Volunteer

Volunteer in Yosemite

Whether greeting visitors and answering questions at information stations in the park or conducting rare plant surveys and restoring wilderness areas, Association volunteers make a difference in Yosemite.

Volunteering in the park allows you to give something back to Yosemite and experience its grandeur at the same time. As the pressure grows for the National Park Service to provide more services with fewer financial resources, the role of volunteers has become even greater both in the Park and in Yosemite Association as well. Last year, more than 220 Association volunteers contributed over 15,500 hours of service to crucial projects and programs. 

Volunteering with Yosemite Association is a benefit of membership.  To learn more about becoming a member, join or by call 209 379-2317. 

Volunteer Opportunities

The Visitor Information Program

Visitor Information Volunteers spend a month or more in the park assisting visitors and sharing their love of Yosemite.  Most volunteers work approximately 30 hours per week with time off to enjoy the park.  They enjoy free camping at group campsites in Yosemite Valley, Wawona, or Tuolumne Meadows, a 30% discount on the books and educational materials sold at Association book stores, and discount cards from the concessionaire. Assignments in Yosemite Valley and Wawona run from May through September; Tuolumne Meadows volunteers work from late June through September. 

Volunteer assignments include: 

Membership Information Booths in Yosemite Valley & Tuolumne Meadows: Helping visitors and promoting YA's membership program.

Happy Isles Nature Center in Yosemite Valley: Assisting with sales and providing information in the family-oriented Nature Center at Happy Isles near the busy John Muir Trail trailhead.

Yosemite Museum Gallery in Yosemite Valley: Acting as a docent, opening exhibits and greeting visitors to the museum. 

Outdoor Adventure Campground in Tuolumne Meadows: Welcoming and orienting Outdoor Adventure course participants.

Parsons Memorial Lodge in Tuolumne Meadows: Greeting and orienting visitors as well as assisting with cultural events in this historic building. 

Mariposa Grove and Museum in Wawona: Sharing the majesty of the sequoias in the grove and acting as a docent in the museum.

Visitor Center and Hill's Studio in Wawona: Assisting with sales and information in this historic building situated on the grounds of the Wawona Hotel.

For answers to frequently asked questions about the Visitor Information Program, click here.

To download information and an application for the Visitor Information Program click here.

The Work Week Program

Cooperative Work Week volunteers assist Yosemite National Park’s Division of Resources Management and Science with projects in a variety of locations throughout the Park.

The work can be hard and dirty, but the payoff is immediate as you see your efforts erase a scar in a meadow or rehabilitate a riverbank. Teams of up to fifteen share a group camp and are served three hearty meals a day. Participants work four eight-hour days, with a day off mid-week.

Each volunteer pays a fee to help cover the cost the program. This valuable program is sponsored cooperatively by the Yosemite Association, the National Park Service, and Delaware North Parks & Resorts at Yosemite.

For answers to frequently asked questions about the Work Week Program, click here.

To download information and an application for the Work Week Program click here.