Volunteering
Volunteers are the heartbeat of the Forest Service. As a volunteer, you can participate in a one-time project or serve over several months, seasons, or year-round. The commitment you make is up to you.
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Volunteer.gov
Apply today through volunteer.gov for a volunteer position on the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. Positions include:
- Trail maintenance
- Visitor information
- Campground hosts
- Bike Patrol on the Virginia Creeper Trail
- ...and much more!
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Volunteer as a Campground Host
Spend your summer in the idyllic setting of the forest’s most beloved campgrounds as a volunteer host. You will help take care of a special campground while enjoying a free RV hookup or cabin for the duration of your stay.
Current Needs
The James River and Warm Springs District is currently accepting volunteers for Lake Moomaw recreation areas. Positions include campground hosts, information volunteers, and maintenance helpers!
All open positions are posted to Volunteer.gov. Please contact the Ranger District Offices for more specific information.
Local Communities
Local communities, counties, and tourism bureaus are partners in stewarding and promoting the special places on the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. In addition to the volunteer organizations listed, check within your local communities for trail maintenance and trash pickup events aimed at improving Forest lands.
Partner Volunteer Organizations
Volunteer opportunities to improve services and recreation on National Forest Lands are offered through partner organizations throughout Virginia and West Virginia. Opportunities include trash clean-up events, trail improvements, customer service in a visitor center, monitoring and assisting with wildlife programs, and much more. Find a volunteer opportunity with an organization working on a ranger district near you!
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Central Appalachia Climbers Coalition
The CACC organizes litter pickups near popular climbing spots on the district.
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Pine Mountain Trail Conference
The PMTC carries out trail maintenance along Pine Mountain Trail.
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Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards
SAWS is a forest partner who helps with stewardship of designated wilderness areas. They help with trail maintenance in wilderness areas and host workshops and trainings to teach and certify volunteers to use crosscut saws.
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Scott County Regional Horse Association
The SCRHA carries out trail maintenance efforts with a focus on providing equine activities in Scott County and surrounding region.
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Spearhead Trailblazers
Spearhead Trailblazers promotes adventure tourism in SW Virginia while carrying out trail maintenance efforts in the region.
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Virginia Master Naturalists High Knob Chapter
This local chapter of the VMN carries out multiple projects such as education and outreach, but also works in data collection, biological inventories, and other research-oriented activities.
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Backcountry Horsemen-Eastern Divide Chapter
BCHA Eastern Divide Chapter strives to perpetuate recreational stock use on public lands and carries out trail maintenance efforts.
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Master Naturalists of Virginia - New River Valley Chapter
This local chapter of the VMN focuses on preserving natural resources by collecting data about species in the area and providing education as well as community-outreach.
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Outdoor Club at Virginia Tech
OCVT is a student group that aims to spread knowledge of the local area and volunteers to keep sections of the Appalachian Trail maintained.
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Piedmont Appalachian Trail Hikers
PATH is a volunteer club associated with Appalachian Trail Conservancy that helps to maintain sections of the Appalachian Trail.
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Poverty Creek Trails Coalition
Poverty Creek Trails Coalition works to create, maintain, and improve trails in the New River Valley.
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Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club
RATC is a volunteer club associated with Appalachian Trail Conservancy that helps to maintain sections of the Appalachian Trail in the Roanoke region.
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Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards
SAWS is a forest partner who helps with stewardship of designated wilderness areas. They help with trail maintenance in wilderness areas and host workshops and trainings to teach and certify volunteers to use crosscut saws.
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West Virginia Scenic Trails Association
WVSTA maintains the Allegheny Trail and the Mary Draper Ingles Trail and offers monthly volunteer opportunities.
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Back Country Horsemen of America - Golden Horseshoe Chapter
Back Country Horsemen of America strives to perpetuate recreation stock use on public lands and carries out trail maintenance efforts on the Glenwood Horse Trail.
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Blue Ridge Bear and Coon Club
The Blue Ridge Bear and Coon Club assists with litter pick-up efforts.
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Charlottesville Area Mountain Bike Club
The CAMBC’s main goal is to promote sustainable public trail systems in and around Charlottesville; they assist with trail maintenance needs.
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Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club
The NBATC is a volunteer-based hiking club that maintains over 90 miles of trails on the Glenwood-Pedlar Ranger District, including a large portion of the Appalachian Trail.
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Old Dominion Appalachian Trail Club
The ODATC assists with trail maintenance and also acts as stewards of a 19.1 mile section of the Appalachian Trail, roughly 6 miles of this is located on the Glenwood-Pedlar Ranger District.
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Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club
The RATC maintain and protects over 120 miles of the Appalachian trial in the Roanoke Region. This club is active on both the Eastern Divide and the Glenwood-Pedlar Ranger Districts.
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Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards
SAWS is a forest partner who helps with stewardship of designated wilderness areas. They help with trail maintenance in wilderness areas and host workshops and trainings to teach and certify volunteers to use crosscut saws.
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Tidewater Appalachian Trail Club
The TATC maintains a 10+ mile section of the Appalachian Trail in Three Ridges Wilderness, as well as 23 additional miles of non-AT trails. The club is based near Norfolk, VA, but travels to the Glenwood-Pedlar Ranger District from multiple trail maintenance work weekends each year.
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Tread Lightly - East Coast Initiative
Tread Lightly carries out stewardship and education projects and assists with public outreach, trail maintenance, and trash pick-up.
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Virginia 4WD Association
The Virginia 4WD Association assists with clean-up events on Forest Service roads, trails, and recreation sites.
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Virginia Highlands Chapter - Ducks Unlimited
This local chapter of Ducks Unlimited coordinates with district wildlife programs to install and maintain wood duck nesting boxes with the help of volunteers.
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Alleghany Highlands Trail Club
The Alleghany Highlands Trail Club works to maintain local, multi-use trails in Alleghany and Bath counties.
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Ducks Unlimited - Virginia Highlands Chapter
This local chapter of Ducks Unlimited coordinates with district wildlife programs to install and maintain wood duck nesting boxes with the help of volunteers.
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Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards
SAWS is a forest partner who helps with stewardship of designated wilderness areas. They help with trail maintenance in wilderness areas and host workshops and trainings to teach and certify volunteers to use crosscut saws.
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Capital Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association Project
CHGPA is an active club dedicated to the growth and safety of hang gliding and paragliding. This club maintains the Edith Gap and Woodstock Tower hang gliding and paragliding sites.
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Capital Land Cruiser Club
Covering the capitol region of Virginia, Maryland, and DC, this Toyota 4 x 4 club assists with trail maintenance on Peters Mill Run Off-Highway Vehicle Trail.
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Civilian Conservation Corps Legacy
CCCL is a national organization that promotes education and awareness of the Civilian Conservation Corps. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal Program that provided conservation work from 1933 to 1942 for unemployed young men during the Great Depression.
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Friends of North Fork of Shenandoah River
Friends of North Fork of Shenandoah River help keep the Shenandoah River clean through advocacy, community action, education, and science.
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Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts
Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiast is an all-volunteer mountain bike organization that assists the Lee Ranger District with trail maintenance.
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New Market Rotary Club
NMRC is a community organization that assists with annual roadside trash clean-up along three miles of Crisman Hollow Road.
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Potomac Appalachian Trail Club
PATC is the Lee Ranger District’s oldest partner. For well over 90 years, they have maintained trails and trail shelters, assisted with special projects, developed maps and guide books, and installed signs.
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Potomac River Keepers Network
PRKN hosts river clean-ups and volunteer opportunities to become a water quality monitor to help keep the rivers clean. PRKN hosts the annual RioPalooza at the Elizabeth Furnace Day Use Area in September.
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Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards
SAWS is a forest partner who helps with stewardship of designated wilderness areas. They help with trail maintenance in wilderness areas and host workshops and trainings to teach and certify volunteers to use crosscut saws.
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Virginia Happy Trails Running Club
VHTRC assists with trail maintenance and sponsors several endurance events on the Massanutten Mountain in Lee Ranger District.
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Washington Area Trail Riders
Washington Area Trail Riders is a long-standing partner with the Lee District. They are an off-highway vehicle club who assists with trail maintenance on the Peters Mills Run and Taskers Gap OHV Trail as well as assisting the Old Dominion Equestrian Endurance Rides organization’s events.
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Winchester Wheelmen
Winchester Wheelmen is a non-profit volunteer-led organization that promotes bicycling and contributes to trail maintenance.
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Back Country Horsemen of Virginia Highlands
Back Country Horsemen of Virginia Highland works to perpetuate recreation stock use on public lands and carries out trail maintenance efforts.
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Friends of Mount Rogers
The Friends of Mount Rogers is a non-profit organization that promotes the appreciation and enjoyment of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area through educational and interpretative programs, visitor center assistance, and volunteer efforts.
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Mount Rogers Appalachian Mountain Club
MRATC is one of the 31 volunteer clubs of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy that has maintenance responsibilities in the Jefferson National Forest and the Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area.
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Mount Rogers Trail Advocates’ Coalition
This coalition works to preserve and enhance trails in the Mt. Rogers National Recreational Area.
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Piedmont Appalachian Trail Hikers
PATH is one of the 31 volunteer clubs of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy that helps maintain the Appalachian Trail and organizes monthly work trips.
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Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards
SAWS is a forest partner who helps with stewardship of designated wilderness areas. They help with trail maintenance in wilderness areas and host workshops and trainings to teach and certify volunteers to use crosscut saws.
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Wilderness Trail Crew
The WTC organizes hiking trips for youth in the area and maintains trails.
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Friends of Shenandoah Mountain
Friends of Shenandoah Mountain focuses on the preservation of Shenandoah Mountain through community outreach and regularly hosts environmental education events including plant and wildlife hikes.
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Potomac Appalachian Trail Club – Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter
PATC the forest’s oldest partner and has maintained trails and trail shelters among other projects. The Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter has adopted over 90 miles on the North River Ranger District.
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Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards
SAWS is a forest partner who helps with stewardship of designated wilderness areas. They help with trail maintenance in wilderness areas and host workshops and trainings to teach and certify volunteers to use crosscut saws.
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Ruffed Grouse Society, H.C Edwards Chapter
Organized by local chapters, the RGS unites conservationists and is partnered with district wildlife programs to assist with ongoing habitat enhancement projects.
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Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition
Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition works with volunteers building mountain biking trails, greenways and other biking routes in order to create better biking communities.
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Ducks Unlimited - Virginia Highlands Chapter
This local chapter of Ducks Unlimited coordinates with district wildlife programs to install and maintain wood duck nesting boxes with the help of volunteers.
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Virginia Four Wheel Drive Association
The Virginia Four Wheel Drive Association assists with clean-up events on Forest Service roads, trails, and recreation sites.
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Virginia Master Naturalists – Headwaters Chapters
Virginia Master Naturalists focuses on preserving natural resources by collecting data about the species in the area and providing education through community outreach and interpretive programs.
Alerts & Warnings
- Additional Areas Reopened on the Clinch and Mount Rogers
- Todd Lake Day Use Area Closed
- State of Emergency in Virginia
- Hone Quarry Campground Reopens
- UPDATED: Balcony Falls to Skimmer Transmission Line Reconstruction Project
- Beartree Lake restoration project facility changes
- Temporary Delays - Mount Rogers NRA Roads