Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center was formed in 1988 to advocate for the protection of the Opal Creek area. In 1996, legislation established the Opal Creek Wilderness Area and instituted our unique role and responsibility as stewards, educators, and in-holders within the protected area. Our base of operations has been in the historic mining town of Jawbone Flats, situated in the stunning temperate rainforest of the Opal Creek Wilderness and surrounded by 5,000-foot peaks. This region is ancestral lands of the Molalla and Kalapuya Tribes, who are now part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.

In September 2020, a wildfire swept down the Opal Creek watershed, burned much of the old growth forest in the Wilderness Area, and destroyed almost all of the historic buildings of Jawbone Flats. Our post-fire strategy for Jawbone Flats is focused tightly on recovery and cleanup. We are designing a new site plan that is in harmony with the land and will support the amazing education programs we continue to offer.

At Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center, all of our work is based around one simple idea: people will protect what they care about, and they will care about what they know. Through our outdoor school, summer camps, and workshop programs, we bring youth and adults face-to-face with the outdoor places that make Oregon great—pristine mountain streams, uncut vistas, and old-growth forests.

As the Head Chef, you create, plan, purchase, and facilitate a rotating menu of buffet-style meals in our renowned Opal Creek Kitchen. We believe it’s the most delicious food you’ll ever find in a camp facility: seasonal, hearty, kid- and adult-friendly fare. Your backdrop will be the forests, creeks, and waterfalls of Silver Falls State Park, Oregon’s most beloved and largest state park and the ancestral home of the Kalapuya and Molalla Tribes.

After a three-year hiatus, the Opal Creek Kitchen is relaunching to support both outdoor school and camp programming. Over the course of the season, you’ll design a menu, secure vendors and arrange deliveries, cater meals to guests’ dietary restrictions and allergies, purchase food and manage a budget, and oversee the health and safety of the kitchen. You’ll lead a team of four cooks that prepare meals for on average 100 people and as many as 160 people. As the first Head Chef in a new location, you’ll play a key role in shaping the food service experience for students, campers, and staff for years to come!