Volunteer Vacation - Natchez Trace State Park, TN

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Join American Hiking Society for a week of building & maintaining trails in exciting locations across the country. Volunteer Vacations foster public land stewardship and provide volunteers the opportunity to give back to the trails they love, meet new people, and have a great time doing it! Crews consist of 6-15 volunteers accompanied by a crew leader. Volunteer Vacations involve backpacking or day hiking and accommodations vary from primitive campsites to bunkhouses or cabins. Tools and supervision are provided by the host agency or organization. Experience nature up close. Travel to new destinations. Meet other outdoor enthusiasts. Take a vacation that nourishes your body & your spirit. Get Out. Give Back.

Project Specifics:

Under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal Program approximately 48,000 acres of land were purchased in the area of the park. This purchase provided jobs for many people. Programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration established many of the buildings still being used today and laid the foundation for what is now Natchez Trace State Park at the core of the large tract of public lands.

The park’s hiking trails range from a one-half mile up to 4.5 miles, and a 40 mile overnight trail. The trails wind through the forest and fields and along the lakeshores and streams of Natchez Park. Visitors also enjoy the museum that features local and park history, picnic facilities, camping, cabins and lodges, boating and the park’s restaurant.

Volunteers will focus on re-routing a section of the 40 mile Red Leaves Backpacking Trail, within the 48,000 acre Natchez Trace State Park and Forest. Volunteers will learn about sustainable trail design, trail maintenance, and hone their trail building skills utilizing various tools including Pulaskis and Mcleods. The new trail segment will be built near the scenic 58 acre Cub Creek Lake. Trail building each day will be moderate with hikes of less than one mile to the work site. Volunteers will have access to the park’s fishing boats, kayaks, and pedal boats for afternoon relaxation. Also, the 48,000 acre recreation area boasts 4 lakes and nearly 50 miles of hiking trails, and over 100 miles of multi-use trails. Trail access is on both paved and unpaved roads. Volunteers will need to drive or carpool to the project site.

During this trip, Natchez Trace State Park’s average high temperature is 67°, and average low temperature is 45°.

Accommodations: Volunteers will stay at Lower Onion Creek Campground. This campground is located along the banks of the Colorado River offering spectacular views of the red rock canyons, buttes, mesas and spires against the backdrop of the nearby La Sal Mountains.. Lower Onion Creek Campground has group sites with fire grates, picnic tables, vault toilets and shade shelters. The group sites do not have water, dump stations or electric hook-ups. A boat ramp is in the campground and near the group sites. Cell phone reception is very limited in these areas and sometimes non-existent. Volunteers need to bring their own camping gear, sleeping bags or linens, towels, and personal toiletries. Volunteers will have the option to remain at the campgrounds until noon on October 6th.

Trip Cost: $425 per person

Volunteer Experience: While trips do not require prior trail maintenance experience, all of our projects require participants to be in good physical condition and will involve 30-40 hours of physical labor during the week.

Find More Information & Register Here: https://americanhiking.org/volunteer-vacation-trip/natchez-trace-state-park-tn-volunteer-vacation-2024/