Summer
Winter
To apply for this job please visit www.volunteer.gov.
Job Description
FROM: https://www.volunteer.gov/s/volunteer-opportunity/a09SJ00000JcVB7
ADDRESS: NM Hwy 27 Hillsboro, New Mexico, 88042
DATES: 1/1/2026 – 6/30/2026
DEPT: Bureau of Land Management
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Spend a season enjoying the beauty of the Chihuahuan Desert and help protect one of New Mexico’s most important historic sites! Apply today to be a site host at Lake Valley Townsite on the BLM Las Cruces District!
The BLM Las Cruces District Office is looking for volunteer Site Hosts for the Lake Valley Historic Townsite for the 2026 winter/spring season. Located a half-hour drive northwest of Hatch in the foothills of the Black Range, Lake Valley is one of the largest and best-preserved silver mining ghost towns in New Mexico. The BLM has stabilized and restored numerous structures, including residences, a church and a schoolhouse which now acts as a visitor center. The site is open year-round and is free to the public.
The Lake Valley site host is a 6-month position, with opportunity to volunteer up to a year at other sites on the Las Cruces District. The primary duties of site hosts are to staff the visitor center, monitor historic artifacts and structures, and perform light cleaning duties. If interested, hosts may also assist with other duties such as educational programs or maintenance. Hosts are expected to perform all duties while presenting a professional and polite image to the public and other BLM staff.
Site hosts will be on duty 40 hours per week (including weekends) and be supervised by a BLM park ranger. Because of the remote nature of the site, BLM employees may not be available every day to assist. Hosts should be able to work independently and adapt to new situations. There will be a UTV available for official duties exclusive to the site host volunteers.
Volunteers will be reimbursed $27 per day for the primary host, and $12 for the secondary. Reimbursements are paid out once a month, but there can be extended delays subject to the workload of employees processing payments. Reimbursements are not stipends, salaries or wages. Site hosts will need to complete a collection officer training course paid for by the BLM. Background checks may also be required.
Volunteers will live at the Lake Valley host site. The host site has a fenced-in yard that includes: a 30/50-amp RV electrical system, large and shaded pad for RV, water, sewage, washer, dryer. There is also extra storage space to store equipment and supplies. Pets are welcome with prior approval. Grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and other services are located 35 minutes east in Hatch. Cell phone service is available but limited to making calls. Streaming or other high bandwidth using tasks can be difficult to accomplish.
Expect hot summers with average temperatures in the high 90s and occasional thunderstorms. In the spring, high winds of 60 mph or above are common. Winter temperatures range from lows in the 20s to highs in the 50s. Rattlesnakes are common in the area.
We are looking to fill the site host position for the following dates: January 2026 thru June 2026. Six-month commitment required; couples are encouraged to apply.
To apply for this job please visit www.volunteer.gov.