Volunteers have been the backbone of the Green Mountain Club for more than a century. Without their time, energy, and knowledge, the trail would not exist or be managed as it is today. There are dozens of ways to get involved both on and off the trail.
Volunteer from Vermont
*NEW!* Volunteer Trail Steward
Help connect hikers and visitors to the natural world around them and serve as an advocate for the trails and surrounding vegetation. This is a pilot program from 2025 and will take place at the Mount Mansfield Visitor Center at the top of the Stowe Auto Toll Road. Learn more and apply here.
Volunteer Long Trail Patrol Crew
Camp out in Vermont’s mountains and learn to build and maintain hiking trails. No experience is required; you’ll work with a crew of eight to 10 volunteers, led by experienced staff. A one-week commitment is required, although you can stay longer. Learn more about the Volunteer Long Trail Patrol.
Bark Mulch Packer
Haul burlap sacks of bark mulch across backcountry terrain for use at composting privy sites. Scheduling and mulch weight is flexible to meet your needs. (This is a great way to strengthen for backpacking trips!) Learn more about bark mulch packing and sign up to be contacted when sites are low on mulch.
Citizen Scientist
Track the effects of climate change on the northeast’s sensitive alpine plants. Take photos of plants while hiking on Mt. Mansfield, Camel’s Hump, or Mt. Abraham, and submit them to the Northeast Alpine Flower Watch project in the iNaturalist app. Your contributions are part of a large, regional data set.
Corridor Monitor
Bushwhack through Vermont’s woods to maintain boundary lines around protected land, gather natural history information, map property features, and report boundary violations. Learn more and view the current listing of available monitoring sections. To get involved with corridor monitoring or other parts of GMC’s Stewardship Program, contact Land Stewardship Coordinator Rowan Kamman.
Information Volunteer at Barnes Camp
Meet new people, and share cultural and historical resources while staffing the historical Barnes Camp at Smugglers’ Notch. The Barnes Camp Visitor Center is open on weekends, from Memorial Day Weekend through Indigenous Peoples Day Weekend. Learn more below, and contact us to volunteer.
Learn more:
- Crush of Visitors Boosts Barnes Camp’s popularity
- Vermont’s New Favorite Loop Hike: Barnes Camp Loop
Project Volunteer
Make a difference through a GMC-hosted summer camp, corporate outing, or college orientation trip. Learn more about service learning & group outings and contact us about work projects.
Section Volunteer
Join area volunteers to maintain stretches of the Long Trail, Appalachian Trail, and Northeast Kingdom Trails. No experience is necessary; check the calendar of events for upcoming social outings and trail maintenance opportunities.
Learn more:
Shuttle Driver
Help hikers overcome Vermont’s limited public transportation by offering a ride to-and-from trailheads. You may charge for gas. Contact the GMC Visitor Center for more info.
Trail or Shelter Adopter
Maintain a section of trail or a GMC shelter to enhance the hiking experiences of passersby. No prior experience necessary; we’ll get you started with basic how-to’s. View a current listing of available trails and shelters.
Volunteer from Afar
Committee Member
Support decision making around trails, communications, finances, and more through a committee or working group. Learn more.
Contributing Artist
Submit your illustrations, photos, and other creative talents to freshen GMC’s print and digital communications. Email submissions to [email protected].
Long Trail News Writer
Write about the outdoors and issues facing the hiking community, or take on a challenging writing assignment. Contact Communications Manager Chloe Miller to pitch story ideas.
