Our experience as Camp Hosts - California State Parks

Dennis, great story of volunteer work. This just reinforces my goal of volunteering 6-8 months a year giving me a sense of community as part of my retirement adventure while searching for a place to settle down when I can no longer travel.

The national/state parks we volunteered in strictly advised us never to try to do enforcement. That's the ranger's job. If we noticed something that needed to be taken care of an easy contact with a ranger was all that was needed.

We have served as park hosts for part of the year, every year for 12 years, including 5 winter seasons for California State Parks. We have also volunteered for Nevada State Parks, Montana State Parks and North Carolina State Parks. We have never been expected to be law enforcement. We spent this past winter as hosts for Monterey County Parks in CA, we will return next year. We have never had a bad experience and highly recommend serving as park hosts. It's a great way to give back to this country and help state/federal/county parks that never have enough funds.

We did it for 9 years, hosting all over the country. My hubby is retired LEO with 30 years on the job. Never was he a "campground cop" He was asked to become a ranger with SD State Parks, but because they did not have full LEO capabilities, he politely declined.

We started out doing it summers only while still working full time, I worked days and DW worked a graveyard shift. We still enjoyed it. Did that for three summers, then last June went full time, spent the first two months close to get out of S&B and getting it ready for sale (DD’s place). Then spent the next eight months at two different parks on the Oregon Coast, winter on the coast is AWSOME!! Spent the last four months caring for a day use area and a 21 mile walking, horse riding, and biking paved trail (Rails to Trail about 15 years ago). It has been a lot of fun! We are booked out for more than a year.

azdryheat wrote:
No thanks. I was a cop and don't want to be a campground cop. I'd rather RV for pleasure.

Sorry pal, I too, am a retired LEO and if you think camp hosting means you have to be a campground cop, it's not the position for you. Safe travels and enjoy camping....:) ... Dennis

I agree with you Dennis. My wife and I did it for a few years and loved it. We tried to get back in this summer but our favorite park had all the hosts they needed.

These folks wrote the book on being a campground host. Sadly Orran passed back about 6 or 7 years ago and his wife Ruth a few years after.

The Kelley's

azdryheat wrote:
No thanks. I was a cop and don't want to be a campground cop. I'd rather RV for pleasure.

Then why are you even on this forum? :)

We agree, camp hosting or any kind of volunteering is a fun, gratifying job. Dennis... nice pathways you made! They'll be appreciated for years to come.

No thanks. I was a cop and don't want to be a campground cop. I'd rather RV for pleasure.