In this week’s Voluntourism Spotlight, we look at the American Hiking Society’s work to maintain U.S. hiking trails and this summer’s voluntourism trip in Washington. Check back every Wednesday for our more voluntourism opportunities and tune into Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio to hear more information.

Are you an avid hiker? Do you always find yourself hunting for your next challenging adventure? Do you dream about jagged peaks, cascading waterfalls and wild bears? If you answered yes to any of these questions, the American Hiking Society has 9 days of hiking and conservation planned this summer.

Join the group at North Cascades National Park Complex in Washington where you’ll hike 5 miles to Boulder Creek Trail and brush/realign a 25-mile loop trail that crosses a 6,000-foot pass near Mt. Reynolds.

The American Hiking Society, which includes more than 240 local clubs and has a membership of more than 500,000 hikers, is dedicated to conserving and promoting hiking trails across America.

Note that volunteers will sleep in primitive tent sites and the experience requires backpacking to the base camp so some wilderness experience is helpful but not required.

Membership for the American Hiking Society is $30 a year, which includes a yearly subscription to Backpacker magazine and the opportunity to purchase insurance for emergency assistance while hiking, among other benefits. The registration fee for the North Cascades Voluntourism trip is $245 and includes food for the duration of the week and any permits needed to enter the parks they’re working with as well the host leader.

To register, visit the American Hiking Society’s website.

By Tatiana Rodriguez for PeterGreenberg.com

Feature image credit via Flickr Creative Commons, user Daniel Hershman