Spend a Tuesday or Thursday with us during your vacation! Got more time? Camp at Cinnamon Bay! Or become a member! Any and all help is much appreciated! Thank you!
Friends of the VI National Park maintains the 27 miles of Virgin Islands National Park trails and helps uncover, restore, maintain, and interpret the ruins.
This work happens thanks to individual volunteers, Virgin Islands' students, and service groups who pitch in to help maintain our trails and historic sites. In addition, this work would not be possible without the generosity of our donors and members who share our passion for Virgin Islands National Park.
Tuesday & Thursday Walk Up Volunteer Crew
Every Tuesday & Thursday a crew heads out to clear and clean trails and ruins for hikers, and ensure that erosion and other issues are taken care of. It is a great opportunity to explore new parts of St. John and help protect and preserve our patch of paradise! Join us!
Please note, while we work to accommodate the skills, ages, and capabilities of every group of volunteers, this is physical work in hot weather!
You need your own transportation and can either meet us at the National Park parking lot beyond Mongoose Junction at 8:30am and follow us to the trail we are working on that day. Or meet at the trail. We will post which trail we will be working on that week every Monday on facebook and instagram as well as the meeting spot and the time.
You will need closed sneakers or hiking boots, a water bottle, lunch, a hat, and a mask. We will provide water and all the tools.
If you have any questions, please contact Mark, our Trails Program Director at mgestwicki@friendsvinp.org
Camp at Cinnamon Bay Volunteer Crew
Perfect for individuals, couples, families and small groups! The volunteer trail crew's scope of work includes trails maintenance, clearing of historical sites, native tree planting projects, invasive species removal, and trash/debris removal.
Volunteers are expected to donate a minimum of 4 days of labor in exchange for 6 nights of accommodation at our campground at Cinnamon Bay. We ask for a $100 donation per week per person. The minimum time commitment is 1 week and the maximum is 6 weeks. Space per week is limited to meet COVID safety guidelines so reserve your week early by applying today!
The volunteer campground is a three minute walk to Cinnamon Bay's beautiful white sand beach with excellent swimming and snorkeling. Living at the camp comes with some unique challenges and volunteers are expected to be resourceful, adaptable, and resilient. The campground is equipped with propane stoves, propane grills, kitchenware, picnic tables, and coolers for food storage, drinking water, a shower, kitchen sink, and portable toilets. Each volunteer will be given a cot and assigned a large 12 person tent. Volunteers are responsible for feeding themselves and there will be at least two resupply trips to Cruz Bay per week. Please note that there is no plumbing, or cell phone coverage at camp. Cell service is available at the east end of the beach.
Volunteers need to be in good physical health and prepared to work from 8am to 2pm in hot and humid conditions. Every participant should have close toed shoes, a day pack, sun protection, long pants, a mask, and capacity to carry a minimum of 3 liters of water. The Friends will supply all necessary tools, training, gloves, and transportation. Volunteers will need to cover the cost of airfare and food.
If you have any questions, please contact Mark, our Trails Program Director at mgestwicki@friendsvinp.org
Support Our Trail Program
If you enjoy hiking in Virgin Islands National Park but can’t volunteer, please support our work. We depend on the generosity of our donors and members who share our passion for Virgin Islands National Park! Your friendship and support makes a difference!