Register with Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation starting March 11.

It is free to volunteer! However, a $75 refundable deposit is required to hold your spot and ensure your commitment to participate. This fee can be refunded after completion of the project. If you cannot afford the deposit, please reach out to our office about a waiver.

Please register for a trip only if you’re committed to participating. That said, we understand that things come up and plans sometimes need to change. If that happens to you, please let us know as soon as possible so we can offer your spot to someone else. Keep in mind, the trip deposit is non-refundable for cancellations made less than 45 days prior to the start of the trip. The trip deposit will be credited as a donation to Glacier-Two Medicine Alliance and used to help cover project expenses. For cancellations made more than 45 days prior to the start of the trip, we will happily refund your deposit if requested.

If the project is full, please contact our office and request to be added to the waitlist. If a space opens up, we will contact everyone on the waitlist and the first to respond will be added to the trip.

When registering, volunteers sign a volunteer agreement with the US Forest Service, which means you are legally volunteering with the US Forest Service. Per the agreement, volunteers are expected to work about 8 hours each day during the trip (including trail travel time). The exact tasks vary by project, but may include sawing logs, lopping brush, digging drains, building punchouts, or moving rocks.  In addition to the trail maintenance, volunteers are asked to pitch in with camp chores such as cooking and cleaning.

No backcountry or prior trail maintenance experience is required to participate! We love teaching and a volunteer trail project can be a great way to gain more confidence in backcountry travel as well as learn some new skills. Trip leaders will teach you all you need to know to successfully perform the trail work and other tasks required. All you need is a good attitude and an eagerness to learn!

It is extremely important for your safety, the safety of the group, and the quality of the experience for everyone involved that you choose to volunteer only on a project that suits your physical ability. While you don’t need to be an athlete to participate, it’s important that you show up for the project in appropriate shape and ready to perform the work. The difficulty of the project varies annually. At a minimum, all volunteer trips involve an extended hike into and out of a basecamp carrying all your personal gear plus 8 hours a day of trail maintenance work, including hiking time to and from the work site. A summary of the demands and an estimation of overall physical difficulty is provided with the project listing. 

Please be honest with yourself in assessing your physical ability and whether a project is right for you. If you have any questions whether a project is the right fit for you, we’d be happy to talk it over with you prior to registration. 

Everyone’s safety is the top priority. Crew leaders from the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation are trained by the US Forest Service in trail maintenance skills. Crew leaders are also certified Wilderness First Responders or higher, carry a well-stocked first aid kit and communications equipment, and follow Leave No Trace principles. They are in regular contact with the Forest Service regarding weather, possible wildfires, and other hazards. Volunteers (that’s you!) receive major safety training from trip leaders on backcountry travel and on the equipment used for the project. Personal protective equipment is required. Volunteers must sign the US Forest Service’s Job Hazard Analysis with registration and are covered under the agency’s workers compensation program through a master volunteer agreement between the US Forest Service and the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation.

The Badger-Two Medicine has a healthy population of both black and grizzly bears. Trip leaders will teach and follow best practices for bear aware backcountry travel and food storage. Leaders carry bear spray and we encourage all participants to bring and know how to use bear spray as well (we provide a bear awareness briefing and will happily train you on use of bear spray if you’re unfamiliar with its use). Firearms are strictly prohibited per the Forest Service volunteer agreement and GTMA policy.

All group gear, including kitchen, tools, and safety equipment is provided. You will need to provide your own personal gear, including backpack, clothes, tent, and sleeping bag. Pack judiciously as you are required to carry their own personal gear into the backcountry. The Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation’s packers and their mules pack in the food, kitchen equipment, tools, and other group gear. If there is room on the mules, the packers may offer to carry some of your personal gear, such as tents or sleeping bags.

View the Required Packing List here.

If you need to borrow personal gear, the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation has a growing gear library that may serve your needs. Inquire directly with the Foundation at trails@bmwf.org.

All food, except the first day’s lunch, is provided. You’ll enjoy three hearty, delicious backcountry meals as well as ample snacks. If you provide your dietary needs with registration, trip planners will tailor the menu to meet the nutritional and dietary needs of you and the group. If you have a very restrictive diet or allergies, we may have to ask you to bring some of your own food. Contact our office if you have any questions or concerns.

Adults 21 years of age and older may consume a small amount of alcohol after work hours so long as consumption is done in a responsible manner and does not interfere with other volunteers' experience or anyone’s ability to work the following day. 

Marijuana is not allowed on GTMA-organized trips as its use and possession is illegal on federal lands, including in the Badger-Two Medicine. All other illegal drugs are likewise strictly prohibited.

Dogs are not allowed on GTMA service projects or other organized outings in order to limit potential conflicts with stock, other people, and wildlife. Thank you for your understanding. If you have a service animal and need special accommodation, please contact our office to discuss.