Advanced Trail Crew Lead - Inyo National Forest

Overview

Summary

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with Inyo National Forest, is seeking ONE Advanced Trail Crew Lead Member to work alongside Forest Service Staff.

For more information about ACE, please visit our website.

Start Date: April 20, 2026

End Date: October 2, 2026

* a 24-week minimum commitment is required *

Location Details/

Description:

Mammoth Lakes, CA Inyo National Forest

The Inyo National Forest is a large, complex forest, encompassing about two million acres in California and Nevada. It contains several natural features of national and international interest. There are nine wilderness areas and six research natural areas, as well as the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area, the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, and Mt. Whitney – the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States.

Diverse geologic features, combined with the elevational extremes and attendant wide range of climatic conditions, results in tremendous floristic diversity on the Forest, with vegetation communities ranging from desert scrub, sagebrush scrub, and pinyon woodland, to Jeffrey pine, lodgepole pine, and alpine habitats. Mammoth Lakes and Bishop are both premier locations for outdoor recreation in California. These opportunities include backpacking, fishing, hunting, hang gliding, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, cycling, mountain biking, photography, rock climbing, trail running, off-highway vehicle exploration, and horseback riding.

For more information about the Inyo National Forest, please visit the USDA Forest Service website.

• Lead a crew to construct and maintain both front and backcountry trails.
• Identify and flag individual work tasks within the project area.
• Assist and mentor crew members with basic trail tasks and skills.
• Build or repair trail structures requiring dry masonry rockwork techniques, such as rock retaining walls, rip-rap steps, barriers, causeways, water bars, check dams, and others.
• Oversee maintenance of saws, equipment and gear.
• Technology such as tablets and GPS systems will be utilized to collect and communicate field data such as work prescriptions and work accomplishments.
• Required to camp in the backcountry with the crew for multiple nights to accomplish work assignments.

This individual placement is meant to facilitate professional development and promotes exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This could include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.

Schedule: 80 hours bi-weekly, typically 9 hour days. May work nine days in a row with 5 days off or 5 days with two days off followed by four days with three days off.

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~80 hours/biweekly and will receive a living allowance of $1,000/week plus per diem to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

Housing: ACE members will have access to up to $100/week to be used for eligible housing expenses. Space in government barracks may be available.

Provided Training/Orientation: ACE members will receive position specific training and an orientation outlining ACE policies and procedures, clear guidance on prohibited activities, and networks for support.

Required:

• Members must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident, as required by U.S. government contracts
• Willing and able to represent ACE and the partner organization in a professional, positive, and enthusiastic manner.
• Ability to be both self-directed/work alone, and be a positive, contributing member of a group.
• A valid driver's license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request). Members must be 21+ to drive due to ACE's insurance and liability requirements.
• Willing to undergo and must pass the required criminal history check.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• ACE Members will need to complete bi-weekly timesheets, beginning of term feedback forms, end of term evaluations and for longer terms, a mid-term evaluation.
• Member may not participate…