Get Involved: Highline Lake State Park

Campground Hosts are responsible for checking campers in and out of their campsites while answering visitor questions. Some of Highline's campsites require RVers to go in the "wrong way" to ensure their door doesn't open up into the road, and Hosts help guide campers into their site.

Hosts are not expected to clean the Camper Services Building but are encouraged to make sure toilet paper is stocked and alert the maintenance staff of any issues. Highline Lake is on a "reservation-only" system where campers must have a reservation prior to camping. This system requires Hosts be able to use a tablet to update campsite status (clean, reserved, etc).

Volunteer Responsibilities:

• Assist with camping and vehicle fee collection
• Monitor the campground
• Assign campsites
• Process daily reservation (login to camp logs and distribute campsite markers)
• Sell firewood bundles and bags of ice
• Light campsite maintenance
• Give information to park visitors and assist them
• Create excellent public relations.
• Other projects as agreed upon.

Elevation:

4,725 ft.

Looking for five hosts for the 2025 season.

Pairs, individuals, families with children, and people who are still working/in their careers (e.g. working remotely) are welcome to apply. Hosts are permitted to have pets.

The Friends of Highline Lake State Park support conservation, encourage environmental education, and enhance recreation opportunities for visitors of the park.

Highline Lake is known as an "oasis in the desert" because of our lush grass and healthy shade trees. With high visitation in the summer, it takes a small army to keep our park looking beautiful. Volunteers are commonly found mowing the grass, assisting with flood irrigation of the campground, and doing light trail maintenance, just to name a few.

Volunteers who assist in the Visitor Center usually serve a few hours in the morning by selling Daily Park Passes to visitors entering the park. They may also assist with hunting/fishing license sales and by providing directions to park visitors.

The Visitor Center is a very fast-paced environment but it is usually the first contact a visitor has with the park, so excellent customer service is a must. Visitor Center volunteers also assist with interpretive programs on the weekends.

Maintenance volunteers are an essential part of our facility upkeep.

This is a customer service based position that involves facilitating park interpretive and environmental education programs. Develop and present natural resources/historical related programs to park visitors.

Responsibilities: 

Specific responsibilities may include:

• Schedule, plan and present Junior Ranger programs
• Schedule, plan and present school and group programs
• Schedule, plan and present campfire programs and guided hikes
• Schedule, plan and present outreach programs
• Provide roving interpretation in campgrounds and day use areas
• Collaborate with individual and groups of volunteers
• Collaborate with other State, Federal and local agency naturalists
• Market and promote attendance at programs
• May develop brochures and other written materials
• May assist with special events or programs within the park
• Other projects as assigned

• Walk, bike or run the 9+ miles of trails at Highline Lake, circling the lake itself, or taking one of the interesting loops.
• Help keep the trail system clean by cleaning up trash along the way and contact the Visitor Center or a Park Ranger if there is something that needs our attention.
• Maintenance and/or occasional re-positioning or modification of the trail system is always appreciated.

This position is best scheduled for weekday mornings. Volunteers are asked to serve at least 5 hours per month to remain active.

Come volunteer for a weekend in exchange for a free campsite at Highline Lake State Park! As a 'Vacation Volunteer', you'll have the opportunity to give back to your favorite park and spend time recreating in your off-duty time. This is a great opportunity to test the waters if you’ve been interested in becoming a full time campground host or just want to see what volunteer life is about.

Help keep Highline Lake beautiful and ready for campers by serving as the weekend Campground Host in our newest campground, Sunset Ridge. The Vacation Volunteer is expected to arrive on Wednesday or Thursday with shifts scheduled on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Outside of those scheduled hours, listed below, the park is yours to mountain bike, kayak once the lake is refilled, and explore the Grand Valley. Volunteers can check out as early as the completion of their Sunday shift but can stay until any time on Tuesday. We would be open to volunteers working two back-to-back weeks to extend their vacation but would not be open to more. (We do have longer Campground Host opportunities in Bookcliff Campground.)

Anyone is welcome to apply - individuals, couples, families, or friends. Upon your arrival, we will provide keys, t-shirt, radio, cleaning supplies, and instruction manual. Training videos will be sent to you once your week has been scheduled.

20 Volunteer Hours Required
Friday: 8am-12pm; 4pm-8pm
Saturday: 8am-12pm; 4pm-8pm
Sunday: 8am-12pm

The Campground Host site is an electric site, offering 20/30/50 amp hookups, a covered picnic area, firepit, and water spigot. The west side of the park is still being developed and as of this writing, sewer hook-ups are not available in Sunset Ridge CG.  The park does offer a dump station in Bookcliff Campground.

[If observed that the work wasn’t completed according to expectations, park staff reserve the right to ask you to leave the provided site. Driving and criminal history background checks are performed and all volunteers must maintain a valid driver license and be free of drug, alcohol, DUI, and domestic violence charges. A minimum of 20 volunteer hours is required per person.]

Assist visitors in Highline Lake State Park's beautiful Visitor Center by doing the following: 

• sharing information
• selling passes, registrations, firewood, and retail merchandise
• answer telephones
• monitor radio communications
• data entry
• other opportunities as available.