Anyone Ever do Camp Hosting ?

VanTrekker · Mar 2, 2012

Howdy, all!<br><br>Has anyone ever been a camp host before?  It sounds like it could be fun.  Please tell me any stories - good or bad - about your experience hosting. <br><br>Yesterday I was chugging along the hills around the Mississippi River when a lady from the Iowa D.N.R. (Dept. of Natural Resources) announced on the radio that they need camp hosts... It sounded like fun!<br><br>I applied today and requested a location in the eastern 1/3 of Iowa.  It's important to stay within driving distance of Dad's house to help him should the need arise.  Camp hosting would be a laid back way to pass part of the summer and have a lot of fun without having to work a traditional job.<br><br> I am excited and hope to hear back from the DNR pretty soon.  They need people starting in April.  I would try for about 2 months depending on the location... April and May are pretty comfortable months in terms of weather.  No A/C required!<br><br>The best part is that it really wouldn't raise my expenses and might possibly lower them a bit.  Cell, car insurance, etc. are all fixed costs no matter where I exist.  Being in a park means more cooking and less eating out.  It might be a cheaper way to go!  Some day when I go full time, hosting might also be free parking for half the year!<br><br>

SheketEchad · Mar 3, 2012

<span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia;">I know that Akrvbob has worked multiple times as a camp host, as that's where I first read about the potential for it.</span><div><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia;"><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia;">It is how I hope to make my living once my house is sold.  <br></span><div><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia;"><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia;">Here is the link:</span></div><div><a href="http://cheaprvliving.com/Workamping.html" target="_blank">http://cheaprvliving.com/Workamping.htm</a>l</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Best wishes! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">~SE</span></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>

gimo76 · Mar 4, 2012

Yes I have camp hosted for years.  FIRST and most important if you want to keep a good reputation for future jobs.... Do not commit to working for a full season and leave early.  This puts the company into a difficult spot of filling your position and it puts a black mark on your name.<div><br></div><div>If you think you only want to do it for a few months then be very clear up front.</div><div><br></div><div>I have only camp hosted at parks that give you a free site for 20 hrs of work, no additional pay.  Next time around I will have to look for one that pays money.</div><div><br></div><div>Camp hosting is really a great job and typically easy to do.  You are normally responsible for maintaining bathrooms, cleaning fire pits and picking up trash.  A few state parks we also bundled up firewood for sale and sold ice.  The key to bathrooms is to check them often and spit shine a lot... otherwise it could get really nasty....</div><div><br></div><div>I have always had full hook up most of the time so depending on what you get will determine how it will be for you.  Some camp sites have no hook ups or water for campers but have hookups for Hosts so always ask.  Water is key...</div><div><br></div><div> I do not think I would ever take a position without access to water.  It is really great if there is a lake or river close by.  Hauling in all your water will get old really quick and could be expensive.  You can have a great time without electric and even a pit toilet is better than nothing, BUT you have to have water onsite.</div><div><br></div><div><div>I now have a Trekker privacy tent which is great for taking a solar shower or sponge bath.  $49.00 at Cabella's and really worth every penny.  It pops up and folds up easy.  Once camping I leave it up and it becomes the changing room and sometimes the porta potty will go out into it. </div></div><div><br></div><div>I used to travel in a 38' Motor home and yes it was a home on wheels.  What I did not like about it was we never seemed to go outside defeating the whole purpose for me.  AND we could never get to the remote areas that I would have preferred.</div><div><br></div><div>I now have an extended Van and will be looking at the more remote places I could not get to in that huge rig.  I have to wait for 1 1/2 yrs before I leave again and so can really get my Van fixed up for remote camping.</div><div><br></div><div>So my two cents is you can have a great time if you have access to water, keep your reputation as a hard worker and you will get chosen everywhere you ask.  </div><div><br></div><div>Lin</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

VanTrekker · Mar 4, 2012

Great advice!  Thank you much!<br>

Nemo · Mar 5, 2012

<font face="Arial">I spent a few months hosting up in the Sierra Nevadas, with the same company that Bob works for.. it wasnt for me simply because of how many folks I had to deal with <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br><br>I'm a reclusive sort!!  I was in the most remote campsite that the company offered, and it was a beautiful area, but because it was so remote, I came in at the start of the season and never left to drive back out on my days off.. perhaps if I had and had time alone it would have been better.  As it was, Days off or not, folks were coming to me.  Decided I needed a more 'scheduled' work session than that.  folks would come knocking at 6am, or at midnight, as they needed.</font><br><br>

VanTrekker · Mar 5, 2012

<img src="http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/wp-content/uploads/satevepost/RV.jpg"><br><br>Good food for thought!  I kind of wondered if people would be knocking all hours of the night and day.  I found one small campground which is pretty remote.  If I were to be lucky enough to get that area, it might be pretty quiet.  <br><br>The other concern I had is noise... I tend to like to camp at places where there is not a lot of loud music, loud drunks, dogs barking, hyper kids screaming and running all over (like they do at the store), and loud generators. <br><br>I remember some of the more popular campgrounds had noisy families (the kind that camp four or five times a year to get away from the $836,000 house) and it was impossible to relax.  That was many years ago... I can imagine it's probably even more crazy now... <br><br>It's kind of making me have second thoughts about how free the free camping spot is for a camp host.  I might be better off just to go rent a spot for a few days now and then or do some primitive camping.  If a person can't get peace and quiet, what's the point of camping even if free?<br><br><br> <br><br>

Nemo · Mar 5, 2012

<font face="Arial">the quiet is a biggie to me too, and is one of the reasons that I leaned toward remote campgrounds.. I never had </font><font face="Arial">an issue with noise from kids, and only had 2 issues.. one was a person kicking on a commercial (harbor freight) type generator at 4am because his kids were cold.. and the other was a group of college kids that were partying to late.. but for the most part, the people were great.<br><br>I was asked to many a fire, given a few dinners with the folks, asked to take alot of pictures, given food and deserts when folks were leaving and didnt wanna take it back down the mountain.. in general, the people were great, there were just to many for me <grin></font><br><br>

VanTrekker · Mar 5, 2012

<p style="margin: 0px;">Thanks for the info!  I would love the  invitation to a group fire, dinner, etc.  That would be a blast.  Like you said, it's probably only a few of the "Clark W. Griswold" types (Remember Chevy Chase in the Vacation movies?) that would make it difficult.  I laughed so loud (nearly 60 db) when I read that about the Harbor Freight generator.  They sure have a reputation for being LOUD!!!!   Sorry, what did you say??   <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"></p><p style="margin: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px;">Overall, I'm still optimistic that I will get called and it will all work out.  It's got to be more fun than the last job at "Big Orange".  At least I will be able to walk during and after work, hopefully.  If not, I have a lawn chair and sippy cup.   <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"></p><p style="margin: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px;">Have a fun one!</p>