Getting Started (U.S. Citizens)The National Park Service and many other federal land and resource agencies depend on the work of volunteers. At www.volunteer.gov you'll find a wide range of opportunities across the country with the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and more. Opportunities for volunteers from outside of the United StatesIf you live outside the United States and want to learn about volunteering in any national park, please visit the National Park Service International Cooperation website. When To ApplySeason-long volunteer positions are typically filled in fall for the following year. For short-term opportunities, take note of the dates mentioned in the position descriptions. 
NPS Images/ Peter Densmore Long-Term Volunteer Opportunities Our long-term volunteer opportunities range from artists-in-residence, campground hosts, preventative search and rescue (PSAR), visitor services assistants, and interpretation volunteers. Dates vary for individual positions, but we typically ask for a three-month commitment. Housing or RV pads may be available to individuals willing to work a minimum of 32 hours per week, this is dependant on availability.
Volunteer campground hosts assist park staff with campground operations and provide a variety of information to visitors including: campground and food storage regulations; safety advisories concerning visitation while in bear and mountain lion country; hiking National Park and concession facilities; interpretive programs; road conditions; park natural resources and other points of interest.Hosts are often thought of as the "eyes and ears" of campgrounds. They provide supervisors and rangers with information regarding campground facilities, visitor use, wildlife sightings, and safety concerns, but do not take direct action involving law enforcement situations. Hosts may register campers, provide upkeep of campgrounds, assist with the selection of campsites, and direct campers to the iron rangers for fee payments. They do not accept or handle recreational fee transactions. The wearing of a VIP uniform identifies campground hosts. Required uniform items will be provided. Both campgrounds have full recreational vehicle hookups for hosts. Campground hosts live in designated sites within the campgrounds and are subject to visits and requests for assistance at all hours of the day. Hosts should plan on working in all kinds of weather due to the park's high-altitude environment. Due to training requirements, most campground host positions require a commitment, of at least three months. RV pads with hookups are provided for camphosts.
Campground seasons run from April 1 through November 1, depending on the campground. Applications are currently being accepted: Please Email Us if interested Seasonal positions are typically filled the fall prior, however if vacancies occur unexpectedly we like to be able to fill them as needed. Preventative Search and Rescue (PSAR) volunteers serve as a member of the visitor and resource protection team by conducting foot patrols of assigned trails, assessing trail safety conditions, assisting injured or distressed visitors to safely exit the canyon, disseminating preventative search and rescue information, assisting with disabled vehicles and searches for missing hikers, assisting with rescuing injured hikers as part of a litter team or calling EMS and SAR resources as necessary. Trails covered average 4-6 miles daily and can be as much as 8-10 miles. Trail elevation changes range from 450 feet to just under 2000 feet. Patrols may be performed in all sorts of weather and volunteers must monitor weather conditions for safety. PSAR volunteers assist hundreds of hikers each year by performing “walk-outs” and “carry-outs.” Walk outs consist of slowly walking with hikers who are struggling, encouraging them to rest and drink water when necessary and encouraging them to make it out of the canyon on their own. The main causes are dehydration, altitude sickness, and heat exhaustion, Carry-outs happen when a person is physically unable to make it out on their own. The main cause of carry-outs are ankle and leg injuries, cardiac symptoms and heat exhaustion. Volunteers should also expect to act as a frontline representative of the national park. Visitors often ask questions about trails, plants, animals, weather, and park programs, these questions can be somewhat repetitive. Volunteers may also work to assist law enforcement officials in other ways.PSAR volunteers are needed year-round, though in greater numbers in between May and September.
Many trails are strenuous and this park at high altitude, applicants must be physically capable of hiking long and difficult trails, assisting visitors, and helping carry-out visitors who cannot walk out on their own. Volunteers with First aid and CPR training or higher are preferred. Applications accepted: March - May for Summer Positions, August-October for off season positions. Bryce Canyon's visitor center is the starting point for many journeys. Visitors come to us to get help with trip planning, orientation, information, and advice. Visitor services volunteers should be comfortable standing and talking to visitors from many countries, walks of life and with different hiking abilities. Assist visitors with different schedules and needs find the Bryce Canyon experience that is just right for them.
Applications accepted: January - March for Summer positions, August - September for Winter postions Interpretation volunteers provide information and orientation about the park and local area at the visitor center desk, as well as giving regular interpretive programs around the park. Interpretive volunteers are more often utilized in the winter.
Applications accepted August - September for positions starting October - February. 
NPS Images/Peter Densmore Short-Term Opportunities Short-term volunteer opportunities are generally offered for a few hours to a few days. Opportunities include festivals, star parties, annual bird and butterfly counts, clean up days, and more!
Are you an experienced telescope operator? Do you love sharing the night sky with the public? Join us as a star party volunteer and receive a free campsite within the park. E-mail our Interpretive Supervisor to learn more.
Whether you bring your own telescope for the nightly telescope fields or bring your own solar telescope for daytime observing, (or both) you'll be able to share your love for astronomy with hundreds of people every night/day of the astronomy festival!
Salt Lake Astronomical Society (SLAS), University of Utah, and other local groups typically join us, but individuals and groups from other areas are always welcome! Daytime activities typically run from 10am-2pm All telescope operators and festival staff will meet at 6pm each night before setup so the plan for the field can be discussed. Telescope field area is open for set up between 8p.m. and 9:30pm The nightly telescope field is open to the public 10pm-midnight unless weather causes a cancellation White lights are only allowed before 9:30 p.m. and after midnight for setup and tear down. Operators may leave telescopes up after field shutdown for personal observing if desired. Typical crouds on the telescope field are 400-600 people per night. Volunteer applications for the 2022 Astronomy Festival (June 14-17) are currently being accepted. Please email us and let us know: Name Type/size of telescope you will bring Which days/nights would you like to work (any or all is acceptable) Daytime activities typically run from 10am-2pm The nightly telescope field is open to the public 10pm-midnight unless weather causes a cancellation Are you an astronomy professional? Do you love talking to the general public about your topic of interest? Bryce Canyon offers evening programs in two venues and daily daytime programing in many areas of the park each of the four festival days.
Evening programs are generally power point presentations 30-60 minutes long and are held in one of two venues. The Outdoor Theater seats about 200 people with some room for people to stand or bring their own chairs and the Visitor Center Theater can accommodate about 90 people. An additional venue is available for inclement weather for the outdoor theater that seats around 140 people Daytime programs can include astronomy themed walks, talks, arts and crafts for children and families, science demonstrations and more. Applications are currently being accepted for Astronomy festival program volunteers. Please email us with the following information: Your Name Your field of expertise and experience interpreting or educating the public with regards to astronomy Which day or days of the festival you would like to work Your program topic for an evening program or what type of activity you would be interested in leading. If you're interested in an activity do you have something specific in mind or are you willing to take on a preexisting activity. Geology festival volunteers can run a geology-themed activity or present an evening program about a local geological research project. If you're doing professional research on the in Bryce Canyon, on the Grand Staircase, or have a professional knowledge of the geology of the local area and love talking to the general public you might consider giving an evening program at our geology festival.
Applications accepted April-June for the festival held in July. Whether you are a "bird enthusiast" or someone who just likes nature and the outdoors, please join Bryce Canyon National Park in continuing the Christmas Bird Count tradition. Several routes are available from strenuous hikes to easy drives - we can match your skills/abilities with other birders to make the day fun and successful. What better way to celebrate the holiday than to actively give to the conservation of national treasures - the life within our National Parks?
Both park visitors and rangers contribute to a scientific record of the park's winter bird populations by participating in the count. Every year, the count takes place within a 15-mile diameter circle surrounding the park area. Ninety different birds have been recorded in the species list for the Bryce CBC circle. In 2020 two dusky grouse and an acorn woodpecker were seen for the first time during a count. Interested parties may sign up on the day of the count, for more information see the Christmas Bird Count page Join NPS rangers and butterfly enthusiasts for a day of discovery as we count butterfly populations in areas in and around the national park. No experience is needed, but cameras, binoculars, and field guides may add to your experience. Usually occurs Mid-July
National Public Lands day Occurs on the Fourth Saturday in September. Activities can vary but often include a trash pick up. Talk to the rangers in the visitor center to find out more!
Group Volunteer Opportunities Currently Bryce Canyon does not have opportunities for new group volunteers or alternative spring break trips. We're working on this for the future!
Currently accepting applications:
Current open volunteer positions are posted above. If you don't see the volunteer opportunities that you're interested in check out our long-term and short-term volunteer opportunities above. Each opportunity lists dates when applications are accepted, do to the volume of applications we recieve, we are not able to accept applications outside these dates. Thank you for your interest in Bryce Canyon National Park! Contact a volunteer supervisor at Bryce Canyon
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Last updated: January 2, 2024