Volunteer with Us

You Can Make Our Great Places Better.

The official logo of the Volunteers-In-Parks program.Join Volunteers-In-Parks (VIP) to support the National Park Service in its mission to preserve and protect our national parks. You can volunteer for a day or year-round; on your own or with friends and family; close to home or at a dream destination. Volunteer opportunities are available nationwide including in U.S. Territories.

What Can Volunteers Do?

The possibilities are as diverse as our national parks themselves. Here are some example volunteer activities:

  • Lead or support education and public-facing programs
  • Maintain or rebuild trails or historic buildings
  • Conduct research or monitor wildlife to preserve our natural resources
  • Help families make memories happen as a campground host
  • Teach others about the park and swear in new Junior Rangers in the visitor center
  • Support libraries, archives, and museums in parks to preserve our cultural resources
  • Produce art while staying in a park as an Artist-In-Residence
  • Educate train travelers on the natural and cultural heritage of a region through the Trails & Rails program

Find a list of available opportunities at Volunteer.gov, search for a volunteer event, or contact a national park near you. 

volunteers stand in a forest using hand tools, rakes and shovels to clear a dirt trail
MLK Day of Service

Participate in MLK Day of Service by volunteering at national parks throughout the country.

Five people pose for a photo in front of a pile of trash they collected on a beach.
Volunteer.gov

View current volunteer opportunities across the National Park Service at Volunteer.gov.

A group of young volunteers in uniform pose for a photo in front of a NPS arrowhead on a building.
Become a Volunteer

Learn more about how to become a National Park Service volunteer.

A group of people in park ranger and volunteer uniforms walking in a parade.
Volunteer News & Stories

View the latest volunteer news and stories from across the National Park Service.

Two people in uniform point to Volunteer patches on their sleeves.
Resources for Volunteers

Learn about the Volunteer Pass, volunteer awards, and Reference Manual 7.

Cover of a volume of records from the Revolutionary War.
Citizen Archivists Volunteer Opportunity

Citizen archivists help transcribe records from the National Archives and uncover new stories from the first U.S. veterans.

Last updated: November 28, 2023

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