If you’ve ever dreamed of spending a winter in Yosemite National Park, here’s one way to do it—though it won’t earn you a paycheck.
A new listing among Yosemite National Park volunteer jobs is for someone to spend November through early April working full-time at Yosemite’s Valley Visitor Center. The volunteer would greet visitors, lead interpretive walks, and provide up-to-date park information—for 40 hours a week. The “benefits” include a dorm room in the historic Yosemite Valley Rangers Club and possibly a vehicle.
Yosemite National Park volunteer jobs–Idea draws some criticism
The listing didn’t mention pay—and that’s what set off a lively debate among current and former rangers on Reddit.
“Volunteering is very noble, but you are working 40-hour weeks in a position that should be filled with an interpretation ranger,” wrote one retired chief ranger. “Unless you have some independent income, I’m not sure how you survive.”
Another commenter added, “This is covering for what would otherwise be paid positions. I think the goal is eventually to eliminate visitor center ranger positions beyond the absolute bare minimum needed to supervise volunteers.”
Others were more forgiving. One person who volunteered at Theodore Roosevelt National Park said the experience helped them get their start. “Housing was covered for us so that helped with saving some money. It was overall a great experience and I learned a lot about working for NPS in general,” they wrote.
Should volunteers replace paid workers?
The debate touches on a larger issue that’s become common across the National Park System—a growing reliance on volunteers to fill what were once paid roles. At many parks, volunteers handle everything from trail maintenance and campground hosting to education programs and historical interpretation.
For some, these postings are a chance to live and work in extraordinary places without the hassle of securing seasonal housing. For others, especially those who travel by RV or van, volunteering offers a temporary home base inside a national park.
Similar long-term volunteer roles are open at Biscayne National Park in Florida and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site in North Carolina. Even the U.S. Forest Service is seeking unpaid backcountry rangers in Utah.
For travelers willing to trade a paycheck for priceless views, Yosemite’s offer might sound like a dream. But as one ranger put it, “It’s outrageous to expect 40 hours a week for a volunteer position.”
What do you think? Would you volunteer 40 hours a week? Let us know in the comments section.
Source: National Parks Traveler
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RVT1233b
NO. I am all for volunteering and feel the need to give something back but 40 hours from me and 40 hours from husband for a campsite is slave labor. Particularly at a super busy park like Yosemite
My guess is that a husband and wife would share a dorm room together so they would each do 20 hours a week.
Yes… and if they are collecting Social Security, love the outdoors and the NPs, maybe they don’t camp traditionally anymore, it is a tremendous win/win opportunity for seasonal enjoyment and fulfillment.
✌️😎
It’ll probably look good on my resume if they stop my social security and quiet is it’s kept that just might their next move just saying we in a bad administration.
OMG that’s funny. The administration that just eliminated income tax on your Social Security, thereby increasing your take home pay from SS has some secret plan to now eliminate SS? 🤣🤣🤣
The administration that is getting the country closer to a balanced budget than the last 6 administrations, while still lowering taxes is the feckless administration? 🤣🤣🤣🤣hahaha and cutting inflation in half and hahaha getting gas under 3 bucks are the crazy ones? 😆 Maybe the ones (Ds) voting to keep the govt closed should receive your ire. Hahaha
what a load of bull $hi😵💫! balanced budget??? trillions more in debt a time worn republican move. The no taxes on SS a scam, only applies if that’s the only income you have. Not sure where your get your fuel but that hasn’t happened for me and the prices for EVERTHING is up,up,up! Food, rent, cars etc thanks for the taxes (Tariffs) And Republicans are in charge of all 3 branches so whos shutdown the government? Maga troll alert
Oh yes, a major maga troll! And a sh*t disturber, and posts so ridiculous they’re hilarious.
Soooo happy to hear i bring some level of hilarity to your day. I find that using only fact based realities in my comments is the difference maker. In as much as pointing out the cognitive dissonance and gaslighting of the Left by using facts and truths, the comments are never successfully disputed. Lots of insults and cussing but never an opposing argument built on a foundation of reality or truth.
Happy trails, Pammy. ✌️😎
Hey Genius…. it takes 60 votes in the Senate and the Rs have only 53 with 52 voting yes to open. The Ds have 45 but only 2 voted to open the govt, 43 voted to close the govt.
So here is the math, Genius.
52R + 2D + 1i = 55 , Genius.
Or
98% of Rs voted to open and 4% Ds voted to open.
OR
2% of Rs voted to close and 96% of Ds voted to close.
Simple math, Genius.
If you think income tax was eliminated on your SS, you are in for a big surprise come tax filing time. That is what was promised, what was passed was a $6000 deduction for anyone age 65 and there was already a $1550 deduction before that for 65 and up. Far cry from what was promised. Promises made promises NOT kept. The rest of your post is also cult delirium but that’s not what this post is about.
So your saying that increasing the $1,550 deduction to a $6,000 deduction is not better….. got it. You don’t have to take the deduction and just pay the $6k. It’s not mandatory.
Overtime up to $15,000 as a tax deduction/tax free earnings is also a promise not kept in your eyes I guess.
Then too is the border promise broken by not being 100% secure because 2 illegals came over last month. Compared to 275,000 the year previous, each month.
Thats a high bar you set brother but only for the evil Orange Man.
Especially with what our congressman and senators pay is plus benefit’s.
All the national parks and historic sites are manned by local volunteers in the UK. They are very dedicated! But I’m sure they don’t work 40 hours a week.
I currently volunteer well at or over 40 hrs a week 24/7 for our local township. Additionally, I have volunteered at our local American Legion Club at least 30 hours in addition to the 15 hrs I was paid for. Hurray for me – right! Wrong! If there is a need someone, given the opportunity, will step forward. This is also an excellent for your resume’ if you are so inclined & wish to get a job with the NPS/NFS or? Age? Experience is oft times hard to come by & is expensive to buy with few funds available. This article appears union slanted for their benefit IMO. Like the outdoors? live it! Perfect opportunity is calling. Social Security not enuf, free housing looks pretty good.
Free housing ain’t free ya working in the woods 40 hours ya paying for ya cot.
Is this because of the shortage of rangers due to the funding cuts by the government?
Volunteers are needed no matter how many hrs it takes to help out in the current situation this country is in Our parks are in trouble if no one is in attendance Our Rangers can only do so much This is a horrific mess
Not as big a mess as our National debt!
I would agree, however, that full time work for only an NPS dorm room is ridiculous. But, if they find people willing to do it, then I guess it’s a win-win!
Now ain’t trying to be mean but what if those who are homeless volunteer to work and that way they have a nice little spot for bout 5 or 6 months and they can hunt rabbits and coons for grub just saying
When the VIP (Volunteers In Parks) program started they said they’d never use volunteers to replace actual park employees. Over the years they’ve done it more and more. This, though … just boggles the mind. This is normally a paid ranger job. I’ve seen VIPs take over *part* of the load in Maintenance, Interpretation (the visitor center, walks & talks) and so on. But this is full replacement of a paid position. I’m sorry, but the parks were never intended to make money and they need to be FULLY funded and properly staffed or we are going to lose them to commercial take-over. It is very distressing to see it happening.
Does that include a free Hantavirus vaccination?
People need jobs. Here we have jobs but are not willing to pay them. Some of us may be able to volunteer, but we will die off. Younger people need paying jobs and will not be able to just volunteer. Now if we want to create Public Works programs, like in the past, for younger people, to serve their country and pay them a stipend, and gather work experience, that may work, and may save money.
I agree on the public works program, which was announced several months ago. Perhaps RVTravel could do a well-researched article on the current status including how many corporations are stepping up, based on the matching donor requirements the new program mandated.
If potential volunteers don’t want to work that much, they’ll pass. But someone will do it and the reasons vary. I like giving back to a park I love, and in the process of helping people, I keep active and in shape. I’m very happy doing what I do in exchange for a campsite. I find that volunteers are extremely engaged, excited hard-workers. Volunteers provide lots of hours of service. “Thank you” comes often and from many sources.
Right on S B – Right on! Personal satisfaction if nothing else! This life is not all”take” – some giving back is needed.
Yosemite is someone’s dream “job”. I hope they find this listing.
Having volunteered for NPS, FWS, and USFS, 30 hours a week for an RV site is plenty, 24 is better. Get more volunteers.
And anyone watching Volunteer.gov knows the jobs are getting more technical – water safety technicians, auto mechanics, campground hosts with law enforcement backgrounds and Organ Pipes has for several years looked for volunteer janitors!
If they can find a volunteer to do the job thats great. Its a win win. If not then they will have to cut down the hours or hire a ranger todo it.
Free labor is what current management expects.
Says a guy who’s party fought a civil war to defend free labor.
When my Boy Scout Troop was attempting to raise funds to attend the National High Adventure Canoe Base, the city of Boynton Beach offered to let us paint fire hydrants at $I apiece, with them supplying the paint and brushes one dad checked on if we would be displacing a paid worker We found out no they’d been trying to get a position funded for several years for this and maintaining the cemetery w/o success It was a successful fundraiser for us for 2 years, then the new position was funded.I’d never be able work 40-30 hrs a week Maybe a 3-4 h shift -a couple of times a week Mostly it’s retired folks volunteering-we can’t stand very long
We seniors may be able to provide a month for up to 20 hours. However, while we may have useful background and experience, strength and endurance are part of the equation.
IMHO, it sounds like a great idea to reduce costs and possibly increase the quality of personnel at National sites. If someone wishes to exchange 40 hours a week work for a free place to stay, it would save the taxpayers, which is a good thing. While it may replace a full-time park ranger, it may also just be a way to reassign a park ranger to do the job of being a ‘park ranger’ and not a welcome center greeter.
I’m curious – this article appeared Nov 1, but is dated Oct. 27. It doesn’t appear in the 10/27 issue, yet there are comments labeled “4 days ago”. So, ???
It probably was published as Breaking News perhaps….. In fact I think it was…….?
Hi, Rebecca. The article was published on Oct. 27, and was sent out on that date in the RSS newsfeed to those who subscribe to it. It also appeared on our homepage on the 27th. Then it was posted in our Saturday newsletter, which is a roundup of the news stories we’ve published during the week, plus more. I hope that answers your question. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
In most US states employment law forbids volunteers from filling jobs that paid workers do, but the federal government often is able to have it’s own rules. I suspect the 40 hour a week unpaid jobs in some parks violate this. So sad that we must depend on this to take care of our national parks and their visitors.
You would lose at least 1600 a month in income unless they gave you a rv pad and utilities