Conservation Corps - Summer 2026 Western Corps Teams - Crew Member

Crew Member: 2026 Summer Western Trail Corps 

Program Dates: 6/1/26 - 08/29/26 

 

Training Dates: 6/1/26 - 06/16/26 

 

Field Season: 6/17/26 - 8/29/26 

Conservation Begins Here.  
Are you ready to serve in one of the most rugged and beautiful landscapes in the Western U.S.? Do you want to make a tangible difference in our natural spaces while learning skills to kickstart your conservation career? Join the Student Conservation Association (SCA) as a Crew Member for Western Trail Corps and embark on a journey that blends purpose with adventure. 

This isn’t your average 9-to-5 job. You’ll be part of a 4-6 person crew working on trail maintenance projects to promote safe recreational experiences on public lands. Projects may include clearing trail corridors, logging out trails with crosscut saws, rock work, and maintaining tread and drainage features.  

Members will be assigned to their project sites after they are accepted into SCA Western Corps. Project sites in summer 2026 may include National Forests in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, or Colorado.  Previous project sites have included the Sierra National Forest, Inyo National Forest, and Sequoia National Forest. Crews will train, live and work together throughout the season. Now is the perfect opportunity to dedicate your time and energy to a project that helps the planet and people. 

 

What We’re Looking For 

Crew members will develop skills that will make them good candidates for entry-level seasonal positions with land management agencies like the US Forest Service and the National Park Service.  Work will involve physical exertion and be performed outdoors in varying weather conditions. SCA is looking for members open to new experiences, willingness to perform hard physical labor, and enthusiasm for sharing space with others.  Experienced candidates will have a foundation in outdoor living (hiking, camping and backpacking) and experience working outside, but these are not requirements. Eagerness to learn in challenging conditions, actively contributing to a community, and adaptability in dynamic work environments are equally important qualities. 

 

Conservation work is unpredictable. Crews will have to navigate inclement weather, from waking up in single digit temperatures, to extreme sun exposure. It is possible to experience thunderstorms, extreme winds, and smoke within the same workday. The most successful teams are those who can adapt as challenges arise and continue to work effectively with their team. 

 

Success hinges on understanding and addressing both personal and group needs. Participants must be fully invested in taking care of themselves and supporting their crew. 

 

Western Trail Corps is a substance-free program. Consumption of alcohol is never permitted when on duty. This begins at the start of pre-hitch and ends once all post-hitch activities are completed. Marijuana and illegal substances are never permitted. Participants will adhere to this policy, along with other expectations set by SCA. 

 

Key Duties and Responsibilities: 

  

• Completion of conservation project and community tasks as assigned;