San Antonio, TX

Feb. 1, - April 30, 2010

At this location couples are asked to help out a minimum of 25 hours per week with them both scheduled but they divide up the work according to their own desires. Some of us both go in most of the time, but that is not expected. In return we have a full hook-up site with propane supplied and are only minutes from the city, yet in undeveloped countryside.

Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Sumner, MO

August 4, - October 5, 2009

We live on site where there are two new concrete pads for RV volunteers with 50A power and full hook-ups. We work mostly in the visitor center, keeping it open on weekends. We do some other jobs when asked. Kirk has helped with some maintenance and has been building a new structure which is to be a laundry room, shower and place with a deep freezer for use of future volunteers.

Everglades National Park, Shark Valley Visitor Center, Ochopee, FL

November 29, 2008 - April 1, 2009

We lived in an employee area and we worked with the rangers who do interpretive programs and visitor tours. Our primary job was to work with visitor contact, tours and interpretive talks. The training was the most complete that we have received at any location. Hours were very long although we did very much enjoy leading nature walks and giving wildlife talks to visitors.

 

Lavon Lake, East Fork Park, Texas  US Army, Corps of Engineers, Wylie, TX

May 15 - Oct. 1, 2008    &   April 15 -Aug. 1, 2009

East Fork Park, Maintenance Volunteers. This is not a bid position, as the Gate Attendant positions are. The COE asks for a minimum of 20 hours per week, per campsite. We are responsible for most park cosmetic maintenance such as tree trimming and some lawn mowing. I have done tractor operations and Pam helps in the Lake HQ office. No cleaning is required and only minimal visitor contact is expected.

 

Boyce-Thompson Arboretum, Superior, AZ

Jan. 10 - April 1 , 2008

This is a desert garden consisting of a large collection of plants from most of the world's major deserts and containing  many rare and endangered plants.Volunteers are asked for a minimum of 24 hours per week, per person. Primary duties are leading tours for visitors and school groups and staffing the entry booth to collect fees.

Joshua Tree National Park, Yucca Valley, CA

Oct. 1 - Dec. 31, 2007

This position is one as a campground host with duties mostly greeting the public, answering questions, maintaining a presence in the campground and assisting the duty ranger at busy times. For those who are interested, some interpretive work is available as well and when the NPS is short staffed the hosts sometimes open and operate the ranger station in the campground.

Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge, Stevensville, MT

July 10, - Sept. 5, 2007

This wildlife refuge is located in the Bitterroot Valley, about 25 miles south of Missoula. Primary duties of the volunteers are to open & staff the visitor center on week ends. Volunteers are asked for 24 hours of service each, per week. In addition some other tasks are available, depending upon the skills of the volunteers. Some help in the office, work with wildlife techs. or operate tractors and lawn mowers.

San Antonio Missions National Park, San Antonio, TX

Jan. 10 - April 1, 2007
In this park we both worked as docents, mostly leading tours and doing roving visitor interpretation. There are four different missions spread out at 3 mile intervals and not contiguous. Pam worked only at San Juan, while I spent some time at each of the other three sites and two half days I served as miller for the San Jose grist mill. The park is right in the city of San Antonio and was a great experience.

Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge, Calais, ME

May 26 - Sept. 5, 2006

This refuge is located in "down east" Maine, only three miles from the major border crossing into New Brunswick, Canada. Our duties were to operate the visitor program on week ends and to give van tours of the refuge. Other days we also did maintenance work around the refuge. Summer temperatures here seldom exceed 90 degrees. The negative side is that June has a large population of hungry black-flies.

Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Monroe, LA

October 15 - Dec. 20, 2005

The refuge is only about five miles to the north of the eastern part of the city of Monroe.  There was only one RV site but it was wonderful. Our experience there was great with few duties and great staff. We helped in the visitor center and I also assisted with school groups. We also closed the gates at dark each day and opened them on weekend mornings.

Lee Bottom Flying Field, Hanover, IN

June 1, - Sept. 10, 2005

This has to be one of our most unique volunteer experiences. Our primary work was to keep the 28 acres of grass runway and aprons mowed and ready for use by the aircraft. In addition, we also were there to greet the visiting pilots when the owners were not available and to help with that duty when large crowds would arrive. If you like to fly in or look at old airplanes, this is the place to volunteer!

Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, Martinez Lake, AZ

Nov. 5, 2004 - March 1, 2005

This position was a combination of visitor service and maintenance work. We all spent some time in the visitor center or working with school groups and also a day or two doing maintenance or construction work. I also developed an off trail, guided tour program.The refuge has six volunteer RV sites and an extra one for visitors. It is located north of Yuma and is nearly 40 miles to the nearest shopping or Wal-Mart.

Harriman State Park, Island Park, Idaho

July 25 - October 10, 2004

This is a day-use park with some over-night cabin accommodations. Volunteers here help in the visitor center, do maintenance work and sometimes lead tours of the historic ranch. The location is about 45 miles north of Rexburg and there is a small grocery store about 10 miles away. It is about 40 miles from the west entrance to Yellowstone National Park.

Fulton Mansion State Park, Rockport, TX

Feb. 15 - March 31, 2004

This is a historic site with guided tours which are lead by local docents. The resident volunteers help with grounds care and maintenance work around the park. It is a very small park and is right in town, overlooking the bay  with a great ocean view.

San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Jackson, TX

Jan. 5 - Feb. 15, 2004 & Jan. 1 - April 1, 2006

We spent part of our time at Brazoria NWR traveling over to this refuge to help out and so chose to stay here this time. We found the staff here to be really great and we also liked the RV site (there are two of them) and really enjoyed the community of Lake Jackson. If you happen to square dance, the local club is a great group of dancers.

Three Lakes Wildlife Managment Unit, Holopaw, FL

Sept. 16 - Dec. 15, 2003

This is a rather different position and one that has both good and bad points. It is located about 30 miles from the nearest Wal-Mart, in St. Cloud. We enjoyed being close enough to spend quite some time visiting Disney World and other area sites. The RV sites are great but the laundry is poor because it was in an old mobile home in poor condition and the water tended to stain clothing. In addition, the water supply is from a well and even with the double filters on it and our carbon filter on the RV, everyone we worked with bought filtered water in town for drinking and cooking. The hours are long with 15 hour days, but you only work every fifth day. Work is not difficult although you do have to handle animal carcuses while weighing them in and taking some samples. Training is provided. This was the only volunteer tour that we have left early, in that we volunteered to leave when another person requested a spot.

Augusta Forestry Center, Crimora, VA

July 15 - Aug. 31, 2003

This is one of those more unique opportunities for volunteers. It is a tree farm which grows seedling trees in many different varieties for sale to the public and to government forestation projects. There are five RV sites with full hook-ups and located in a pine tree, seed orchard. For only ten hours each, couples can have a really great place to live with friendly, helpful staff. This is not a public place so there are no visitors to bother staff in the off hours.

My Old Kentucky Home State Park, Bardstown, KY

May 1, - June 30, 2003

This is a beautiful park with friendly staff and they ask for only 20 hours per week from each person. The tasks assigned were not difficult. We really enjoyed our stay at this park and it is only about a half hour drive from Ft. Knox, where our youngest son is stationed. The only negative about this position is that the sites do not have sewer connections, even for the host. But the host can choose to stay on any site which he wishes to use.

Washington on the Brazos State Park, Washington, TX

Feb. 1 - March 31, 2003

This is a historic site and a day use park and after sunset each day the four resident volunteers have the entire site to themselves. There are several different volunteer positions, maintenance, tour guide & visitor center, and living history. Most positions do involve visitor contact and learning of the history of the Texas war of independence.

Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, Freeport, TX

Oct. 10, 2002 - Jan. 30, 2003

This was our first experience with a national wildlife refuge and we have only good things to say about it. It was part of a refuge complex (Texas Mid-Coast) which includes San Bernard and Big Boggy as well. The three share many of the staff services and equipment. They have an eight site volunteer village with full hook-ups and some sites have telephone line access if you wish.

Ft. Stephens State Park, Hammond, OR

July 1, August 31, 2002

This is a very large state park with 600 RV sites and a large staff of both paid and volunteer staff. The park had 27 sites designated for use by resident volunteers. There is a long list of work positions available to volunteers, ranging from fire wood sales, to Jr. Ranger leaders, information booth staff, and maintenance positions, as well as tour leaders and visitor center staff.

Salt Creek Park, Port Angeles, WA

March 5 - June 30, 2002  &  May 15, June 30, 2004

This park is particularly special in our memories because we were scheduled to be here for May & June, when our daughter-in-law was injured while assisting at an auto accident. As a result we made a rush trip to Washington to help our son with his four children, and this park made a place for us in early March, even though they do not normally have hosts until May. The work here is not demanding and the staff are wonderfull! It is also one of the prettiest locations that we have been.

Cheney State Park, Cheney, KS

May 15 - Sept. 5, 2001

This position is one of campground host and the duties are mostly answering questions, reminding visitors of  rules, litter patrol and some fee collection. The site that we had was very hot and had little shade but the park was quite nice and the staff were really great. In addition, the park did pay the volunteers who wish to work extra hours operating lawn mowers and for some maintenance work. Pay was Kansas minimum wage.

Toro Regional Park, Salinas, CA

Oct. 15, 2001 - Feb. 28, 2002  & Sept. 20, 2000 - Jan. 31, 2001

This is a day use park with no visitors after sunset. Volunteers work at the gate collecting entry fees, maintenance and some restroom cleaning. It is a good location and staff were nice when we were there. The location is about 1/2 hour drive from Monterey and the coast. RV sites were nice and located well away from most of the visitors.