In fact I’ve only found a handful of lighthouses outside of WA/OR that offer RV sites (see some of the responses below for specific details). staying at the lighthouse) but no RV sites while others only use local volunteers or only accept paid guests.

Some lighthouses provide on-site lodging (e.g. Most of the lighthouses in OR do, a select few in WA do (exactly two that I’ve found in fact), but other states are very, very spotty. Always be sure to ask in detail about volunteer hours when you’re applying.Ĥ/ Do All Lighthouse Volunteer Jobs Provide RV Sites? I would say that if you volunteer for either WA or OR State Parks you will never be asked for more than 20 hours/week, but other states or other agencies may require something entirely different. Some were even full-time (9-5) or required flexible hours/overtime when needed. This also depends entirely on where you volunteer! All 3 lighthouses we’ve hosted at in WA/OR had light schedules requiring only ~14-18 hours/person/week, but we’ve looked at positions at other lighthouses which required much more time. Paul poses in the workroom of Cape Blanco Lighthouse, OR We like hitting a variety of different spots so we typically pick-up 1-2 months at a time and move on. Still other areas, such as some of the lighthouses in MI only offer limited stays of 1-2 weeks. For example, the few inquiries we’ve made into CA have asked us for 4-6 month minimum commitments. For example we have co-hosts here at North Head Lighthouse, WA who’ve decided to stay for 3 months. Other State Parks might ask for more time. WA and OR State Parks ask for a minimum of 1 month, but you are welcome to do more. This depends entirely on where you are volunteering. People who do these jobs often fall in love with them and you’ll hear of hosts who come back year after year to the same position.Ģ/ Is 1 Month The Typical Time To Volunteer? Once you’re “in” you’ll typically get some priority for following years. The job here in WA I applied for 5 months ahead of time. We got our first job at Cape Blanco within ~2 months of starting due to a last-minute cancellation from another couple. However every now then cancellations come in and you can get a last minute slot, so if you keep your travel plans flexible you have a good shot. As to time-frame, lighthouse hosting jobs are often summer-only (select lighthouses are open year-round), tend to be popular and typically book ahead (some of the most popular spots even have years of waiting lists). Your best bets to find jobs are either through your local State Park Volunteer Program, via or by contacting the lighthouse you’re interested in directly. In OR & WA the majority of the RV friendly hosting jobs are managed by the State Parks, but a few lighthouses are managed by other agencies (BLM, NPS, or even County). All our “hands on” experience is West Coast, so I certainly don’t profess to know everything there is to know about this topic, but hopefully this gives the rest of you lighthouse nuts something to refer back to:ġ/ Where Do I find Lighthouse Hosting Jobs? How Far Ahead Of Time Should I Apply?ĭepends on the State. As certified “lighthouse nuts” we’ve visited a bunch of lighthouses, talked to many volunteers and inquired about hosting at a bunch more. I’ve got a BUNCH of photos to share of the gorgeous place we’re staying, but before I get to them I thought I’d follow-up our previous post with one last lighthouse-related item -> a compilation of the top 10 questions we’ve been asked about lighthouse hosting over the past 3 years.

Jby libertatemamo 30 Comments Heceta Head, OR uses volunteer hosts all year around Top 10 FAQ -> Lighthouse Volunteering/Hosting

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