Opportunities From: Maryland Park Service

To assist in keeping Assateague State Park safe and beautiful for its visitors, many volunteers contribute to the maintenance of the island and mainland resources. Project needs include native plant landscaping at the park’s various garden plots and pollinator meadows, assistance with grounds-keeping, building maintenance, and dune maintenance.

We also work with local community school groups, scouts, and other volunteers to aid us in keeping our park and the beach clean and beautiful. Although our state parks follow a trash free policy, often our visitors do not. We welcome groups interested in doing a good deed to help our environmental efforts for a beach or marsh clean-up. The park will provide free trash bags to volunteers who should bring along work gloves, sunscreen, bug spray and appropriate clothing and shoes.

If you are interested in volunteering at Assateague State Park, please e-mail assateague.statepark@maryland.gov or call 410-641-2120 for more information.

If you are interested in being a state park volunteer, but are unable to commit to the any of the current opportunities or can't find an opportunity the meets your interests, you can still sign up and register. Doing so will ensure that the Volunteer Coordinator is aware of your interest and will contact you to explore future possibilities. Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Maryland State Parks.

Assateague Island is home to many wild horses, many of which spend their summer months in the island’s developed areas such as the park campground. Horse Management Volunteers help educate the park’s daily visitors and campers on how to practice safe actions while safely viewing the wild horses. They educate visitors on safe food storage practices, how to keep a safe distance, what to do if a horse approaches you, and wild horse behavior. Horse management volunteers are trained by park staff on how to move people and horses away from dangerous situations. Horse management volunteers must be of-age to drive and have a valid driver’s license with less than 6 points on their driving record.

Interested in becoming a horse management volunteer or want more information?
Contact Kara Holland at Kara.Holland@maryland.gov.

Become a Volunteer Ranger and help protect Maryland's natural resources at beautiful Assateague State Park. The Volunteer Ranger Program is for people ages 18 and above who want to assist the park’s full-time staff with operations, programs and public service. Volunteers are trained and provided with uniforms for their jobs once they have completed 40 hours of volunteer service at the state park. A statewide orientation training helps volunteer rangers become familiar with the state park operations. Additional training opportunities, that may include CPR, first aid, search and rescue, and trail stewardship, may be offered on a regional basis.

Interested in becoming a Volunteer Ranger or wanting more information?
Contact Michael Fray at MichaelG.Fray@maryland.gov.

The Camp Host program invites volunteers to experience camping in a whole new way while serving in beautiful Maryland State Parks. A Camp Host volunteer receives free camping in exchange for working to clean and maintain their assigned camping loop, bathhouse, beach and trails daily. Our hosts are an integral part of the park team, acting as a contact point with campers in the campground and while staffing our camper contact station. These dedicated volunteers are often found walking through their camping loops greeting visitors, answering questions, and reminding campers of park policies including safety around the island’s wild horses.

Hosts must provide a minimum of 28 hours of volunteer service per week. Hosting opportunities are offered from May through October for one-month assignments. Host campsites are equipped with 30-amp electric hookups; no water or sewer hookups are available. Additional volunteer opportunities are available to hosts who show interest in helping in other aspects of park operations, such as maintenance, environmental education programs, or special event assistance.

Want to apply? Fill out this Google Form! Assateague State Park Camp Host Program-Camp Host Application.

Have additional questions? Email Michael Fray, Camp Host / Volunteer Program Supervisor, at MichaelG.Fray@maryland.gov.

Assateague State Park offers environmental education programs year-round, with most programming happening from April through September. We offer a wide range of programs to school groups, youth groups, and all park visitors, as well as special events and community outreach programs. Volunteer activities include conducting recreation-based programming, feeding and care of education animals, facilitating scheduled environmental education programs to school and youth groups, and staffing our Nature Center and Nature Nook. Our environmental education volunteers invigorate the programs with excitement, knowledge, and enthusiasm for the outdoors.

In addition to local volunteers, Assateague State Park offers an on-site EE volunteer option. Volunteers who are out-of-state can apply to be an on-site volunteer to receive a campsite for a maximum of 6 weeks while they volunteer. The campsite has a 30-amp electric hookup, no sewer or water hookups available. On-site EE volunteers can apply for one of three different volunteer sessions. The spring session runs from late April through mid-June, summer session 1 runs from mid-June through July 31, and summer session 2 runs from August 1 through the weekend after Labor Day.

Interested in becoming an Environmental Education volunteer? Read more details on the opportunity in this informational packet.

Want to apply? Fill out this Google Form! ASP EE Volunteer Application Form.

Have additional questions? Email Erin Swale, EE Volunteer Supervisor, at ErinR.Swale@maryland.gov.