Do You Love Yosemite? Here’s a Chance to Give Back
Most of us have a favorite Yosemite memory. A first hike with the kids. An afternoon beside the Merced River. A visiting friend’s expression when the Valley comes into view.
Living in the gateway communities means those places are close enough to become part of our lives. This September, Yosemite Facelift offers a chance to spend a day caring for the park that has given us so many reasons to visit.
The annual volunteer event returns Sept. 23–27, bringing people together to clean up Yosemite after its busy summer season. Organized by the Yosemite Climbing Association in partnership with the National Park Service, it welcomes local residents, families, students and visitors. No climbing experience is necessary, and volunteers can participate for a single day or several. Yosemite Climbing Association.
A Little Time Can Make a Difference
It’s easy to notice a discarded wrapper along a trail and wonder why someone left it behind. Facelift gives people a way to do something about it, alongside others who care about the same place.
Volunteers help remove litter from trails, roadsides, campsites and waterways, with additional opportunities involving special projects. Organizers provide cleanup tools.
What began as a grassroots effort by climbers in 2004 has grown into a recurring gathering built around caring for Yosemite. According to the Yosemite Climbing Association, volunteers have removed more than one million pounds of trash over the event’s history. About Facelift.
The National Park Service reports that participants removed 15,290 pounds of debris in 2025 alone. That’s a substantial result from people deciding to spend some of their time helping. National Park Service.
For families, the event offers a practical way to share an appreciation for the outdoors. For friends and neighbors, it could be a different kind of Yosemite outing—one that leaves a favorite place a little better than they found it.
Time to Work, Time to Connect
The gathering continues beyond the day’s cleanup. Organizers plan evening films, guest speakers, educational programs and music, giving volunteers opportunities to meet and spend time together. Facelift event overview.
That community connection feels especially fitting here in the foothills, where Yosemite is part of conversations, family traditions and many people’s working lives.
A day volunteering offers a chance to enjoy the park from another perspective: paying attention to the smaller places along the way and working with people who want to take care of them.
How to Join In
Registration is free. Participants should complete the 2026 Yosemite Facelift registration form, then follow the directions to complete the required National Park Service Volunteer Agreement.
The registration process also includes archaeological-resource guidance. Volunteers are instructed to leave potentially historic objects in place and report them rather than treating them as trash.
The National Park Service asks volunteers to wear long pants and closed-toe shoes, dress for the weather, and bring sun protection, water and snacks. A guardian must sign the volunteer agreement for anyone younger than 18. Volunteer preparation information.
There are also opportunities beyond the park: the Yosemite Climbing Association lists Groveland Facelift on Sept. 12 and Oakhurst Facelift on Oct. 24 on its event calendar.
If you’ve been looking for a reason to head back into Yosemite, this could be a good one. Bring someone who loves it as much as you do, spend a little time helping and make another memory in a place that already holds so many.