GSMNP searching for volunteers to assist with trail rehabilitation

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) - Officials with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are recruiting volunteers to assist in a trail rehabilitation project, according to a release from the National Park Service.

A park spokesperson said the Trails Forever crew needed additional help for the Ramsey Cascades Trail rehabilitation project.

The volunteers would be needed every Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., starting May 25 and continuing until September 28, park officials shared. Those interested in assisting must be able to hike at least four miles a day and safely perform “strenuous and often difficult manual labor.”

Park officials said that volunteers must also be able to lift heavy objects, such as equipment, which the park will provide. Volunteers assisting would need to wear sturdy close-toed footwear and long pants and bring a day pack with food, water, rain gear, and personal items for the day, according to a release.

Ramsey Cascades Trail remains one of the most popular trails in the Smokies, stretching four miles and giving access to the 100-foot Ramsey Cascades, the tallest waterfall in the park. The rehabilitation aims to improve trail safety and protect the park’s natural resources.

Interested? Contact Trails and Facilities Volunteer Coordinator Adam Monroe at 828-497-1949 or Adam_Monroe@nps.gov. More information can also be found here.

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