Donate and volunteer
Give your time or give a gift
Two ways to back your public lands: roll up your sleeves, or chip in. Both go straight to the Junior Rangers, trail crews, cultural programs, and conservation work that happen because of BHPFA.
Your support helps assure our partners there will be no gaps in education funding.Patty Ressler, Executive Director
Volunteering puts you shoulder to shoulder with rangers and educators. A donation funds the projects a federal budget will not. Start with whichever fits your week, and know that both land in the same place: education and conservation at seven public lands.
Give your time
Ways to volunteer
Our partner sites always need hands. Tell us your skills and your schedule and we will find a fit. Questions? Email our volunteer team at [email protected].
Tell us how you would like to help
Share your interests, skills and availability. Our volunteer team will review your application and follow up.
Fill out the volunteer applicationEvents
Program and event support
Welcome people at the sign-in table, take registrations, help with waivers, and support our instructors and crowd management on guided hikes. The easiest way in, and often a single day.
Apply to helpBlack Hills National Forest
Pactola Visitor Center host
Staff the information desk at the Pactola Visitor Center as a Forest Service volunteer, answering questions and orienting visitors to the surrounding public lands.
Learn moreSeason-long, RV site provided
Recreation and campground maintenance
The Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands and the Black Hills National Forest need recreation help in the Fall River and Hell Canyon Ranger Districts, May through September. Selected volunteers get a full-service RV site for the season.
Learn moreWind Cave National Park
Trail ambassador
Walk select trails at Wind Cave, note trail conditions, and help visitors travel responsibly. About 8 hours a month, June through September, with park training in May. A front-desk greeter role at the visitor center is open too.
Apply to helpAdult naturalist training
SD Volunteer Naturalist Program
BHPFA helps run this adult conservation and education program, combining indoor sessions with hands-on field days. The 2026 cohort is open and begins March 3, 2026.
Learn morePartner org
Wilderness Volunteers
Affordable, meaningful service trips on America’s wild lands since 1997, including a pollinator-garden rebuild with our partner, the Nebraska National Forest.
Learn moreLead or steerWe are always looking for people to serve on our board of directors or the education and finance committees. Contact Patty Ressler at [email protected].
Give a gift
Make a donation
A gift to BHPFA funds education, conservation, and visitor services our partners cannot cover otherwise. A $25 gift prints Junior Ranger books, $100 covers field-trip supplies for a Black Hills classroom, and larger gifts fund exhibits and conservation work. BHPFA is a 501(c)(3), so every gift is tax-deductible.
Prefer a check?Make it out to Black Hills Parks and Forests Association and mail to 26611 US Hwy 385, Hot Springs, SD 57747.
Good to know
Common questions
How do I sign up to volunteer?
Pick an opportunity above, then fill out the volunteer application. We will match you to your skills and schedule, and some roles include a short training. Questions? Email our volunteer team at [email protected].
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes. Black Hills Parks and Forests Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 46-6017180. One-time and recurring gifts are tax-deductible, and your receipt arrives by email.
Where does my gift go?
Unrestricted gifts go where the need is greatest: education programs, trail and habitat work, cultural programming, and visitor services across the seven partner sites.
Can I volunteer for one event, or does it have to be ongoing?
Both work. Some roles, like program and event support, are a single day. Others, like the Wind Cave trail ambassador, ask for a few hours a month across a season. Tell us what you can give.
Prefer steady support?
Become a member
A membership turns a one-time gift into year-round support, and gets you 15% off in every park store while you are at it.