Volunteer

 

NPS Volunteer Opportunities

Anza Trail volunteer opportunities through volunteer.gov:

• Trails & Rails Volunteer - Santa Barbara to San Jose (Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail - Various States, AZ, CA)

  Dates: 04/01/2025-09/30/2025

  Activities:

To view more NPS volunteer opportunities, go to www.nps.gov/volunteer or www.volunteer.gov.

 

These closely affiliated sites and organizations support the Anza Trail mission. Please reach out to each organization directly to inquire about volunteer opportunities. For more information about volunteering along the Anza Trail, contact the Volunteer Program Manager.

 

Members of the Anza Trail Coalition of Arizona

Arizona - Statewide

• Anza Trail Coalition of Arizona
  ATCA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) volunteer-driven organization dedicated to the restoration, maintenance, protection, and interpretation of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. ATCA builds and maintains recreation trail in Southern Arizona. Volunteer opportunities are available along the Anza Trail between Tucson and Nogales.
• Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area
  The Anza Trail and the Santa Cruz River are the spine of the new Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area. Volunteer as a Heritage Ambassador with the Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance. Heritage Ambassadors are uber-volunteers. They are passionate about the stewardship of the region’s heritage, whether it be the conservation of natural resources or the preservation of historic treasures and cultural traditions.

 

Anza Ambassadors

Southern Arizona

• Anza Ambassadors Club & Santa Fe Ranch Foundation
  The Anza Ambassadors Club is a youth group of high school students from Nogales and Rio Rico. They work with staff and volunteers from the Santa Fe Ranch Foundation to protect and raise awareness of Las Lagunas de Anza, a wetland that served as the Anza Expedition's first campsite in the present-day United States. Reach out to Santa Fe Ranch Foundation to inquire about volunteer and youth program opportunities.
• Tubac Presidio State Historic Park & Museum
  The Anza Trail and its history are integral to the Tubac Presidio and its heritage. The Anza expedition was fortified here in 1775 before heading across the desert towards the Gila and Colorado Rivers. Today, visitors use the Anza Trail to enjoy the Santa Cruz River and the life it gives to the region. Volunteers are needed at the Tubac Presidio for visitor services, interpretive programs, and community outreach.

 

A ranger speaks to students outside of Tumacácori mission

• Tumacácori National Historical Park
  The Anza Trail passes through the historic Tumacácori mission. The trail guides current-day visitors though the layered cultural and natural history of the site. Become a volunteer and help visitors connect to the complex cultural history of this Spanish colonial mission site.
• Tucson Presidio Trust
  Tucson was a visita, or small religious outpost, when the Anza expedition passed through the region in 1775. The Presidio was built later, and now the historic complex is devoted to interpreting Tucson’s Spanish colonial history and its consequences. Become a docent or interpretation volunteer at the Tucson Presidio.

 

Ranger Russ from LA Parks and Recreation

Southern California

• Friends of Griffith Park
  Griffith Park maintains a premier segment of the Anza Trail in Los Angeles and organizes trail events. Friends of Griffith Park has a committee of members with an interest in the Anza Trail and offers many volunteer opportunities.

 

Amtrak Coast Starlight through San Luis Obispo

Central Coast

• Trails & Rails
  Anza Trail volunteers serve as guides on board the Amtrak Coast Starlight. The train follows much of the historic route of the Anza expedition through central California. Become a trained docent and interpret the history and landscape from the observation car. This volunteer opportunity is currently available only to residents of the Santa Barbara and San Jose areas.
• Mission San Luis Obispo
  Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was one of the few established missions at the time of the Anza expedition. Become a Mission docent and interpret the area's Spanish colonial history.

 

Pasados del Presidio participants

San Francisco Bay Area

• Presidio of San Francisco
  Engage with San Francisco's Spanish colonial past and provide visitor services at the Presidio's Heritage Center. The Presidio of San Francisco also needs volunteers for education programs and special events.
• John Muir National Historic Site
  The descendants of the Anza expedition colonized the area where John Muir NHS is located today. The Martinez Adobe, adjacent to the Muir house, connects the history of the early Spanish colonial period to the time of John Muir and beyond. Volunteer at this site in visitor services, orchard/grounds maintenance, and interpreting its complex history.