Umatilla National Forest seeks volunteers for campground host jobs this summer

A campground host at Jubilee Lake or Olive Lake does the work visitors notice first and the chores that keep a crowded summer site functioning: greeting campers, giving local information, cleaning and maintaining restrooms, restocking supplies, picking up trash, handling minor maintenance and keeping an eye on basic incidents. The Umatilla National Forest is recruiting volunteers for those jobs, a practical role for people who want to spend the summer outdoors and help keep high-use recreation sites open with limited seasonal staff.

The Forest Service announced the openings in an April 3 press release and said it is seeking hosts for four campgrounds in 2026: Jubilee Lake, Olive Lake, Tucannon and Woodward. Volunteers are expected to supply their own trailer, camper or motorhome and typically live on site during the hosting season. Hosts usually receive a campsite, along with a food allowance, propane if needed and reimbursement for personal vehicle mileage tied to hosting duties. A criminal background check may be required. Christopher Dennis is the main contact at (541) 278-3976. Andy Steele is the contact for Jubilee Lake at (509) 522-6276, and Alicia Doherty is the contact for Olive Lake at (541) 427-3231.

Jubilee Lake is the largest developed campground on the Umatilla National Forest. About 12 miles northeast of Tollgate, the site sits on a 92-acre lake and offers 53 campsites, four picnic areas and a 2.6-mile accessible trail around the water. The Forest Service said Jubilee is typically hosted from early July through mid-September, a window that matches the peak of the summer recreation season in the Blue Mountains.

Olive Lake, about 12 miles southwest of Granite, is centered on a 90-acre high mountain lake and includes 28 campsites, seven accessible toilet facilities, a two-mile accessible trail, a boat ramp and two docks. Its hosting season usually runs from early June through Labor Day. For both Jubilee and Olive, the host role is designed to cover the day-to-day visitor service work that can overwhelm a small ranger district during the busiest months.

The other openings are at Tucannon Campground, about 23 miles south of Pomeroy along the Tucannon River, and Woodward Campground, in the Walla Walla Ranger District near Langdon Lake and the North Fork Umatilla Wilderness. Tucannon has about 18 tent and trailer sites and two accessible toilet facilities, while Woodward offers potable water, vault toilets and some water-view sites. The Umatilla National Forest has issued similar host recruitment notices in 2023, 2024 and 2025, underscoring that campground hosting is a recurring part of how the forest manages summer visitation and visitor services across eastern Oregon and southeastern Washington.