Do you love the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Do you want to help others enjoy its timeless beauty? If you answered “yes” to these questions, a great way to make an impact is by taking advantage of the volunteer opportunities with the national park. Read on to learn about some of them! Here is a list of 4 ways to get involved with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park:
1. Smokies Service Days
The Smokies Service Days are Saturday service-learning projects for teens and adults that take place in the summer and fall. Volunteers will work all around the park and be assigned different tasks that benefit the area. They include vegetation management, trail work, and cemetery maintenance. The work will teach you about what it takes to keep the park beautiful for the millions of annual visitors. Each time you go back to the spot you worked at, there will be a sense of pride.
2. Litter Patrol
Visitors love to have picnics when they explore the Smokies. A meal provides energy, and it is a great way to spend quality time with loved ones. Eating snacks along hiking trails is a popular activity as well. Visitors should pick up their litter and leave the area exactly as it was. This is one of the important principles of Leave No Trace. The Litter Patrol helps pick up trash in various areas of the park, such as hiking trails and scenic overlooks. Opportunities for this program are available year-round!
3. Volunteer Program Assistant
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park puts on various educational programs to help visitors learn more about the area. They can center around plants, wildlife, and more! As a Volunteer Program Assistant, you will work behind the scenes to help with these events. Volunteers will work indoors at the Sugarlands Visitor Center helping to produce educational content. They may also assist with administrative tasks, such as filing and data entry.
4. Visitor Center Information Assistant
If you are interested in directly educating visitors about the Smokies, you can volunteer to be a Visitor Center Information Assistant. Volunteers will be working indoors for this opportunity. The visitor centers throughout the park aim to provide visitors with resources and information. Answer their questions about road and trail systems, wildlife, and history. You will be making someone’s visit better by helping them know more about the park.
Tips for Volunteer Programs in GSMNP
- Register Early: Volunteer programs are popular and can fill up fast. Register early for the best chance of getting your desired date and time
- Dress Accordingly: For programs that require work outdoors, be sure to dress accordingly. Athletic pants, a t-shirt, and comfortable sneakers are an excellent choice!
- Parking Pass: You will need a parking pass for your vehicle while volunteering in the park.
Jobs in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
We hope you learned a lot about how to get involved with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! Want to know about employment here? Learn more about how to become a national park ranger!
