Speaking of concessionaires

Yesterday we visited Zion National Park. Xanterra is the concessionaire here and at Bryce Canyon where we will visit next. Xanterra claims that it is the largest national and state park concessionaire in the U.S.

We rode the free shuttle along the scenic drive. The shuttle system was instituted to reduce traffic in the park. You can get off and on at any of the stops and reboard when another comes by- during the middle of the day that is every 5-7 minutes. They hire lots of shuttle bus drivers, however it is not a tipped position. Still you are looking at that beautiful scenery all day and may see wildlife, typically deer and wild turkeys.

We stopped in the lodge. The folks on duty who we saw (mostly older) lived in employee dormitory housing except who one lived in nearby Springdale. They do have 17 or 18 RV sites; we could see RVs through the trees when we drove by.

Looking at Xanterra's job site on the Web, I discovered that many of their parks will hire people with a minimum commitment of two to three months. In Utah, however, overtime pay is not paid until after you have worked 48 hours in a week. The work week is 40-48 hours.

Working for a concessionaire has its drawbacks, but there are benefits. Housing and meal costs are low - $11/day for both at Zion. You have plenty of time to hike and explore the park and surrounding areas. Several other national parks are nearby. And Xanterra does offer health insurance to seasonals who meet certain requirements.

Southeast Utah has outstanding beauty. Working at Zion, Bryce or the even the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is one way to have a base to fully explore the area. Jaimie

Workamper News often has listings for concessionaires. For information on Jaimie Hall's recently revised book, Support Your RV LIfestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, 2nd ed., see RVBookstore.com.