Interpretive Park Volunteer

Make Your Volunteer Experience Memorable for Yourself and for the Visiting Public!

WE NEED YOUR HELP! 

USE YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE TO HELP VISITORS DISCOVER GILA CLIFF DWELLINGS NATIONAL MONUMENT AS AN INTERPRETIVE VOLUNTEER

Limited dorm rooms in a shared house are available as well as RV spots with full utilities.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The park is seeking interpretive volunteers for the summer season.

Have you ever wanted to find out what it's like to be a park ranger? Are you seeking to learn and expand your skills as an interpreter? Then Gila Cliff Dwellings may be the volunteer place for you!

• Volunteers seeking or having experience presenting interpretive communications for the cliff dwellings are welcome!
• Volunteers also provide informal interpretation related to surrounding cultural and natural resources.
• Volunteers staff the Gila Visitor Center providing regional orientation and information to visitors. Working at the visitor center includes selling items through the Western National Parks Association store and operating a computerized cash register.
• Training is provided.

Volunteers are asked to make a 32 hour a week minimum commitment for either mid May to Labor Day or July to Labor Day. Longer stays are possible if both parties find it beneficial to extend the term of service. 

LOCATION AND LOGISTICS:

The National Monument is located in a remote area within the beautiful mountains of the Gila National Forest and Gila Wilderness Area of southwestern New Mexico.  Enjoy amazing scenery and outstanding local recreational opportunities including hiking, biking, photography, wilderness hot springs, wildlife observation, and much more.

A limited number of dorm rooms for singles are usually available and there may be RV sites with hookups provided available.

Volunteers live and work at an altitude of about 5800 feet (1780m). Since the park is open year-round and much of the job is outdoors, volunteers will be working in a wide range of weather conditions and temperatures. Staffing the cliff dwellings requires standing for extended periods of time. It also means  hiking an unpaved one-mile loop trail that is steep and strenuous several times a day fairly quickly. The 185-foot elevation gain (and loss) traveling to the dwellings is the equivalent of climbing 18 flights of stairs. All volunteers must be able to walk the trail, sometimes more than once each day.

Cell phones do not work within the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument area. A land-line phone at the visitor center lets people reach you in an emergency. Free (limited) WiFi and laundry is available in the housing area. Nearby RV park has access to hot spring soaking, WiFi, and pull-through spaces for volunteers.

NOTE: Please include three references (with phone numbers) in section 19 of the application. If you apply online, you can enter information into section 19 by using the final entry block at the end of step 4 of the application.  Couples must complete applications for EACH person.

Due to the remoteness, reliable personal transportation and a valid driver’s license are required.