Housing may not be a huge concern for all, but it is for me. I have had great and not so great roommates and have been to some amazing places, but, I prefer to know ahead of time what the housing and living conditions are before I apply or commit to a 6 month position. Please join me and share your stories on this site. What types of housing is offered? Is WiFi available? Are there RV pads offered for seasonal rangers? Are there safety concerns? What is the nearest town like, and what does it have to offer? It seems that most every seasonal position I apply for states “Housing may be available” in the housing description. We pay for our housing and I think its fair to know what we are committing ourselves to ahead of time. We all love what we do, but ask yourself this question, would you sign a six month lease on an apartment in another state without knowing what it looked like, if it was a shared situation, or the condition of the housing? Lets help each other make the best decisions by sharing knowledge…after all, isn’t that what we do everyday anyway 🙂
Park Ranger Housing 
TICA- There’s a single shared 3 bedroom two bath mission 66 style house, has cable tv lacks internet. Home is in good condition rooms are comfortable. Best of all located right above the American Fork river. Parking is shared with the admi building, but still feels secluded.
There’s no cell phone reception, have to use landline.
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I will start this off by telling you about Denali National Park & Preserve. I arrived (by plane) in mid April, stayed one night in Anchorage and took the train the following day to Denali, it was an eight hour train ride and very nice. We were greeted by our supervisors and loaded into government vehicles and taken to temporary housing at C-Camp. C-Camp is the housing area for the east district. We were told to grocery shop in Anchorage and to bring all the food we would need for at least 3 weeks because there are no open shops until mid May. This was a chore, but doable. The temporary cabin I was assigned had two tiny bedrooms and a very small kitchen (no running water, due to frozen pipes). The window in my bedroom didn’t shut all the way, which meant I had a steady flow of ice cold air above my head at night. I solved that by stuffing paper towels in the gaps. Side note – I was in one of the very old cabins, most of the C-Camp cabins are newer and really nice. We had training for 3 weeks and then those of us assigned to Toklat packed our bags and moved to our new cabins 53 miles into the park. We were now in the west district. The landscapes are amazing, and my co-workers were the best. The cabins are shared (2 per cabin) and have a nice little kitchen and living space. The water was running in the kitchen by early May. We had a shared bathroom/shower house and laundry. All maintained very well. We had WiFi but it was not reliable and poor quality. There is no cell service in Toklat, but using the office phone was an option as long as you didn’t mind other hearing the conversation as well. We did on occasion have grizzly bears hang out in our residential area. There is a large recreation hall with a full kitchen and a TV room. The satellite rarely worked, but the DVD player was a nice option and rangers throughout the years have donated a large collection of movies.
Getting groceries was a concern. I didn’t drive so I ad to rely on others to pick a few things up for me. Take plenty of cash. Amazon does ship some food items to Alaska, but find out ahed of time and keep in mind that getting mail to Toklat means again, waiting for someone with a car to go get it 53 miles away at the east district.
The nearest town to the park is nick named “Glitter Gulch” and has a few tourist type stores. It also as a little liquor store that sells some groceries. The prices are about three times higher than you would pay in the lower 48. Example – $7.00 for a loaf of bread, $11.00 for a bag of chips. So, its good to know ahead of time so you can prepare.
Getting around meant using the shuttle bus. From Toklat to the east district was a four hour ride, meaning you could not always get back the same day. I foolishly assumed I could get some groceries at that little town outside the park on a day off. I took the first bus from Toklat, when I got to the east side I had to take the next bus back (because it was also the last bus back). I spent 8 hours on the bus that day and had to be very creative with my meal planning for a few days.
The wildlife and landscapes were like nothing I have ever seen, breathtaking. I grew so much as a person and a ranger during my time there. I would highly recommend join there, but…I would drive my own vehicle and I would be better prepared. Fell free to ask me if you have any questions about Denali.
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Here’s what I’ve seen during my years with the NPS.
Sleeping Bear Dunes: Very well maintained housing (both seasonal & permanent). Ranges from (1-3 bedroom) former air force housing to former farm houses.
Yosemite: Wide Range of conditions (seasonal/permanent): Tent Cabins with shared facilities, trailer pads, 40-100 year old houses, newish admin area apt buildings, new 2-3 bedroom duplexes. Rodent issues are unavoidable.
Assateague Island NS: Pretty well maintained shared (seasonal) housing. Buildings range from 2-6 bedrooms (individual and shared occupancy), South End lifeguards are housed in a historic US Lifesaving Station.
Acadia: Wide Range of well maintained housing (seasonal only). 2-3 bedroom apts at HQ, 2-4 bedroom houses, 2-3 bedroom historic carriage houses. Minor rodent issues.
Grand Canyon (south rim): 4-6 person cabins with kitchens/bathrooms shared with 4 cabins (seasonal), 3 bedroom single wide trailers (seasonal), new 2-3 bed room apts (mostly permanent), 2-3 bedroom homes (permanent).
Petrified Forest: Well to decently maintained (both seasonal and permanent). In park: 1-2 bedroom houses, 1-3 bedroom 50 year old apts. In town (20 miles from park): 1-3 bedroom former military housing. Rodent problems widespread.
Arches: Pretty well maintained limited availability (seasonal only). 1-2 bedroom apts. 3-4 bedroom houses. Minor to widespread rodent issues.
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Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park.
Older two bedroom homes available to seasonal rangers only. It is not uncommon for you to have the house to yourself for at least part of the season. The housing is directly across form the main visitor center and the small town of Johnson City is very safe and the people are friendly. There is a grocery store, post office and a few restaurants. Keep in mind that there is a second part to this park – the Ranch, which is a 14 mile drive, meaning you need a vehicle or personally arrange to car pool with another ranger. You will split your time between the two locations. They have RV pads for the volunteers, call ahead to see if they would allow a seasonal to rent a spot. The peak visitation for this park would be holidays and spring time (wild flower season). Austin is an hours drive (60 miles) and has lots to see and do. A great smaller park to work for.
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STLI/GATE
There are a lot of overlapping jurisdictions and cooperation between the sites in and around NYC. When I first accepted the position I was told that there was no housing available, but shortly thereafter I found out some rooms had become available. I was so glad I wouldn’t have to stay in Bayonne, NJ.
I ended up staying at Miller Field on Staten Island. The house was built in 1920 as an army barracks, so it had plenty of space for multiple people. After being decommissioned as a barracks it served briefly as a police precinct, as evidenced by the jail cells still in place in the basement. The house was pretty typical compared to most other park housing. I’m aware that permanent staff is housed at Fort Wadsworth, but I cannot comment as to the nature of those homes.
Pros:
– The room was moderate sized. The master suite was considerably larger, but you run the risk of doubling up and losing some privacy.
– Amazing hardwood floors
– Functional fireplace
– Good neighborhood close to groceries, theater, transit, beach
– Mail delivery
– Option to install high speed internet, phone, cable (at tenant’s expense)
– Washer/dryer unit in the basement (free of charge)
Cons:
– Closet space was almost nil
– The baths were small and had no counter space
– The kitchen was extremely cramped and had very old, very used pots, pans, and other tableware
– MAINTENANCE. The ceiling had a massive hole that poured buckets any time it rained or snowed, and had been neglected to the point that the floor boards in that corner of my room were rotting away.
– NO A/C. This was a serious deal breaker for me. I had to order a personal window unit because temperatures were topping 105 degrees in August.
– No furniture. The room have a mattress and that’s about it. I had to purchase my own desk and dresser.
Final Thoughts:
It’s solid housing and worth the commute. I’d recommend it.
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REDW
Housing at Redwood is usually divided between divisions. So if you work maintenance, or interp, or LE, it’s very likely that is who you will be rooming with. Most of the houses are old ranch style homes with the typical bad carpet and long floor plans. This review covers the two separate houses I’ve stayed in for interp in both districts of the park.
Pros:
– Private bedrooms (unless you’re in master suite)
– Good sized kitchen
– Newer appliances
– Washer/dryer unit included (free of charge)
– Amazingly close proximity to the resource
– Moderate closet space
– One house (in Hiouchi) has potential for high-speed internet hookup
– One house (Wolf Creek) has working wood stove
– Houses have bed, dresser, and desk
Cons:
– Expensive
– Not all have wood heat
– One house (Wolf Creek) has no phone, internet, or even cell service
– Both houses are at least 15-30 minutes from the nearest amenities, groceries, etc
– 5 people in one house can feel very cramped at times
– Limited parking
– No A/C (Hiouchi)
Final Thoughts:
Both houses are great, especially if you get along with your roommates. Take advantage of the new stove and washer as often as you can. Highly recommend.
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Has anyone worked at a park that allows pets in park housing?
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Yes – if you are in your own place at EVER (no roommates) and pay a deposit, you can have pets. I’ve seen it done elsewhere, too, with a lot of cajoling – but that usually doesn’t work.
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ARCH
Seasonal housing is in apartments. Apartments were really nice and well-maintained.each apartment had two rooms with good privacy for each occupant. Kitchen was a decent size. Bathroom was also a decent size. Highly recommended!
WICA
Same as ARCH in every way. Highly recommended!
ORCA
Dorm style housing on the second and third levels of the visitor center. Separate male and female bathrooms on each level. Room 9 has its own bathroom and a queen bed. The other dorm rooms range from shared between two persons or having your own, first come first serve. They are very small though! I recommend getting your own if possible. Maintenance when I was there was really good about fixing issues. Recommended if you get your own room or if you don’t mind looking into the eyes of your dorm friend every night.
YELL
AT Madison, it was family housing in apartments. The rooms are quite large in the kitchen is Large as well. It is pet friendly! But only two animals. It was also really affordable! Highly recommended!
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Have lived in park housing in one unit, Flagstaff Area National Monuments, and am about to start at Big Cypress National Preserve in November. I’ve also worked for the Forest Service as an archeology tech in NW Pennsylvania.
The housing at Flagstaff was pretty nice. There are 3 monuments, Sunset Crater, Walnut Canyon, and Wupatki. I lived and mostly worked at Sunset Crater. Well (enough)-maintained Mission 66 ranch duplexes, 2 private bedrooms, shared common areas and bathroom. No cell phone service in the house, had to drive or walk out to Bonito Park, about a mile on the park road leading out. About 20 minutes in ideal circumstances to Flagstaff city limits. Most big city services available in Flag, nice mountain/college town. 1.5 hours to Grand Canyon South Rim, 1 hour to Sedona/Verde Valley, 2 hours to Phoenix. Rent was $154 biweekly.
Forest service bunkhouse on the Allegheny National Forest was much nicer than expected. Room for 6, 1 or 2 to a bedroom (when I was there there were only 3 of us in the house), one bathroom. Located in the village of Sheffield, PA, groceries and gas avaliable, more services available in nearby larger town of Warren, 1 hour to Erie, PA; 2.5 hours to Pittsburgh; 2 hours to Buffalo/Niagara Falls, NY. Rent was $125 biweekly.
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CRMO (Craters of the Moon NM&P) : Two years I was in the studio apartments, which you share with one other person. There is no rhyme or reason behind who you get paired with, so often times your roommate and you will be on completely opposite schedules. All furniture is provided, kitchen is stocked with a mismatched set of anything you could possibly need. Washer and dryer (pay to use) are shared by all apartment units. Each unit is individually heated. There is no AC, but windows/doors are positioned so you can get a nice draft going. Each unit has at least one ceiling fan and one plug in fan.
The other year I was in the house. There are two houses, ranch style. Each has three bedrooms. Depending on the number of seasonals, you will likely have a roommate…not bad if you are in the master, a little cramped if you are in one of the standard rooms. Houses were always gender specific, so there was one men’s house and one women’s. Like the apartments, fully furnished and kitchen stocked. Master has its own bath, the other two bedrooms share a bathroom. In the girl’s house that means mornings can be pretty hectic. But because of the various schedules, things were never too bad.
Behind all the housing there is a sand volleyball court. Intense tournaments will be had. There is no internet in housing and very poor cell coverage, though texts do get through in some strategic places. Perms and returning seasonals are a great resource to find out where those places are. Housing is right behind HQ/VC, so it is a very short walk to work. Closest amenities are 20 minutes away. Closest affordable amenities are at least an hour away.
REDW (Redwood Natl &State Parks) : I can only speak for interp housing in the North District. Ranch style house, 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath. Master rooms two people and has its own bathroom. Other three rooms are singles, all share one bathroom. The half bath is at the back of the house. Fully furnished, free washer and dryer. Kitchen flatware has a lot to be desired (problem should be fixed by next season). This is mixed gender housing. Obviously you would not be in the master with the opposite gender (unless married). This caused no issues. The way housing is set up, you do tend to be housed with your division. Location for my housing was right across the street from one of the VC’s I worked, which was convenient. Like was previously mentioned, amenities are only 15 minutes away. Because of how duty stations work, interp almost always has to go into town at least once a week to work, so a personal rig is a must. Public bus is available, but inconvenient.
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EVER, Pine Island (Royal Palm/Admin/Homestead) side: There are a wide variety of Mission 66 houses and apartments available. Studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom studios, as well as three-bedroom shared houses, all approximately $350/month per person. Everyone has at least their own room. Most (all?) places have nice, screened-in porches. I’ve lived in two different but identical two-bedroom apartments (shared with my husband, and we keep a guest room), and have seen the inside of a couple houses. Roomy places, but apartment kitchens are pretty cramped. Some kitchen stuff is provided, but it can be lacking, so either bring everything you need or plan on making a visit to a thrift store – there are several good ones in town. Not a lot of storage, but with creativity, it works. Shared houses are pretty nice, with large bedrooms. DO NOT stay in the dorm if you can avoid it – mold, holes in floors, condemnable. Cell reception is there but not strong, wifi is not available but satellite TV (and I assume internet?) is if you want to pay the extra money and go to the extra effort to hook it up. RV pads exist, but I don’t believe it’s easy to get one. Maintenance staff has been cut for the last couple years, so maintenance problems sometimes take a while to be taken care of, but they try to be reasonable. Generally nice condition, great community. Housing is probably available in Homestead if you don’t want to go with the government housing. Good grocery stores and everything else is available in Homestead, 20-30 minutes away, and the crazy life is in Miami, ~ an hour away. Good snorkeling in the keys ~45 minutes away.
THRO, South Unit (Medora): Seasonals are in apartments, and really packed in there. Due to the oil boom, housing outside of government housing is nearly impossible to get, so ALL seasonals and some terms and permanents are in the government apartments. The apartments are one-bedroom and studios, relatively small, and have two people to a studio and three people to a one-bedroom. Yes, really. It was a little like college dorms all over again. Apartments are pretty well kept up, and have an amazing amount of storage space for their size. Kitchens come totally empty, but there’s a cache of kitchenware and sheets you can borrow from. Wifi is free and a pretty decent connection, cable is free in all apartments. Cell coverage is pretty decent in town. You’re in town, but there’s no grocery store – that’s 45 minutes away. There is a small convenience store in town, and a whole lot of (overpriced?) restaurants and bars within a couple blocks. I don’t believe any RV pads are available in the park, but some folks use the private Red Trail campground – I don’t know how prices are, but they’re probably high in the summer.
NOCA, Stehekin (Lake Chelan National Recreation Area): Tiny town and as isolated as they come, so seasonals are pretty much expected to be in government housing. This consists mostly of houses around the valley that were originally built by private interests but were bought out by the government along the way – these are two or three bedroom, shared, and each has its own personality. Usually, you have your own room, and usually, they’re in pretty good shape. There are also the YACC cabins, which are itty bitty and falling apart, but you have your own place, for what it’s worth. Kitchen wares should be at your house already, and more can be found at a cache and at the trash compactor (called the Stehekin Mall), but bring your own bedding. Housing is spread out throughout the valley, so you can have anywhere from 500 feet to six miles to commute, and you typically won’t have a car (unless you pay several hundred dollars to the barge company to bring it in), so get your biking muscles ready. No cell service what-so-ever is available (you’re dead center in 2 million acres of Wilderness), and no seasonal housing has wifi available. Office computers can be used for personal email, but the connection is by satellite, so you have to limit your megabyte usage, and downloads and streaming are frowned upon.
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