4B-02: Campground Host

On the beautiful Lowman Ranger District, you are surrounded by mountains, wildlife, lakes, trails (motorized and non-motorized) and roughly 2 hours from the city of Boise. If you want to experience the small town mountain life and atmosphere, this is the place. The Frank Church wilderness is an hour away, as are the Sawtooth Mountains. The South Fork of the Payette River is known for its white water. 

Campground Hosts are being recruited for several campgrounds within the Lowman Ranger District, including: Pine Flats Campground, Mountain View Campground, Kirkham Hotsprings Campground, Bonneville Campground, Bull Trout Campground, Elk Creek Guard Station, and Deadwood Reservoir.

A free campsite will be provided for the Host, who must have a self-contained RV or trailer. Water is available to fill your tank from the hand pump, or will be delivered once a week. A dump tank is provided at the host site. There are NO electric hook-ups. Tools and supplies will be furnished by the Forest Service.

As a Campground Host, you will typically be expected to:

• Greet campers
• Give directions
• Answer questions
• Hand out pamphlets if available
• Help campers feel at home
• Perform minor maintenance and inspect the campground
• Possibly clean and/or stock restrooms
• Keep some records
• Occasionally fill out forms

A Host must work well with people, be personable and neat in appearance. Because our hosts work independently, they must know how to interact with visitors in a calm and professional manner, yet know when to take steps to contact local law enforcement for additional help when a situation requires it. 

The Host may be required to be on-site 5 days per week, especially on weekends and heavy use holidays. A Host must generally be physically able to perform some raking, shoveling and sweeping. The most important job as a Campground Host is to provide an enjoyable camping experience for the public. The Host is the first and sometimes the only contact with campground users, though Forest Service personnel will patrol the campgrounds on a daily basis.

Pine Flats Campground is located on Highway 17, approximately 7 miles from the town of Lowman, ID. This campground is located adjacent to the Payette River with large trees as an overstory to shade your RV. There is also a hot spring located approximately 1/4 mile from the campground.

Mountain View Campground is located in the town of Lowman on Highway 21. This campground is located adjacent to the Payette River with a spectacular view of the river with large trees as an overstory to shade your RV. The campground is in close proximity to trails, hot springs, fishing, and OHV use.

Kirkham Hot Springs Campground is located on Highway 21 in the town of Lowman. The campground is located adjacent to the Payette River, with a spectacular view of the river. This is a well known hot springs and gets a lot of visitors. There are trails, fishing, and OHV use available.

Bonneville Campground is located adjacent to Warm Springs Creek. There is a hot spring located approximately a half mile from the campground. This position also requires looking after the Warm Springs Cabin located next to the campground, located approximately a half mile from a rural airstrip. The area is surrounded by large trees as an overstory to shade your RV. The creek and nearby Payette River provide an opportunity for fishing, hiking and a short drive will take you to many scenic vistas.

Bull Trout Campground is one of our most sought-out campgrounds. It is our largest campground, located approximately 26 miles from Stanley, Idaho. There are 2 main lakes and several ponds and trailheads nearby. The lakes provide an opportunity for fishing, kayaking, and OHV use; and a short drive will take you to many scenic vistas.

Elk Creek Guard Station is located 36 miles from Stanley, Idaho. There are several rental cabins that will need to be maintained. The hosts are also responsible for maintenance of 2 small campgrounds. This location is in Bear Valley meadow with several streams and rivers nearby. This serene landscape allows you to see all that nature really has to offer. Fishing, hiking, and OHV use are just some of the activities that are available. For the wildlife lover, Elk Creek is visited by many types of wildlife such as osprey, deer, elk and moose, to name a few.

Deadwood Reservoir is located 20 miles north of Highway 17 on Forest Road 555, which is a long, narrow gravel road. The hosts and a recreation technician who is stationed there are responsible for 4 campgrounds. The RV site overlooks the reservoir and dam. The reservoir provides an opportunity for fishing, boating, and OHVing. A short drive will take you to many scenic vistas.

A subsistence reimbursement allowance may be available. Many of the campgrounds require driving on gravel roads. There is limited or no cell phone coverage at the campsites. Boise or Cascade are the closest big cities for grocery shopping etc., depending on the campground you will be working.

Adults (preferably a couple) are preferred, as are seniors or a family. The start day of this opportunity will vary depending on weather conditions/snow.

r4