4. On The Dime

I found Jim, a campground host at Diamond Campground in the Diamond Fork Canyon east of Springville, Utah. His job requires him to live on-site at the rural campground from May to October. He, his wife, and dog have a humble campsite and trailer where they spend most of their summer days. Jim's wife works in Spanish Fork, too, because the campground host job only brings in minimum wage. Jim said sometimes on his day off, he proceeded to work up to ten hours a day, in need of the extra funds. The job is sometimes difficult, he said cleaning the bathrooms was by far his least favorite part of the work, but Jim takes great pride in running "his" campground in an orderly fashion. Above all else, he treasures the peace and solitude the canyon brings into his life.

Here is a small glimpse into the Diamond Campground and Jim's experiences there.

I asked Jim what he did at the campground. "Well, I mainly go around and make sure people pay the fee," he said with a laugh, "People are always messing up the campground and I make sure everything is order. I like having everything a certain way, my way, but that doesn't always happen."

Jim was slightly self-conscious when I asked to photograph his camp. "It's not much to look at," he said. Jim took the minimum wage job after being laid off. The work is hard and pay isn't much but he says, "You don't have to worry about any stress of the real world out here. It's a peaceful place."

Although he appeared rough on the exterior, it became apparent through our conversation that Jim had genuine care, concern, and worry for his campers. "It gets real cold at night sometimes," he explained, "And not everyone who comes out here is prepared. I worry about that."

"I've had a few times when a knock would come on my trailer door in the middle of the night. Accidents happen. Usually it's people hiking up to the hot springs not too far from here. They get wasted or drunk, that's when accidents happen. Not just teenagers, either, thirty-year-olds even. I get up in the middle of the night with these calls every once in a while."

I asked Jim what his favorite part of the job was. Without hesitation he replied, "Being up here surrounded by nature. It's a beautiful place and it's so peaceful. I'm older now so I don't go out and do hikes very much, but I love to sit and admire the place."

He continued, "It's nice to be secluded and away from the world." Internet service is not readily accessible and phone reception is sparse. Diamond Canyon is an off-shoot of the Route 6 Highway towards Price, Utah. Though only 40 minutes from Provo, it's a completely different environment. On a typical day for Jim, the only outside noise is the passing of the occasional car along the main road. Other than that, it's quiet. 

Jim also discussed some of the history of the Diamond Canyon area. "The name comes from a family name. 'Diamond' was a common name, like 'Jones' in the area and it was named after them. Funny thing is that for years a big family would come camping down here, their last name was Diamond, too. They never realized it, but they were camping in the place founded by their ancestors!"

"Up Wanrhode's Canyon, there's a series of hills up the road two miles that looks like a sleeping Indian. You can see one hill looking like a head, then the body over the next long hill" explained Jim. I was able to tell him my research, which discovered the name of Wanrhode Canyon in fact came from an Indian American who once lived and grazed cattle there. 

One week later, I returned to the canyon again. Diamond Campground's gates were closed with a "PARK CLOSED" sign overhead. Whether it is closed for the season or in connection to the government shutdown (perhaps both) is unclear. I realized that my visit to the campground and with Jim could not have been timed better, because within a week's time, the whole area became a different place with a different story.