Great Falls Park Trail Maintainer

When trails become degraded, we need volunteers to fill the gaps.

Kick up some dirt to care for Great Falls Park's hiking paths as a Trail Maintainer with our partners Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC)! This position is vital to preserving optimal trail conditions and conserving native ecosystems, not to mention an excellent way to gain new conservation skills.

Trail Maintainers choose a specific trail section to focus on; each is between 1-3 miles long and multiple people can work the same one. Plentiful scheduling flexibility allows one to easy work on their own time, and position duties include:

• Blazing (indicating directions with paint marks)
• Erosion control
• Weeding
• Pruning vegetation
• Removing obstructions
• Cleaning up litter
• Clearing invasive species. 
• Coordinating activities for larger/specialized teams with the District Manager.
• Regularly filing reports for each maintenance day.

Additionally, Trail Maintainers are expected to:

• Visit their chosen sections 3-4 times per year.
• Follow PATC & land manager protocols.
• Safely hike to & along their trail sections while carrying tools.
• Advocate for proper trail usage/safety while on duty. 

Being a very active outdoors role, prospective applicants should be in good physical health and able to walk up to several miles a day over varying terrain. Prior trail maintenance experience is welcome but not required, as PATC will determine necessary training opportunities.

Ready to lace up those boots and protect the trails? Apply for this role on PATC's website or reach out to the site contacts!