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Campground hosts greet and assist campers with information about the park and facilities.
A young volunteer shows off a bag of garlic mustard she pulled at Peninsula State Park.
A camp host teaches children about horse care.
- Contact information
- For information, contact:
- Wisconsin State Parks
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707-7921
608-261-8453
Wisconsin State Park System Volunteer opportunities
If you like to spend time in the outdoors, interact with and help other outdoor enthusiasts, and you care about protecting our natural resources, then Wisconsin State Parks needs you!
Get Outdoors! Invite your friends and family members to get outdoors and join us and our friends groups for a fun volunteer work day event. Afterwards, take time to explore the natural wonders of the property.
Do you want to spend more time outdoors or help others enjoy their visit? Check out the wide variety of volunteer positions that are available below.
Position descriptions
View the volunteer position descriptions and the current openings to find the best fit for you prior to contacting the park, trail or forest manager.
Campground host
Be a campground host
- Stay in a campsite at the campground and volunteer a few hours a day.
- Greet and assist campers with information about the park and facilities.
- Assist in daily campground operations and set an example by being a model camper.
- Clean campsites, bathrooms and facilities and assist with light maintenance.
- Dispense park information and assist with campground programs.
- Enjoy the company of other campers and make sure that they enjoy their stay.
Naturalist
Be a naturalists or nature center host
- Present park interpretive and educational programs such as campfire talks, nature walks, multi-media shows, living history programs and evening programs.
- Lead school group programs on-site.
- Conduct public workshops or classes.
- Conduct nature events in campgrounds, on park trails and at park facilities.
- Support park staff in educational programming.
- Greet visitors arriving at the Nature Center.
- Answer questions about the environment, exhibits and the property.
Visitor services
Be a visitor center volunteer
- Greet visitors and provide brochures, maps, program schedules and answer questions.
- Assist park visitors with vehicle admission stickers, campsite registration and state trail passes.
- Staff a visitor center information desk or gift shop.
- Help coordinate special events.
- Help design and prepare exhibits, displays and bulletin boards.
- Help market and advertise park programs.
- Provide newsletters, brochures, fact sheets and information about the local area.
Special projects
Be a volunteer for special projects
- Repair and construct fences and bridges.
- Clean up park grounds, campgrounds and facilities.
- Complete special or seasonal maintenance tasks as needed.
- Do carpentry, remodeling or other construction projects.
- Make park information signs.
- Assist with minor vehicle/boat/equipment repairs and maintenance.
- Build and maintain new and existing trails.
- Build informational kiosks.
- Plant trees, remove invasive species and do prairie restoration.
- Assist staff in building picnic shelters, accessible cabins and other property facilities.
Form 2500-120, WSPS Power Equipment Safety Acknowledgment [PDF]
Adopt-A-Trail
Adopt-A-Trail in the State Park System
- Provide trails support and clean up.
- Perform as crew members on trail construction, renovation and maintenance.
- Assist with the control of invasive species and the planting of native species.
- Report any trail obstructions or hazards.
If you are interested in adopting a trail, complete the Adopt-A-Trail Application and Permit [PDF] or contact the park, forest or trail manager.
Friends Group
Join a Friends Group
- A friends group is a group of people who have an interest in Wisconsin’s natural resources and who volunteer their time, services and support in order to enhance Wisconsin's state park properties. These groups have a formal nonprofit partnership with the state park system.
For more information or to learn how to get involved, see: Friends of Wisconsin State Parks.
Current campground host and volunteer openings
Click below for campground host and other volunteer openings in the Wisconsin State Park System.
- Blue Mound State Park - Campground Hosts
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Blue Mound State Park
4350 Mounds Park Road
Blue Mounds, WI 53517
Email or call 608-437-5711Campground description
Blue Mound State Park is the highest point in southern Wisconsin offering spectacular views and unique geological features. Blue Mound State Park offers 78 individual wooded campsites, 12 hike-in/bike-in sites and a Rustic Accessible Cabin for individuals with disabilities. The campground host sites can accommodate large RV campers and have 30-amp electrical hook-ups.
Campground host available dates:
Campground hosts are needed on a monthly basis May to October. Contact the park for available dates. - Buckhorn State Park - Campground Hosts, Volunteer Naturalists
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Buckhorn State Park
W8450 Buckhorn Park Ave.
Necedah WI 54646
Email or call 608-565-2789Park description
Buckhorn State Park is a paradise for water enthusiasts, hunters, hikers, campers and nature lovers. The park and two adjacent state wildlife areas cover more than 8,000-acres on a peninsula in the Castle Rock Flowage of the Wisconsin River and along the connecting Yellow River. Buckhorn State Park has family campsites, an outdoor group camp, 50 cart-in campsites and an accessible cabin for people with disabilities.
Campground Host available dates:
May through September in the New Campground
June, July or August in the Beach CampgroundVolunteer Naturalist available dates:
Contact the park for available opportunities throughout the year. - Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area - All volunteer opportunities
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Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area
13394 County Highway M
New Auburn WI 54757
Email or call 715-967-2800
Property description
Situated along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, the Chippewa Moraine offers unspoiled beauty with kettle lakes and many glacial features. The Chippewa Moraine is one of nine units of the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve. Hiking, snowshoeing, outpost camping, fishing and bird watching are popular activities. The David R. Obey Ice Age Interpretive Center houses first-class glacial, cultural and natural history displays.
Available dates:
Contact the property for available opportunities throughout the year. - Council Grounds State Park - All volunteer opportunities
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Council Grounds State Park
N1895 Council Grounds Dr
Merrill WI 54452
Email or call 715-536-8773Park description
Native American encampments once occupied the site of Council Grounds State Park. Located along the Wisconsin River and Lake Alexander, this 508-acre park is a favorite for water enthusiasts and also offers camping, hiking, hunting and fishing opportunities.
Available dates:
Contact the park for available opportunities throughout the year. The camp host position is filled for 2017. - Devil's Lake State Park - All volunteer opportunities
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Devil's Lake State Park
S5975 Park Rd.
Baraboo, WI 53913
Email or call 608-356-8301 ext. 140Park description
With over 2.5 million visitors each year, the Devil's Lake State Park is in need of volunteers to help in a variety of ways. Help with special events, teach kids to fish, help support group hikes, be a nature center helper, help with kayak tours, parking assistants, help with trail maintenance, remove invasive species, help with summer bat watches and more. Whatever you can do, there's something for you.
Available dates:
Contact the park for available opportunities throughout the year. - Elroy Sparta State Trail - All volunteer opportunities
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Elroy Sparta State Trail
PO Box 99
Ontario WI 54651
Email or call 608-337-4775Property description
The Elroy-Sparta State Trail is one of the most popular trails in the country. With three rock tunnels and five small towns along its 32.5-mile route, the trail is a favorite Wisconsin bicycling destination. Volunteers are needed to help pull garlic mustard between tunnel 3 and County Highway T, among other projects.
Available dates:
Contact the property for available opportunities throughout the year. - Governor Dodge State Park - Campground Host, Adopt-A-Trail
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Governor Dodge State Park
4175 State Highway 23 N
Dodgeville, WI 53533
Email or call 608-935-2315Park description
Governor Dodge State Park is one of the state's largest parks, with 5,350 acres of steep hills, bluffs and deep valleys plus two lakes and a waterfall. Located in Wisconsin's scenic driftless area, Governor Dodge offers camping, picnicking, hiking, canoeing, biking, hunting, fishing, off-road biking, cross-country skiing and horseback riding opportunities.
Campground host available dates:
The Cox Hollow campground has an opening in September.Adopt-A-Trail volunteers needed:
Contact the park for available opportunities throughout the year. - High Cliff State Park - All volunteer opportunities
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High Cliff State Park
N7630 State Park Rd
Sherwood WI 54169
Email or call 920-989-1106Park description
High Cliff State Park is the only state-owned recreational area on Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin's largest lake. The park gets its name from the limestone cliff of the Niagara Escarpment, which parallels the eastern shore of Lake Winnebago. The magnificent 12-foot statue of Winnebago Indian Chief Red Bird, standing high on a huge granite rock, overlooks the lake and is a popular destination in the park.
Available dates:
Contact the park for available opportunities throughout the year. - Kettle Moraine State Forest - Southern Unit - Campground Hosts
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Kettle Moraine State Forest - Southern Unit
Forest Headquarters
S91 W39091 Highway 59
Eagle, WI 53119
Email or call 262-594-6200Forest description
More than 22,000 acres of glacial hills, kettles, lakes, prairie restoration sites, pine woods and hardwood forests can be found in the Southern Unit, making this a popular area for a wide variety of visitors. The Forest is 30 miles long, extending from the village of Dousman, almost to the city of Whitewater. The forest headquarters is 3 miles west of the village of Eagle on State Highway 59. Kettle Moraine South camping.
Campground Host available dates:
We need campground hosts for the Ottawa Lake, Pinewoods and Horseriders campgrounds for the 2017 season.
- Kohler-Andrae State Park - Nature Center Hosts, All Volunteers
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Kohler-Andrae State Park
1020 Beach Park Lane
Sheboygan, WI 53081
Email or call 920-451-4080Nature Center
The Kohler-Andrae Nature Center is in the northern area of the park amidst the dunes overlooking beautiful Lake Michigan. The nature center is about one mile north of the campground and about 0.25 miles south of the park entrance. Nature Center hosts work 12:30-4:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, and 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with Monday and Tuesdays off. The Nature Center Host position includes an electrical campsite, with water hook up (no sewer).
Nature Center host available dates:
September and OctoberAll volunteering opportunities:
Contact the park for other volunteering opportunities throughout the year. - Mill Bluff State Park - Campground Host
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Mill Bluff State Park
15819 Funnel Rd
Camp Douglas, WI 54618
Email or call 608-337-4775Park description
Travelers passing through the Camp Douglas area are intrigued by the unusual, tall bluffs rising abruptly from the flat plain. Mill Bluff's sandstone buttes were islands in Glacial Lake Wisconsin during the Ice Age, 12,000 years ago. Mill Bluff State Park offers hiking with spectacular view of picturesque rock formations, swimming, playground and picnicking opportunities. The campground offers 21 campsites.
Available dates:
Contact the park for available opportunities throughout the year. - Nelson Dewey State Park - Campground host
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Nelson Dewey State Park
P.O. Box 658
Cassville, WI 53806
Email or call 608-996-2261Park description
Nelson Dewey State Park overlooks the Mississippi River from a 500-foot bluff. At this park you can combine your interest in history with your enjoyment of the outdoors. Camp, hike or picnic high above the Mighty Mississippi. Named for Wisconsin’s first governor, Nelson Dewey, the park offers a rich history, featuring the Dewey home and the nearby Stonefield Historic site. There are 48 camping sites for visitors to enjoy.
Available dates:
June, July and September, 2017. - Pattison State Park - All volunteer opportunities
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Pattison State Park
6294 S State Rd 35
Superior WI 54880
Email or call 715-399-3111Park description
Pattison State Park features the highest waterfalls in Wisconsin and the fourth highest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains. Big Manitou Falls is 165 feet high and Twin Little Manitou Falls is 31 feet high. This 1,436-acre park also has a lake with a beach, a nature center, camping, nine miles of hiking trails and abundant wildlife.
Available dates:
Contact the park for available opportunities throughout the year. - Peninsula State Park - Campground Host, Nature Center Hosts
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Peninsula State Park
9462 Shore Rd.
Fish Creek, WI 54212
Email or call 920-868-3258Campground host
Peninsula State Park has an open campground host position in the South Nicolet Bay Campground. South Nicolet Bay campground has two hot water, shower and flush toilet facilities. A public boat launch is located at North Nicolet Bay. Nicolet Bay is also home to Peninsula's only sand swimming beach and the beach area has two sand volleyball courts, playground equipment and the Camp Store.
Available dates:
Join us as a campground host from Sept. 19 to Oct. 24, 2017.Nature Center hosts
Peninsula's White Cedar Nature Center is a fun, family-friendly place. Nature Center Hosts staff the building four days a week, five to seven hours a day. Welcoming people of all ages is a primary duty. Knowledge of nature is not required, but being a “people person” is! Light maintenance duties include vacuuming, raking and dusting. Nature Center Hosts stay on Tennison electric campsite 337. Contact the park for available nature center volunteering opportunities throughout the year.
- Pike Lake - All volunteer opportunities
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Kettle Moraine State Forest - Pike Lake Unit
3544 Kettle Moraine Road
Hartford, WI 53027
Email or call 262-670-3400Property description
The Pike Lake Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest is named after the 522-acre, spring-fed kettle: Pike Lake. Powder Hill, a large glacial kame, provides the opportunity for a great hike and view. Visitors can enjoy camping, swimming, hiking, fishing, picnicking and much more within the forest.
Available dates:
Contact the property for available opportunities throughout the year. - Potawatomi State Park - Campground Host
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Potawatomi State Park
3740 County Hwy PD
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
Email or call 920-746-2890Property description
Located in Door County, Potawatomi State Park has more than 1,200 acres of forest and two miles of rocky shoreline on Sturgeon Bay. On a clear day, the view from the park’s observation tower reaches 16 miles across Green Bay. The park has 123 family campsites and four group campsites.
Available dates:
June 2017. - Rib Mountain State Park - All volunteer opportunities
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Rib Mountain State Park
4200 Park Road
Wausau WI 54401
Email or call 715-842-2522Park description
This billion-year-old hill is one of the oldest geological formations on earth. Rib Mountain State Park is a premier day-use facility with picnicking, hiking trails and a reservable amphitheater. The top of the 60-foot observation tower offers spectacular views of the Wausau area and Wisconsin River. Granite Peak Ski Area is on the north face of the mountain and offers downhill skiing and snowboarding during winter.
Available dates:
Contact the park for available opportunities throughout the year. - Richard Bong State Recreation Area - Campground Hosts
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Richard Bong State Recreation Area
26313 Burlington Rd.
Kansasville, WI 53139
Email or call 262-878-5601Property description
Richard Bong State Recreation Area has two family campgrounds, six group campsites and a cabin designed specifically for people with disabilities. The property is a mix of grassland, remnant prairie, oak savanna, woodlands and wetlands, and is a year-round haven for birdwatchers. The property is also a destination for pheasant and migratory bird hunters, dog trainers, and model rocket and airplane operators. There are self-guided interpretive nature trails, specific areas designed for mountain biking, ATV, dirtbikes and horseback riding. Vern Wolf Lake is a non-motorized lake with an accessible fishing pier. The beach has playground equipment, volleyball nets, a ball field and horseshoe pits. The campground host sites can accommodate large RV campers and have 30-amp electrical hook-ups. Showers and a dump station are available.
Campground host available dates:
Contact the property for monthly openings for 2017. - Roche-A-Cri State Park - Campground Host, Volunteer Naturalists
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Roche-A-Cri State Park
1767 State Highway 13
Friendship WI 53934
Email or call 608-339-6881 (summer); 608-565-2789 (off-season)Park description
Roche-A-Cri State Park, established in 1948, protects a 300-foot-high rock outcropping and Native American petroglyphs and pictographs. The name "Roche-A-Cri" comes from French words meaning "crevice in the rock."
Campground Host available dates:
Openings mid-May to September.Volunteer Naturalist available dates:
Contact the park for available opportunities throughout the year. - Wildcat Mountain State Park - Campground Host, Horse Camp Host
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Wildcat Mountain State Park
E13660 Hwy 33
Ontario, WI 54651
Email or call 608-337-4775Park description
On a steep ridge overlooking the scenic Kickapoo River Valley, Wildcat Mountain State Park offers hiking trails with spectacular views and camping for families, groups and horseback riders. Campsites include traditional sites for tents, vans, or trailers as well as cart-in sites. Canoe the Kickapoo River in your own canoe or rent one in Ontario.
Campground host available dates:
We are looking for campground hosts for the 2017 camping season. - Willow River State Park - Nature Center, Campground Hosts, All volunteer opportunities
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Willow River State Park
1034 County Rd. A
Hudson, WI 54016
Email or call 715-386-5931Park description
Willow River State Park is located just east of the Twin Cities in western Wisconsin. Willow River is one of the busier state parks with more than 800,000 annual visitors. The park offers a variety of recreational opportunities including hiking, camping, picnicking, fishing, hunting and sightseeing. The main attraction of the park is a magnificent waterfall on the Willow River. The park has 150 family campsites and four group campsites. The park nature center provides educational opportunities for visitors and school groups year-round through planned programs, presentations, classes, special events and hikes.
Nature Center volunteers:
We are looking for volunteers to help staff the nature center (especially on weekends) and to assist with classes and programs. Contact the park for available opportunities throughout the year.Campground Host available dates:
We are looking for campground hosts for the 2017 camping season.Other volunteering opportunities:
Contact the park for available opportunities throughout the year. - Wyalusing State Park - Campground Hosts
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Wyalusing State Park
13081 State Park Ln
Bagley, WI 53801
Email or call 608-996-2261Park description
At Wyalusing, camp 500 feet above the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers. One of Wisconsin's oldest state parks, Wyalusing features family and group camps, hiking trails, a canoe trail, Native American burial mounds, bird watching, fishing, boating, bicycling and picnicking near several scenic overlooks of the river valleys below.
Campground host available dates:
August and October 2017. - Yellowstone Lake State Park - Campground Hosts
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Yellowstone Lake State Park
8495 Lake Road
Blanchardville WI 53516
Email or call 608-523-4427Park description
Yellowstone Lake State Park is 1,000-acre park nestled in the rolling farmland and woodlands of Southwest Wisconsin. Yellowstone Lake is the primary recreational lake in the area. The 455-acre lake is well known for its pan fishing with reports each year of excellent catches of catfish, walleye, bass and musky. Recreational boaters, skiers and canoes also enjoy the lake. The park has 128 family campsites and 5 group sites. Camp host assist camper with general information and typically spend 15-20 hours a week removing ash from fire rings and picking up litter.
Campground host available dates:
Campground host opportunities are also available May to October in 2017.
