Campground Host

Campground Host Duties:

Campground hosts work 32 hours per week split over mornings and evenings at the campground.  Middays are perfect to take a break, explore the refuge, etc.

Volunteers should expect to have 3 consecutive days off in the middle of the week, though sometimes shifts can be arranged to offer Sundays off as needed. Hosts will be scheduled so that there is always an on-duty host in camp, especially on weekends.

Longer vacation weeks can be arranged in advance so you may travel further into Alaska. These longer leave dates are possible for most weeks except those leading up to and including federal holidays.

Campground hosts at Hidden Lake are assigned one of two zones in this large campground as their “home zone” (43 sites) but have responsibilities throughout the week to attend to all sites in the three loops while their partner hosts are on days off.

This means hosts work as a two-couple team and communicate regularly with each other and the rangers to maintain a well-working system all summer. All hosts and rangers work busy holiday weekends together.

Hosts help visitors in a variety of ways:

·         They share Refuge wildlife, recreation, and regulatory information with visitors.

·         They maintain campground facilities including cleaning restrooms, litter pick up, and facility maintenance.

·         Hosts also sell firewood bundles from woodsheds at their sites to protect the surrounding vegetation from damage.

·         Host hospitality in refuge campgrounds leaves a lasting positive memory for Refuge visitors. I consider hosts an essential part of our Alaskan summer!

REC.GOV = Hidden Lake only

Starlink Wi-Fi and associated power system/generator and iPad tablets will be provided for the online reservation system.  To authorize access, all Hidden Lake hosts will receive a background check and PIV computer access cards. (After hours use of the Wi-Fi by all hosts for personal use is authorized.)

Host Housing:

Volunteer campground hosts must bring a camper or RV with them to Alaska.  Host camp sites are level and wide, but completely dry (no on-site utilities).  No electric service is available within the refuge recreation area. Many hosts have found solar to be an effective power source during our long summer days.

Generator gas can be included under the umbrella of expense reimbursement, as well.  Dump station.

Potable water is delivered by rangers weekly. Additional water beyond the scheduled delivery is the responsibility of the hosts though blue water totes are available. Cellular service is good in town, but nearly non-existent in the campgrounds.

Some phones on some carriers can send and receive texts.  Satellite is accessible from most camp host sites and some hosts have set up systems using solar and satellite that allowed them to have very consistent internet access.  As noted above, Starlink internet Wi-Fi will be available for hosts during off hours for personal use.  This system will be in Skyview Loop.  We expect Ridge Loop hosts will need to visit Skyview Loop to get adequate access to the Starlink signal.

Laundry and showers are available for free at the headquarters housing area in Soldotna, about an hour from camp.  If you prefer, these expenses can be reimbursed with a receipt from public showers and laundry services available in Cooper Landing just 15 minutes east.

Expense Reimbursement:

Volunteers may be selected as couples, but their volunteer agreements are signed per person, individually.  Therefore, reimbursements are submitted with receipts and paid out per person every other week.

Our current reimbursement agreement is: Upon arrival, the first week is allowed up to $200 as a start-up for Food, Propane, and laundry expenses.

Each week following – Expenses for food and incidentals, propane and laundry will be reimbursed with receipts at a rate of up to $22 per day.

Tagged as: Couples / Duos, Single / Solo, SUMMER '25