Become a Volunteer

  • Click here to learn about local volunteer chapters and their upcoming activities.
  • Click here to get details and preregister for upcoming statewide Mobile Skills Crew trail-building events.

The Ice Age Trail is built and maintained largely by volunteers. Without volunteers, the Ice Age Trail would be little more than a line on a map.

Each year, hundreds of volunteers donate tens of thousands of hours toward making the Ice Age Trail a premier hiking trail. In the 2011 federal fiscal year, more than 2,000 different volunteers dedicated more than 65,894 hours of their time to the Ice Age Trail. At the $21.79 Independent Sector rate for a volunteer hour, that's a contribution valued at more than $1,435,000!

Volunteers are the heart, soul, hands and backbone of the Ice Age Trail Alliance. Thanks to their enormous efforts, over 600 blazed Trail miles exist so far. But a great deal of work remains before the Ice Age Trail is complete.
           
Ice Age Trail volunteers build trail, bridges and boardwalks, restore and manage prairies and savannas, coordinate fundraisers, lead hikes and field trips, hold monthly meetings, handle local community relations, monitor easements, remove invasive exotic plants, create and post signs and perform a host of other important duties along the Trail.
           
Sound like fun? You betcha! Our volunteers work hard, but events are designed to be safe and enjoyable. Many long-term friendships, even marriages, have begun on the Ice Age Trail.
           
For current volunteer opportunities, please:

Important documents on Ice Age Trail volunteering are available on the National Park Service's Volunteers In Parks (VIP) web page. These documents are provided to support volunteers in their work on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail and to ensure a fun and safe experience. Please note that all non-IATA members must complete an individual Volunteer Agreement Form prior to starting work. All volunteers under 18, whether members or not, must complete the Volunteer Agreement Form with signature of a parent or guardian.

If you're interested in volunteering for trail construction or maintenance, you'll find the following two publications to be very helpful: