NPS Volunteers in Parks
contact the Yosemite Volunteer Program Office at (209)379-1850 or email yose_volunteers@nps.gov
Yosemite has a large and vibrant volunteer program, welcoming people from all over the world into positions ranging from visitor information assistants in our visitor centers, to studying rare birds of prey, to picking up litter and building trails. In 2018 we topped over 13,000 volunteers who donated over 128,000 hours of service to the park. This is equivalent to $3.2 million in donated labor! Without volunteers, work that is critical to Yosemite could not be completed.
Volunteers at Yosemite National Park gain work experience and learn new skills, expand their knowledge about the natural environment and cultural history of the park, and preserve one of America’s greatest natural and cultural legacies for today’s visitors and future generations.
Volunteers at the park play a vital role in many aspects of park operations. They bring wonderful enthusiasm, energy, knowledge, and a diverse perspective to everything.
The Yosemite Volunteer Program is organized into three basic types of volunteering--individual, groups, and events or drop-in projects. The types of volunteer work vary for each of these, as does the way positions are posted and potential volunteers apply. International Volunteers (those who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents) must follow some special application procedures. The National Park Service also works with several partners to facilitate volunteering in the park.
Click here to learn more about the NPS volunteer program
What can volunteers do?
Volunteers can carry out a wide variety of projects and positions, as long as it is work that:
Would not otherwise be completed during a particular fiscal year due to funding or personnel limitations.
Enables paid employees to accomplish work that would not otherwise be completed during a particular fiscal year due to funding or personnel limitations.
Does not displace paid employees.
Does not include law enforcement. Although they can work within the protection division ie. Desk Officer position.
Does not include policy-making work.
Does not include political activities, religious proselytization, and fundraising.
Other Volunteer opportunities
Yosemite’s partner organization also offer plenty of volunteer opportunities!