Opportunities From: Tennessee State Parks

Join us on the First Saturdays of the Month for volunteer opportunities throughout the park. 

Opportunities include:

Projects will vary depending on need and number of volunteers. 

We will cancel for inclement weather. However, we will work in light rain/snow and temperatures above freezing. Please dress appropriately and bring water! We have gloves but you can also bring your own!

Join us on the First Saturdays of the Month for volunteer opportunities throughout the park. 

Opportunities include:

Projects will vary depending on need and number of volunteers. 

We will cancel for inclement weather. However, we will work in light rain/snow and temperatures above freezing. 

Please dress appropriately and bring water! We have gloves but you can also bring your own. 

Join Master Trailbuilders every third Thursday and Saturday for the ongoing quest to fully flush out the trail system at Head of the Crow State Park.  Our current objective is rerouting a treacherous section of the Buggytop Trail to increase its accessibility to our visitors.  From newbies to pros all volunteers are welcome and we will supply all tools, gloves, and eye protection. All you need to bring are snacks, water, closed-toed shoes, and a happy attitude!  Volunteers should expect to hike 3 miles over difficult uneven terrain, work with various hand tools, and leave with a warm sense of fulfillment after a good day's work.  

Help us remove Autumn Olive in Campground B! Autumn Olive is an invasive species that overgrows and competes with native plants that are beneficial for our local wildlife. 

Meet Ranger Kelsey at Bathhouse 3 at 9:00am. We will be cutting down Autumn Olive and treating the stumps.

This event will be cancelled in the event of rain. 

Join us once a month to help out in various ways around the park. Each month we will be having a different opportunity so be sure to check back for updates. All volunteer days will meet at the Multi Sport Facility unless stated otherwise. Please be sure to wear the proper clothing for the project of the month and always bring water.

January 19th - Invasive plant removal. Meet at the Wilhoite Mill Trailhead to tackle some invasive plants.

Join park staff in the battle against invasive plant species at Seven Islands State Birding Park. We'll be cutting and removing invasive plant species, including privet, honeysuckle, wintercreeper, and multiflora rose. Some cutting tools and work gloves will be available for volunteers to use, but volunteers are encouraged to bring their own cutting tools if they have some, such as pruning shears, loppers, and hand saws. Volunteers should bring bottled water to drink while working. 

Volunteers should plan on meeting Ranger Stephanie in the main parking lot off of Kelly Lane at 9:00am and receive instructions on where the group will be working. If you have any questions regarding this volunteer day please contact Ranger Stephanie at stephanie.mueller@tn.gov or call/text 865-333-8270.

Are you interested in recreating with purpose? Do you seek adventure and new experiences? If so, working with the Rock Island team to explore and understand Rock Island State Park may be the perfect avenue for giving back & learning new skills!

We are interested in your passion, hobby, educational aspirations, or outdoor pursuits. What do you love about TN State Parks? Are you a lover of geology, botany, birds, salamanders, trails, fishing, hiking, or maybe you long to just be in wild places. Whatever motivates you, we need your drive to help us monitor the health of the species, assemblages, and processes that exist within Rock Island State Park.

Specifically, we hope to employ volunteers to conduct bird surveys during their time in the park and visit designated survey locations in the park. We need volunteers to help conduct floristic surveys using scientific sampling techniques. Gaining a more complete picture of the plants that live in the park and their response to management efforts is critical! We will show you the skills to map, identify, and monitor the spread of invasive plant species and will guide you through how your activities can benefit the long-term stewardship of your wild places.

Discover scientific exploration at your doorstep while having fun and helping to protect wild places for the future!

Are you passionate about trails? Do you daydream about your next hike? Do you want to give back to the day hiking and thru-hiking community?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then we would love to have you join us in the design, creation, and maintenance of the trail systems at Rock Island State Park! Join our passionate staff in creating a legacy of hiking access!

This volunteer position will help us meet ongoing needs for trail work park wide. The Trailblazer brings their experiences and perspectives to design and care of trails. The Trailblazer leads the way for other volunteers, is someone who has a steward's heart, and is a lover of wild places. Do you have hiking friends who would like to help? Are you already organizing excursions for your hiking squad? Help us clear trails of obstacles, establish tread-paths, map future routes, and blaze the trail for others to follow. 

Does this sound like you?

Want to know more and talk to a Ranger? Click Respond and leave a message with your contact information. Thank you for your volunteerism!

Reducing the incidence of invasive plants in wild places allows time and space for the flourishing of a diverse biotic community. The exclusion of rare, endemic, or specialist species in an ecologically globalized world is common.

However, uncommon and extremely valuable are the ecological stewards who can help alleviate this pressure and provide time for ecological adaptation. Do you live in a "world of wounds" so eloquently described by the father of Conservation Biology, Aldo Leopold? Do you want to help keep all the parts on the landscape and be the intelligent tinkerer, the steward, that wild places demand of us?

Join the Rock Island State Park team in the establishment of our first ever ongoing volunteer based Invasive Species Strike Team. Your actions will have a direct impact on the success of endemic, rare, and threatened species in the park. Your volunteerism matters! Your actions can have an impact for generations!

The strike team will use hand tools, mechanical tools, and herbicide to target and remove the identified invasive plants in Rock Island State Park. Previous experience is not required; training and guidance will be given. 

The strike team is designed with you in mind and built around the team's interest and schedule. Learn practical skills for wildlife habitat improvement, learn plant identification, apply ecological principles in real time with satisfying feedback. The strike team can be a group you are already a part of. Are you a wildlife student with a group of classmates looking for a curriculum vitae boost? Do you have a group of friends who love wild places and want to give back?

If this sounds like you and you want to learn more, click respond and leave a message with your contact information. Thanks for your volunteerism!

Are you a student looking to complete Tennessee Promise Volunteer Hours? If so stop by the Big Ridge Park Office to learn how you can serve your community at Big Ridge State Park! 

Join T. O. Fuller Park staff prepping trees on Thursday, March 19, 2026 for distribution on Friday, March 20, 2026, 9 am-5 pm and Saturday, March 21, 2026, 9 am-noon.

When signing up to volunteer, please put date and time available to volunteer in notes. Volunteers may work multiple shifts. Water will be provided.

Thursday, March 19, 2026 11am-3pm—Two volunteers needed to prep trees (wrap roots in paper, put identifier tags on trees, and group for pick up)

Friday, March 20, 2026 Shift One: 9am-1pm—Three volunteers needed to give out trees Shift Two: 1-5pm—Three volunteers needed to give out trees

Saturday, March 21, 2026 8:30am-12:30pm—Two volunteers needed to give out trees

Fishing line recycling containers have been installed at each boat dock. The monofilament is collected from recycling bins and cleaned of hooks, leaders, weights, and trash. It is then shipped to the Berkley Pure Fishing company in Iowa. Berkley melts the line down into raw plastic pellets that can be made into other plastic products including tackle boxes, spools for line, fish habitats, and toys. Meet at the back porch of the Visitor Center to receive collection instructions. You will walk or drive to collect the line from the recycling containers and bring it back to the Visitor Center to process the contents as we work to preserve our shoreline, protect wildlife and prevent damage to boat propellers.

Sabine Hill Social Society is a group of dedicated individuals who focus on helping Sycamore Shoals with educational events and social activities, early 19th century period clothing assistance, and helping with representing the Federalist period of time in America. 

Chickasaw State Park invites volunteers to take part in an ongoing conservation effort to remove invasive plant species from our pollinator fields. These fields are essential habitat for native bees, butterflies, and other pollinators that help maintain the health and diversity of our local ecosystems.

This is a flexible, open volunteer opportunity available throughout the season. Individuals, families, school groups, scout troops, and service organizations are all welcome. No prior experience is necessary - park staff will provide tools, gloves, and guidance.

Do you need volunteer hours or just want to support park trails?

Activities can include :

Picking up litter, leaf blowing, invasive plant removal, trail upkeep, and light maintenance tasks!

Stop by the office or email Ranger Marhya at Marhya.Faulk@tn.gov to set up a shift!

Indian Mountain State Park is known by its visitors as a beautifully maintained park. It takes a lot to keep the park pristine for present visitors, much less improve it for future ones. Volunteer assistance is always appreciated here at Indian Mountain, so we offer a variety of opportunities year-round. Volunteers are always welcome and can help with general maintenance, picking up trash, invasive plant removal, gardening, and so much more! If you have something you would like to do at the park with specifically, let us know and we will see if we can make it happen! Whether you are assisting for one hour or eight, your contributions would make a difference here at Indian Mountain!

Please contact the Ranger on duty at 423-566-5861 in advance during business hours to coordinate scheduling.

Need some volunteer hours? Just want to be a great steward? We appreciate your help no matter what!

Our State Parks are beautiful and unique places that should be enjoyed by everyone. Unfortunately, trash and litter always seems to make its way into the parks as well and sometimes there just is not enough time in a day to clean it all up. We need your help to keep the park beautiful and in return, you will earn volunteer service hours and a feeling of accomplishment.

This is an ongoing opportunity for community members and those who need volunteer hours to assist with clean-up duties throughout the park in areas with high levels of debris and/or litter. Trash bags and gloves will be provided to you by the park. Sturdy, closed toes shoes are required for this opportunity. All minors must be accompanied by an adult. 

Please contact the site supervisor to schedule your visit. Each participant must sign a liability waiver before volunteering to receive credit. 

This is Ground Zero for Grounds Heroes! A pre-cursor to our Adopt-a-Trail program, this is an opportunity to get some trail clearing experience while helping out your friendly neighborhood TN State Park!

Our Discovery Loop is 4.5 miles of beautiful woodlands and wetlands, broken up into 6, color-coded sections that make planning trail maintenance much simpler. Our 2-mile Initiation Loop, created for us by the Trail Trippers, is a more difficult-to-hike trail that even has some reforestation opportunities.

Come out and help T.O. Fuller Rangers and Maintenance clear our trails of fallen limbs and trees, cut back encroaching foliage, and pick up any litter that may have accrued. We will usually target 2 sections of the Discovery Loop or half of the Initiation Loop in a given day. We will provide water, but please bring a refillable water bottle.

(p.s. Our next dates are September 14th and September 15th.)

Any and all things Disc Golf related.

General course maintenance, cleanup, assistance with projects, and support.

The Duck River Disc Golf Club has on-going tasks available to support the park and the creation of a new course behind the park cabins. Please use the email attached for further information. 

We have a multitude of container and traditional gardens leading up to and surrounding the Miller Farmstead. Over time, we'd like to convert each of these plots into arrangements of native and traditionally-relevant perennial plants that will provide eco-services to local wildlife and be beautiful to look at for our visitors. 

We are currently recruiting regular service volunteers to adopt small garden plots to maintain on a regular basis. Maintenance can be as little as tackling weeds in an existing plot for half an hour twice a month during the growing season, or as much as designing appropriate plantings and working with staff to renew a bed from start to finish.

This is an opportunity where experienced gardeners can work relatively independently, but we are happy to provide training and direction to inexperienced gardeners where needed. Bring your own tools and gloves, or use ours. 

If you'd like a smaller project to manage that will make a big difference and be seen and enjoyed by millions of visitors, we welcome your help. 

Volunteer activities throughout the year such as Christmas lights, Easter egg Hunt, Fishing Rodeo, Frontier Days, Jr. Ranger, etc.  

This event will be held on the first sunday of every month, with the goal of keeping Rocky Fork's trails and creeks free of litter.  Meet Park Ranger Cory Franklin in the campfire interpretive area, from there we will either go along the road or up Rocky Fork trail in search of litter.

Rocky Fork has the cleanest water of any tributary in the Nolichucky River Watershed. With 2,000 acres of park land surrounded by 8,000 acres of National Forest.  We aim to keep Rocky Fork prestine and would love to have your help!

Gloves and trash bags will be provided but feel free to bring your own supplies.  

All ages welcome! 

Interested in history or have experience with historic preservation? Are you needing volunteer hours to receive or maintain a related certification? Roan Mountain State Park is in the process of researching and cataloging holdings into our newly established park archives. We are looking for volunteers to assist with preservation and archival activites.

Shifts are flexible and will be scheduled as volunteers and park staff are available. Activities will include coordinating as a team to carefully move objects (which may be both heavy and delicate), bending, reaching overhead, climbing a step ladder, and more. 

For more information, please respond to this opportunity. Ranger staff will contact you to discuss what you are interested in contributing and to coordinate further. 

This is for individuals to keep track of hours they volunteer on the MTB trail project for days other than organized trail workdays. Individuals who use this registration have obtained approval by Ranger staff

* Volunteers are required to make contact with Ranger Staff prior to working on the trial. If individuals work without contacting Ranger staff, they will be asked to leave. 

Please Contact Ranger Jesse Jewell for further information @ (931) 494-6660 or jesse.jewell@tn.gov

Completing any task such as clean up, new nets, or area management of the course

Friends group varies volunteer work 

Work hours completed on horse trails 

The Miller Farmstead was built in 1908 and is preserved as a reminder of the communities that populated these mountains in the early 20th century. The farmstead is open for daily tours from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day and weekends through October. Because of staffing limitations, we rely on volunteer service to support our farmstead programs.

We are seeking living history enthusiasts to demonstrate historic crafts, farm work & trade skills at the farmstead. If you have an interest in historical research, costuming, and skills, we'd love to help you develop a living history program to deliver at the Miller Farmstead this summer.

All living history programs at the farmstead are subject to site manager review and should be centered on early 20th century subsistence farming and regional history. 

Are you a farm kid at heart? Want to get your hands dirty for a good cause? Many hands make light work and we need more hands!

The Miller Farmstead is on the National Register of Historic Places because it represents the history of Appalachian subsistence farming. The farm features an early 20th century farmhouse and outbuildings, a (retired) horse, chickens, native and ornamental gardens, orchard, and composting operations. 

We need general assistance with a variety of projects, including:

If you'd like to help with routine maintenance at the farmstead, we'd love to have your help and we will work with you to schedule service hours at your convenience. If you have a specific relevant skill (fencing, landscape design, historic home maintenance) you'd like to offer, please let us know. 

Description/Purpose: We are looking for an enthusiastic individual who is an avid and experienced gardener to help us maintain our historical kitchen and herb garden here at Cordell Hull Birthplace during the summer of 2023! As a volunteer gardener, you will assist in maintaining the historical outdoor kitchen and herb gardens so we can inspire and delight visitors with quality plants and teach them the history of the site through these gardens.

Responsibilities: Work with park rangers and other seasonal staff to maintain our historical kitchen and herb gardens adjacent to the Hull Birthplace Cabin.

Required Skills/Tasks: Watering, weeding, tilling, able-bodied, and willing to teach and learn, willing to take guidance, enjoy being outdoors, advanced gardening knowledge is preferred.

Time Commitment and Schedule Details: We are open seven days a week from 9AM until 5PM, we are flexible on the days you are able to come and the hours you are willing to volunteer. This volunteer opportunity will be ongoing from mid-May until the end of September.

Additional Information: Being flexible and able to work in various gardens. Water, gloves and tools will be provided by the park, but feel free to bring your own if you'd like! Be sure to wear appropriate/comfortable clothing and call the park office at 931-864-3247 if you are interested or have any questions!

We can always use an extra set of hands around Harrison Bay State Park! If you need volunteer hours for scholarships, graduation, fraternity/sorority obligations, etc. please let us know! Reach out to John.Radford@tn.gov, Matthew.Vawter@tn.gov or Candace.Edwards.Daniels@tn.gov for more information.