North Cascades

Volunteer Opportunities

Each year volunteers contribute thousands of hours to North Cascades National Park. They staff visitor center information desks, serve as campground hosts, remove exotic plants, work in the greenhouse, assist with resource management projects, take photographs, maintain the park website, and do a variety of other tasks.

In most years all full-time volunteer positions are in the summer, usually from about Memorial Day (late May) through Labor Day (early September). Most of the full-time positions are filled through the Student Conservation Association (SCA). You can obtain an application for S.C.A.'s Resource Assistant Program by calling 603/543-1700 or writing The Student Conservation Association, Inc., P.O. 550, Charlestown, New Hampshire 03603. It is not necessary to be a student to be eligible for these positions.

The ability of North Cascades National Park to use the help of volunteers is constrained by several things: very limited housing, a limited number of staff with time to structure and supervise volunteer projects, and limited funding for providing volunteers with reimbursement for expenses and housing. Only a small number of each year's applicants for full-time volunteer positions can be placed.

The park is more often able to use the volunteer help of those who live close enough to not need housing, wish to volunteer less than full-time, and have specialized skills needed by the park.

If you have questions about the volunteer program, call 360/856-5700 extension 365, e-mail Tim_Manns@nps.gov or write:

Volunteer Coordinator
North Cascades National Park
2105 State Route 20
Sedro-Woolley, Washington 98284