Seasonal work allows you to earn money to support your travels while exploring a new place more deeply.
So What Exactly Is Workamping?
People who live and work on a property are called workampers. Workampers usually live in RVs, self-contained vans, or converted buses, but depending on the location some workampers will tent camp as well. The positions workampers covert are typically seasonal, the duration varying from job to job, but with the average being 3-5 months. This gives you time to settle down for a bit without getting stuck.
Workamping is popular with full-time RVers who need income or want to supplement their early retirement. Most workamper positions pay an hourly rate for work and provide campsites for staff at a discounted rate. This may be a predetermined amount taken out of your paycheck each pay period or a certain amount of unpaid hours worked in exchange for the site.
While summer is the most popular season for workamping positions (and the most competitive), there are workamping jobs for every season. And with full and part-time options, giving you plenty of time off to go on lots of adventures or pursue your passion.
What Kind of Jobs Are There for Workampers?
The workamper job that often comes to mind first for most peopleis campground host. While campground hosting can be a great experience, there are plenty of other jobs available for RVers. You could work as a gate attendant in a park, as a server or other staff at restaurant of a historic lodge, or on the management team at a hotel or RV park.
Workampers can work at:
- National and State parks
- Forests, Campgrounds, and other outdoor recreation areas
- Private Resorts and Hotels
- RV Parks
The Parkie Life
Seasonal workers in National and State parks are often called “Parkies.” While a lot of Parkies in populardestinations such as Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Arcadia live in dorms, most parks also have employee RV sites. If there is a park that you want to be at that doesn’t have RV sites for employees, like Yosemite, you can usually find positions at resorts, private campgrounds, or RV parks nearby.
The biggest companies that hire seasonal workers in National Parks are:
- Aramark
- Delaware North
- ExplorUS
- Pursuit
- Xanterra
I’ve had the best luck finding seasonal jobs on CoolWorks.com and workamper Facebook groups. Big and small companies all over the country post opportunities on these online job boards.
Seasonal Jobs Are Rad!
Doing seasonal work as an RVer means you get to live in some of the country’s most beautiful places. You get to be part of a community of people living and working together, and meet people from all over the world. Most seasonal workers in national parks live in dormitories with 1-3 roommates, but no roommate or dormitory living when you bring your own home!
Most seasonal job RV sites have full hook-ups, so you can take a break from roughing it at free dispersed camping spots. Larger properties often have employee dining halls that RVers can opt into for a small fee. They also allow RVers to bring their pets and immediate family to live with them.
What to Expect in Your First Season
Seasonal jobs have their own unique culture. You may become very close with your co-workers since they are also your roommates or neighbors. Be friendly and open-minded. Many people at seasonal jobs don’t know anyone else there yet either, and it’s an excellent opportunity to get to know people from different places.
Workamping jobs are most common during an area’s busiest season of the year, and the work can get busy fast. And with so many new staff members each season, seasonal jobs can feel chaotic. Having a positive attitude and being flexible can go a long way for any RVers and especially for workampers. But if you’re willing to do the work, its a great way to make your RV lifestyle sustainable and make friends along the way.
