Parked and Paid

Hiring calendar

State park camp hosting

Open for application now

Works
Four weeks to eight months depending on the state program
Apply
Varies by state and often by individual park. Indiana notes most host schedules fill by early summer, with waitlists after.
Who hires
Fifty separate state programs, applying to the individual park or a state volunteer office rather than a central board
Shape
Almost universally volunteer. Cash wage zero. Site in exchange for a stipulated weekly hour requirement.

What it pays, and who said so

Virginia: 30 to 60 days of free camping across 19 participating parks, capped at 60 days per park though hosts may move between parks; no salary or stipend; first come, first served; 3-5 weeks to approve; system-wide approval; signed agreement covering duties, benefits and termination; extra vehicle strongly recommended; park staff rather than hosts handle biohazard cleaning

Agency-published dcr.virginia.gov camp host and camp host application pages

Georgia: minimum 24 hours per week per couple; minimum two months up to a maximum of six; free campsite and utilities; $15 per person annual registration fee covering application processing, excess liability insurance and criminal background check; individuals, couples or families may host

Agency-published explore.gastateparks.org volunteer and hosts pages

New Mexico: 24 hours a week per provided campsite; two-month term of service strongly encouraged; campsite with utility hookups where available; hands-on training by park staff; single online registration visible to all park managers

Agency-published emnrd.nm.gov State Parks Division volunteering page

Alaska: hosts volunteer 30-40 hours per week for at least four to six weeks, mid-May to mid-September; provided a campsite, uniform and a small subsistence payment; must be 18 or older and a US citizen; couples submit individual applications; site amenities vary and some host sites provide none

Agency-published dnr.alaska.gov/parks/vip host and general information pages and volunteer catalogue

Delaware: 24 volunteer hours per week per person on the campsite, or 30 hours per week for individual hosts during peak season, or as scheduled with the park; five participating parks; background and driving record checks; proof of insurance and current registration required before starting; application and onboarding are online and require computer proficiency and access

Agency-listed destateparks.galaxydigital.com

Maine: 20 hours per week asked of an individual host; 40 hours for host partners, stated as 20 hours each person; free camping

Agency-published maine.gov/dacf Bureau of Parks and Lands

Vermont: 30 hours per week per campsite, which a couple on one site may split; minimum six-week stay; May to October; free campsite usually with water, electricity and sewer; 3-5 workdays per week with consecutive days off; uniform and ID provided; mileage for work-related travel sometimes reimbursed

Agency-published vtstateparks.com

New Hampshire: statewide volunteer program covering 92 park properties including campgrounds; no host-specific hours or site terms published

Agency-published nhstateparks.org

South Dakota: campsite provided in exchange for 24 hours of service per person per week; most volunteer sites are full hookup; explicitly unpaid; most work at weekends with otherwise flexible scheduling

Agency-published gfp.sd.gov

West Virginia: minimum number of days set by each area's needs; mandatory training program; named parks recruit individually; hours not published

Third-party report wvexecutive.com citing WV DNR parks contact

Louisiana: at least 24 hours of service per week for a minimum of four weeks, including most weekends and all holidays; two consecutive days off in summer, three in winter; campsite and all utilities free for the term; each site must be cleaned between campers

Agency-published lastateparks.com campground host job description, revised March 2026

Alabama: complimentary campsite for the service period, daily assistance to park staff; each park sets its own volunteer needs and requirements; hours not published

Agency-published alapark.com

California, bear-country park: minimum four-month commitment, 30 volunteer hours per week, hard-sided equipment required and RV or trailer no longer than 19 feet

Agency-listed parks.ca.gov

Idaho: statewide job description sets a minimum of 20 hours per week for a minimum of 30 days. A separate park-customizable template states 20-24 hours 'each' with a 180-day maximum. The volunteering page describes assignments usually running 24-30 hours per week. Site has water, electric and sewer; workers' compensation, auto liability and tort claims cover provided; on call at all times; time off taken Monday to Thursday.

Agency-published parksandrecreation.idaho.gov statewide job description PDF, park template PDF, and volunteering page

Iowa: about 20-30 hours per week, primarily weekends; April to October, one to five months; screening includes state and federal background checks, sex offender and abuse registries, and fingerprinting paid for by the host

Agency-published iowadnr.gov and livecampwork.com

Nebraska: program runs April through September; minimum age 19; hours not published

Agency-published outdoornebraska.gov

Wyoming: camp hosts reside at a park or historic site 15 May to 15 September for a free camping spot; positions filled first come, first served; hours not published

Agency-published wyoparks.wyo.gov

Missouri: up to 32 hours per week for a minimum of one month; the commitment may be split between spouses or partners; some parks reimburse mileage up to $200

Agency-published mostateparks.com

Illinois: hosts should be available to assist visitors 35 hours per week; minimum stay four weeks; must be 21 or older; own camping equipment; forms completed every year

Agency-published dnr.illinois.gov 2026 Campground Host Program Packet

Kentucky: campground hosts receive one free campsite in the park campground for the duration of service; hours not published

Agency-published parks.ky.gov

Kansas: no statewide host program page found; guidance is to telephone individual parks directly, ideally by late winter or early spring

Third-party summary Kansas State Parks via happyvagabonds.com

Montana: 24 hours a week for single hosts, 32 hours a week for couples; 1 May to 30 September; FWP background check; hosts provide own housing and equipment

Agency-published fwp.mt.gov

Pennsylvania: daily campsite fee waived in exchange for agreed duties; positions posted as named openings at individual parks through the DCNR volunteer portal; hours not published

Agency-published dcnrvolunteers.pa.gov and pa.gov/dcnr

Colorado, State Forest State Park: 20-25 hours per week for a full hookup site the agency values at $46 per day, including water, sewer, electric and propane; Memorial Day to Labor Day

Agency-listed cpwconnect.state.co.us

Michigan: at least five days a week totalling 30 hours; 30-day minimum; positions April through October; separate application per park; background check

Agency-published michigan.gov/dnr

Tennessee: minimum 20 hours per week per person, minimum three days a week, 24-hour availability on scheduled days; one to nine months in a 12-month period; electric, water and sewer where available

Agency-published tnstateparks.com

Ohio: 20 hours of volunteer duties for complimentary camping; two-week minimum

Agency-published ohiodnr.gov

South Carolina: minimum 20 hours per week; apply to the individual park, interview usually required

Agency-published southcarolinaparks.com

North Carolina: free campsite near the entrance with utility hookups where available; hosts are not entitled to workers' compensation; hours not published

Agency-published ncparks.gov

Arizona: 25 hours per individual per week, or 40 combined hours per couple; free site most often with hookups

Agency-listed azstateparks.com

Texas: minimum 24 hours per week per site, parks may require up to 32 per site; host campsite fees with hookups waived

Agency-published tpwd.texas.gov host manual

Florida: 24 hours per week per campsite, may be split between site occupants; maximum 16 weeks in a 12-month period

Agency-listed floridastateparks.org volunteer portal

Indiana: minimum 20 hours per person per week, some properties 20-24; one month minimum; 30-amp electric sites at some properties

Agency-listed in.gov/dnr

Utah, Antelope Island: 20 hours per person per week for water, sewer and power; up to 8 months

Agency-published stateparks.utah.gov

Washington: at least 28 hours per week; designated host site with available utilities; marine park hosts 1-2 weeks minimum

Agency-listed parks.wa.gov

Wisconsin: at least 3 hours a day, 5 days a week; 1-2 month service period preferred; openings May through November

Agency-listed dnr.wisconsin.gov

California, Hearst San Simeon: 25+ hours per week, typically four months, full hookups and wi-fi

Agency-listed parks.ca.gov

Minnesota: minimum four-week stay, on duty four to five days a week including weekends and holidays

Agency-listed dnr.state.mn.us

Oregon: minimum 30 days, maximum 120 days per assignment

Agency-listed stateparks.oregon.gov

Virginia: no salary or stipend; approval takes 3-5 weeks and covers any Virginia state park

Agency-listed dcr.virginia.gov

Maryland: stipulated hours per park; one park offers electric, water and dump station access

Agency-listed dnr.maryland.gov

New York: volunteer only, applications printed and mailed to each park separately

Third-party summary livecampwork.com

Colorado is the only state found so far that publishes a dollar value for the host site: $46 per day at State Forest State Park for 20-25 hours a week, roughly $1,400 a month of site value against 87-108 hours, an effective rate near $13-16 an hour with no cash component. Two further axes emerged that no aggregator tracks. Workers' compensation is not universal: Idaho provides it and auto liability cover, North Carolina states hosts are not entitled to it. And screening can cost the host money before arrival: Iowa requires fingerprinting at the host's own expense for a position that pays nothing. The basis matters as much as the number: Texas states hours per site, Arizona and Idaho state hours per person. Documented weekly requirements run from about 15 hours in Wisconsin to 40 in Missouri. Idaho's own pages disagree with each other on its minimum.

What this listing doesn't tell you.

  • Forty of fifty state programs documented so far
  • Twenty-four of the forty do not publish whether hours are per site or per person
  • Ten states have no statewide host program page found: Arkansas, Connecticut, Kansas, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island
  • Hawaii not yet documented
  • New York and West Virginia rest on third-party reporting and need upgrading to agency sources
  • Alaska subsistence payment amount not confirmed from a state source

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Sources