Amazing time-lapse photography of our National Parks

Our friends at The Wilderness Society shared a wonderful post featuring some gorgeous time-lapse photography of our National Parks. Below are a few of our favorites, where we also happen to have projects in 2015!

Yosemite National Park - June 7-13, 2015
There may still be time to throw your pack in the car and join WV in giving back on a backpack adventure in this outstanding National Park. This time-lapse is jaw-droppingly beautiful, but that's not surprising in Yosemite.

via Project Yosemite

Joshua Tree National Park - October 11-18, 2015
This Southern California National Park receives more than 1 million visitors, and there's really no question as to why. Our project there is currently full, but you're welcome to add your name to the waitlist in case of a cancellation, which does happen. And you can join us next year as well!

via Gavin Heffernan

Acadia National Park - September 20-26, 2015
Spots remain on our continuing service project in one of the most picturesque, wild places in the northeast. You'll get a good overview of the Park while giving something back.


Acadia National Park from John Fouse on Vimeo.

Zion National Park
Our continuing service project in Zion is currently full for 2015, but you can always visit this gorgeous National Park on your way to other WV service projects on the Colorado Plateau like the San Rafael Swell project or Grand Gulch-Cedar Mesa project that both still have spaces available.

via Matt Bowen

Denali National Park - July 12-18, 2015
WV returns to help maintain the Savage River Trail, a trail we helped build! This project is full for 2015, but stay tuned, as we plan to return in 2016.

via lanesapples

Olympic National Park - October 18-24, 2015
Our continuing project on the Elwha is helping naturalize the area after the dams were removed, in many cases planting saplings from seed previous WV groups helped collect.  Currently this project is full, but you're always welcome on the waitlist in case a cancellation or two occurs.

via Glenn Wadsworth

Big Bend National Park - November 1-7, 2015

Another continuing project, WV will once again return to the jewel on the Rio Grande to give something back with the National Park Service. While this project is full, WV is offering another spectacular trip in Saguaro National Park that has spaces available. 

via Sundance Kid

See the whole TWS blog post for more videos.

Last Opportunities to Give Back with WV in 2013

Last week, we crossed the halfway mark for our 16th season of giving something back through weeklong service projects.  While there's still a large amount of work to be done, there aren't many spots available in the latter half of our season.  However, spaces are still available for these three neat places:

Mt. Rainier National Park, Sept. 8 - 14

Often referred to simply as "the mountain" by locals, Mt. Rainier is the most prominent topographical mountain in the contiguous United States. At 14,411' the massive stratovolcano can be seen from as far away as Portland, OR and Victoria, BC. Just under 60 miles from Seattle, the mountain and surrounding area offer tons of wilderness land to explore. Our service project in this very popular National Park is lending much needed restoration support to the Park Service. We will assist the restoration crew by transplanting native plant seedlings in subalpine meadows near the toe of Emmons Glacier. We will be car and tent camping down the road at White River Campground for the week, a developed site with amenities that is often noted for having breathtaking scenery. This is an active service trip appropriate for newcomers to backcountry volunteering and does not involve backpacking. Join us on the mountain in September.

San Gabriel Mountains Proposed Wilderness, Sept. 29 - Oct. 5

The San Gabriel Mountains are more than a scenic backdrop for the bustling city life of LA and the inland empire. These mountains support an interesting array of wildlife, many native species of plants benefiting from the range of microclimate and elevation variation, and also provide a much needed watershed for Southern California. Our service project in this proposed wilderness  is the removal of invasive Spanish Broom, which thrived following 2009's wildfires. We'll work with the Angeles National Forest's biology team to eradicate these invasives and also collect native seed for replanting.  Join us on the first WV project in the San Gabriels.

Big Bend National Park, Oct. 20-26

Big Bend National Park is unique as the largest protected area of Chihuahuan desert in the United States with more than 120,000 species of plants within its boundary. Lying on the Mexico border, the area offers an exceptional range of biodiversity with elevations ranging from 1,800' to more than 7,800'. The area offers much in the way of human history with archaeologists uncovering items dating back more than 9,000 years! Our service project will focus on trail maintenance and erosion controls on several key passages throughout the Park.  We'll stay in an established Park Service campground in the center of the Park, offering a great base to explore.  Learn more and join us on the last WV project of 2013, in Big Bend.

Great Places to Give Something Back

Our 16th season of giving something back is now underway and there are still available spots on service projects in some seriously great wild places:


Alta Toquima Wilderness, June 23-29

This amazing central Nevada wilderness area lies in the middle of the Toquima Mountain range as part of the Humboldt-Toyaibe National Forest (largest NF in the lower 48). Offering excellent hiking and majestic sweeping views, the area offers amazing Great Basin recreation. Our service project will be general trail maintenance in lush Pine Creek Canyon and camping in an established campsite.  Learn more and join WV at Alta Toquima.

Mallard-Larkins Pioneer Area, July 21-27

While the Mallard-Larkins Pioneer Area lacks formal wilderness designation, it does NOT lack for wild beauty.  The area's 30,00 acres are part of a larger section of 260,000 roadless acres in north central Idaho that features rugged landscape, many fantastic lakes and impressive biodiversity. The service project will focus on general trail maintenance from an established campsite that offers striking panoramic views. Join us in Mallard-Larkins.

Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Aug. 4-10 

Central Idaho's Sawtooth National Recreation Area and surrounding White Cloud Mountains have a breadth of terrific recreational opportunities, including top-notch hiking, biking and fishing. You'll fall in love with the area's natural beauty and the wide-range of flora and fauna that the area supports. Our service project is a backpacking trip in lush and narrow Little Casino Creek Canyon, where we'll be doing trail maintenance to keep this trail open and passable. Learn more about the WV project in the Sawtooth NRA

Weminuche Wilderness-Continental Divide Trail, Aug. 4-10 

Backpacking in the Southwestern Colorado Rockies is a thrilling experience and the WV service project in the Weminuche Wilderness is no exception. With several peaks topping 14,000', this rugged wilderness lies across the San Juan National Forest on the west of the divide and the Rio Grande National Forest on the east. The WV trip will work on the CDT from a basecamp of 11,500 containing erosion on one of the continent's great trails. Learn more and join us in the majestic Weminuche Wilderness.


Jedediah Smith Wilderness, Aug. 25-31

Travelers comes from around the world to reach the storied and sometimes crowded parks of Yellowstone and Grand Tetons and experience the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. On the west side of the Teton range, stretching across the Wyoming and Idaho border lies the lush forests and gradual rise of the Jedediah Smith Wilderness, offering outstanding biodiversity without the crowds. We'll backpack in several miles and work on the Hominy Peak trail, rerouting and building erosion controls to keep it accessible. Join us in the spectacular Jedidiah Smith Wilderness.

Saguaro National Park, Sept 29 - Oct. 5 

While many deserts are lively ecosystems, few can match the wide range of flora and fauna of southern Arizona's Saguaro National Park.  Boasting more than 900 species of plants, over 200 species of birds and countless other biological fascinations, this globally unique ecosystem is an area not to be missed.  Our project is in the Rincon Mountain Wilderness, that rise high above the Sonoran desert and offer changing temperatures. We'll camp by our vehicles at the base of the mountains and hike up the Rincons working on trail maintenance of the Miller Creek trail. Learn more and join us in Saguaro National Park.

San Gabriel Mountains Proposed Wilderness, Sept. 29 - Oct. 5

The San Gabriel Mountains are more than a scenic backdrop for the bustling city life of LA and the inland empire. These mountains support an interesting array of wildlife, many native species of plants benefiting from the range of microclimate and elevation variation, and also provide a much needed watershed for Southern California. Our service project in this proposed wilderness  is the removal of invasive Spanish Broom, which thrived following 2009's wildfires. We'll work with the Angeles National Forest's biology team to eradicate these invasives and also collect native seed for replanting.  Join us on the first WV project in the San Gabriels.

Big Bend National Park, Oct. 20-26

Big Bend National Park is unique as the largest protected area of Chihuahuan desert in the United States with more than 120,000 species of plants within its boundary. Lying on the Mexico border, the area offers an exceptional range of biodiversity with elevations ranging from 1,800' to more than 7,800'. The area offers much in the way of human history with archaeologists uncovering items dating back more than 9,000 years! Our service project will focus on trail maintenance and erosion controls on several key passages throughout the Park.  We'll stay in an established Park Service campground in the center of the Park, offering a great base to explore.  Learn more and join us on the last WV project of 2013, in Big Bend.

All 2013 Wilderness Volunteers Service Projects can be found on our website.