Mount Rainier National Park - Volunteer Program Homepage (U.S. National Park Service)

A volunteer helps with exotic plant removal at Mount Rainier

Every year, hundreds of individuals contribute their enthusiasm and skills to help the National Park Service preserve and protect its natural and cultural resources, and to serve and educate its visitors. Volunteers help in almost every area of the park, from maintaining trails to leading guided hikes. The time commitment for volunteer work varies from one-day projects to recurring projects or full-time work extending over months or years. Both individuals and organized groups are welcome to volunteer, and opportunities are available both for highly skilled professionals and for families with little or no experience in land management.

Consider joining our team! Your contribution of time and energy will help us to protect the magnificent natural and cultural areas entrusted to us, and you’ll go home with a sense of pride at having participated in something worthwhile. Mount Rainier is your national park!

Would you like to join a long-term project, working either full-time or intermittently as your schedule allows? Check out the listings on our Long-Term Volunteer Projects page.

Looking for an internship through the Student Conservation Association or the Geologic Society of America that provides a stipend, housing, and possibly educational credit? Take a look at our list of current Internship Opportunities.

Just want to help out for a day, a weekend, or a week in the middle of your busy schedule? We have many short-term opportunities on the calendar at the top of our volunteer blog. Browse through the complete list to find a project that meets your interests, skills, and schedule!

Still have questions? Browse our Frequently Asked Questions page; view pictures, videos, and PowerPoint presentations of volunteers in action in our Photo Album; check out the latest news in our Blog; or contact the park’s Volunteer Program Manager by e-mail or by telephone at 360-569-2211 ext. 3385.

Volunteers help rebuild a damaged section of the Wonderland Trail

Special Volunteer Alert! On November 6 and 7, 2006, 18 inches of rain fell on Mount Rainier National Park in 36 hours. The resulting floods, along with high winds, devastated roads, trails, and campgrounds all over the park. Rebuilding has been an immense task… one in which volunteers have played a key role! In 2007, more than half of the trail reconstruction at Mount Rainier was completed by volunteers, saving the park literally millions of dollars in repair costs. More than 1700 people participated in flood recovery or the ongoing stewardship of their park in 2007, and more than 1800 in 2008.

The work continues in some of the hardest-hit areas in 2009, especially on the Carbon River and Glacier Basin trails. You can help! Volunteers are needed again to help with trail repairs, campground cleanup, revegetation, and many other tasks. As summer approaches, you'll find these and other projects listed on our volunteer blog at rainiervolunteers.blogspot.com. Free camping will be available for volunteers in the newly-restored and historic Longmire Campground. Bring your family and friends and come help rebuild your national park!

Our flood restoration efforts have been aided significantly by many valuable partners, including the Washington Parks and Forests Coalition. Coalition members include the Student Conservation Association, Washington Trails Association, the National Parks Conservation Association, and Washington's National Park Fund. The Mount Rainier National Park Associates has provided valuable assistance, and many local businesses as well. Our thanks go to every group and every individual who has worked with us to protect and restore Mount Rainier National Park!