Volunteer

Curecanti Volunteer
Curecanti volunteer Jim Humphreys at Beaver Creek.

NPS image by Matt Johnson

We are always looking for volunteers to assist National Park Service rangers with the operation of the Elk Creek Visitor Center in the beautiful sagelands and mountains of Colorado. To learn more about this Visitor Information Assistant position or to apply for it or any other available positions in Curecanti, visit Volunteer.gov.

Intro - Hear the gentle lapping of waves on Blue Mesa and the calls of nighthawks, breathe in the scent of the fir forests and sagelands, and discover a kaleidoscope of wildflower colors. The visitor information assistant is stationed in a National Park Service housing area 15 miles west of Gunnison, Colorado.

Duties – Staffing the Elk Creek Visitor Center for the National Park Service, answering questions from visitors, informal interpretation along trails, collecting night sky data for the International Dark Sky Association, outreach events, and other similar duties.

Benefits - Free housing in a private room with a shared bathroom, kitchen, living room, and laundry. Work with the National Park Service, meet new people, and explore the western slope of the Rocky Mountains.

Qualifications – Knowledge of national parks and other public lands, self-motivated, independent, professional, friendly, and enjoys exploring and learning about the region. Willingness to live and work in a high elevation and mountainous area.

Suitability – Students, adults, seniors, international

Dates – Two month or more segments, negotiable

Contact – Matt Johnson, District Interpreter & Volunteer Coordinator, National Park Service, 102 Elk Creek, Gunnison, CO 81230, 970.641.2337 x206 or matthew_r_johnson@nps.gov

Other Work schedule is 32 hours per week, 8 hour days, and 4 days per week. Uniform shirts, hats and nametags are provided.

Location - Curecanti is the centerpiece of an alluring dark sky necklace that stretches along the Gunnison Valley and includes on one side the recently designated Slumgullion Dark Sky Park and Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park on the other. It is 60 miles long, 42,000 acres, and situated on the largest body of water in Colorado. “Here on earth we are enveloped in wonder,” said astronomer Bob Berman “and the universe beyond holds marvels beyond our dreams.”
 

Current Volunteer Opportunities

Last updated: July 10, 2023

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

102 Elk Creek
Gunnison, CO 81230

Phone:

970 641-2337 x205

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