THE NORTH CASCADES ARE CALLING!
You are invited to become a steward of the North Cascades National Park.

North Cascades National Park has an active volunteer program with as many as 200 volunteers participating in a variety of positions. Most positions are available from May through October. However, some are open all year. The types of positions vary greatly and may include clerical; skilled and unskilled maintenance; trail trimming; highway clean-up; biology and hydrology data collection; exotic plant removal; visitor contact in campgrounds, on trails or at visitor centers; or backcountry patrols. Campground host positions are very competitive. Long term volunteers are provided with uniforms and sometimes a reimbursement for meals or transportation.

Please contact us if one of these opportunities seems right for you or if you have questions about other potential opportunities. Many of our volunteer projects will have group size limits. To insure your place and help park staff plan, please sign up in advance for the projects of your choice. 

Choose to help on the west side (Skagit) or the more remote east side (Stehekin), or both! To inquire about the North Cascades National Park’s volunteer program or sign up for a project, please contact: 

WEST SIDE
Ross Lake NRA and North Cascades NP
Michael Brondi
360-854-7275
7280 Ranger Station Road
Marblemount, WA 98267

EAST SIDE
Lake Chelan NRA and the Stehekin community
Vicki Gempko
360-854-7365, ext 17
Stehekin Ranger Station
PO Box 7
Stehekin, WA 98852

We also train and work with many volunteers through the Student Conservation Association (SCA). You do not necessarily have to be a student to apply to this program. SCA offers a small subsistence stipend as well as the possibility to earn tuition assistance through the AmeriCorps program. To learn more about SCA, please visit their website: http://www.thesca.org.

Housing or trailer sites are extremely limited and are not available for most volunteer positions. Sites can sometimes be arranged within the park from May through November.

Important Notice for International Applicants
These positions are very rare due to the scarcity of volunteer positions, clearance through NPS International Affairs and lack of park housing. Non-citizens who wish to work as volunteers for North Cascades National Park require a J-1 visa, also known as the Educational and Cultural Exchange Form IAP-66. This visa needs to be obtained from the U.S. Consulate in your native country before you travel to the U.S.

If you are selected for a position, you will be sent information on how to apply for the visa and what additional documentation needs to accompany it. You may not work, even as a volunteer, with a tourist visa. The National Park Service is now requiring certain insurance coverage for all international volunteers. A photocopy or other proof of coverage MUST accompany the visa application. It may be wise to investigate sources of insurance, but DO NOT purchase it unless you have been offered a position by the park. The minimum level of coverage is: 1. Medical benefits of $50,000 per accident or illness; 2. Repatriation of remains in the amount of $7,500; 3. Expenses associated with medical evacuation to the home country in the amount of $10,000. The insurance policy must be underwritten by a United States state chartered company having an A.M. Best policyholder rating of "A" or above.