ESTES PARK, Colo. — At a trailhead high in the Rocky Mountains, a volunteer in a tan vest answers questions about elk, weather and parking before most visitors have finished their morning coffee. She is retired, unpaid and one of about 4,000 seasonal volunteers who have become essential to keeping some of the nation’s busiest national parks running.
Permanent staffing at national parks has fallen by roughly 12 percent over the past decade, according to an analysis by the Public Lands Workforce Project, even as annual visits have climbed to near record levels. Park managers say they are filling gaps with volunteers, seasonal workers, partner organizations and crews shared between parks.
“Our visitors expect clean restrooms, open trails and someone to answer questions,” said Karen Whitmore, superintendent of a high-country park in Colorado. “We’re doing our best to deliver that with fewer permanent staff than we had ten years ago.”
A growing reliance on help
Volunteers now staff visitor centers, lead guided walks, maintain trails and assist with campground operations. Partner groups, such as nonprofit park associations, fund some educational programs and seasonal positions.
- Change in permanent staffing: down about 12 percent over a decade
- Seasonal volunteers this year: about 4,000 at the largest parks
- Maintenance backlog: estimated in the billions of dollars nationwide
- Average seasonal ranger contract: 4 to 6 months
Housing is one of the biggest challenges. Many parks are located in or near communities with high rents and limited rentals, making it difficult to attract seasonal workers. Some parks have added employee housing, while others partner with local towns.
Differing views on the path forward
Supporters of current budgets say recent federal investments have focused on fixing roads, water systems and buildings, which they argue was overdue. Others say staffing has not kept pace and that volunteers, while valuable, can’t replace trained professionals in areas such as law enforcement, emergency response and resource protection.
Volunteers are the heart of many parks, but you can’t volunteer your way through a search-and-rescue or a wildfire. Those jobs need trained, permanent people.
Richard Boyd, former park ranger and adviser to the Public Lands Workforce Project
Some lawmakers in Congress have called for increased funding for park staff, while others have suggested expanding partnerships and fees to support operations. Lisa Marquez, a policy analyst at the Center for Outdoor Recreation Policy, said both approaches have trade-offs.
“Higher fees can help, but they also affect access for families,” she said. “Partnerships bring flexibility but can be uneven from park to park. There isn’t a single simple fix.” Many parks have adopted timed-entry reservations during peak months to manage crowds, a change that some visitors appreciate and others find frustrating. Park managers say reservations have reduced traffic jams and allowed limited staff to manage visitors more effectively.
Park officials say technology is helping stretch limited staff. Online trip planners, trail condition updates and text alerts about parking help visitors prepare before they arrive, reducing the number of questions rangers field at crowded entrances. Several parks have also begun sharing maintenance crews and specialists, such as biologists and historic preservation experts, across regions rather than keeping full teams at every site.
Despite the challenges, volunteers say the work is rewarding. Many return year after year, living in campgrounds or nearby towns for the season. Back at the trailhead, volunteer Margaret Ellis, 68, a retired schoolteacher from Ohio, points a family toward a lakeside trail. “I spent thirty years in a classroom,” she said. “Now my classroom has mountains. I’d like to think I’m still teaching.”
