Trail Volunteers
Thank you for your interest in volunteering to help improve our natural surface trails in Montgomery Parks. Natural surface trails in Montgomery Parks require a great deal of effort constructing, maintaining and inspecting. Increased community participation helps us improve the quality of these trails.
If you enjoy working outdoors to maintain and improve trails, please consider joining our efforts. We have weekend trail work project opportunities during the Spring and Fall seasons or long term volunteer opportunities in the Trail Ranger program. We have year around opportunities for organized groups interested in participating in a trail work project. These volunteer trail work opportunities are suitable for varied experience levels and time commitments. Whether you would like to volunteer on your own, in a group project, or as an organized group, there is a way for you to lend a hand!
How to Volunteer
Trail Workday Program
Trail workdays are weekend 1/2 day volunteer trail work projects. Trail workdays are scheduled from March-June and September-November and typically take place in the morning. Trail workday projects involve: building new trail and repairing a various trail tread and drainage issues. The minimum age to volunteer is 15, however youths 13 & 14 years old may participate if accompanied with an adult. We are Student Service Learning (SSL) approved.
Trail Ranger Program
Trail Rangers are dedicated volunteers who routinely inspect and maintain assigned natural surface trail(s). Trail Rangers inspect and perform light trail maintenance work on assigned trail(s) once every three months and after major storm events. This is a great way to make an impact on the trail(s) you may already use regularly. Minimum age to participate is 18 years old. More Details and Apply / Sign Up
Organized Groups
We have trail work projects for organized groups interested in volunteering on a rewarding outdoor community service project. Please Contact the Trails Volunteer Coordinator to see how we can coordinate such a project for your group.
What else can I do?
There are still some basic things you can do to help out:
- Report safety issues and other serious trail concerns to service.center@montgomeryparks.org.
Make note of the nature of the issue as well as the location in terms of which park, trail name, and relation to major trail landmarks (nearest road or trail intersection, stream crossing, etc.). - Pick up as you go.
Users do a great service by merely clearing the corridor of downed branches or trash they encounter on their trail outings. This is especially true on heavily used trails or after windy days.
Contact
Volunteer Services Office
Jim Corcoran, Trail Volunteer Coordinator
Jim.Corcoran@MontgomeryParks.org | 301-650-4395