By supporting Yosemite’s longstanding partnership with the California Conservation Corps (CCC), Conservancy donors have given hundreds of young people the opportunity to learn and work on the park’s renowned trail system.

Through on-the-job training with park professionals, CCC crew members, who range in age from 18 to 25 years, hone trail restoration techniques that protect natural resources and create safe access to wilderness. For CCC participants, learning continues off the trail, too, through courses on subjects such as park history, geology and local wildlife.

In 2018, this CCC crew improved trails in the Merced River Watershed, from Yosemite Valley to remote backcountry areas, by repairing damaged sections, building rock walls and drainage features, and more. During the season, the 12 corpsmembers worked on more than 63 miles of trails, repaired bridges near Sentinel Dome and on the Valley Loop Trail, and learned about wilderness ethics, ecology and history.

Your gift provided opportunities for young adults to gain experience in an iconic wilderness setting while completing important restoration work on Yosemite’s trails.

Completed in partnership with Yosemite National Park and California Conservation Corps.

Dave Kari

Trails Supervisor, Yosemite National Park

Project Notes

The time spent maintaining and building trails in the Yosemite backcountry fosters a sense of stewardship and provides knowledge and skills for these youth to succeed in the future.