Trail Ambassador
Fortiuscap, Vail, CO, United States
SUMMARY
The Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance (VVMTA) is seeking a Trail Ambassador to join our team for the summer season. This position provides hands‑on experience in outdoor recreation, environmental education, and community engagement. Trail Ambassadors work together to promote responsible recreation, educate trail users, and support stewardship efforts across Eagle County. This position will require frequent interaction with trail users and the general public, and will be required to convey the ethos and mission of the VVMTA while helping reinforce sustainable recreation in Eagle County and seasonal trail closure education. ABOUT THE VVMTA
The VVMTA’s mission is to connect our community to the outdoors through sustainable recreation. Our vision is a sustainable multi‑use soft surface trail network connecting all communities in Eagle County to the outdoors. We envision a community of stewards striving to conserve our public lands through sustainable recreation opportunities. Through trail access and experiences, the community will improve its mental and physical health, quality of life, and economic vitality. We advocate for soft surface trails, manage trail stewardship programs, maintain and build trails, coordinate and train volunteers, educate outdoor recreational users, and create opportunities to access the outdoors. We provide our expertise, resources, and experience to support local land managers in various soft surface trail initiatives. ABOUT THE TRAIL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
The Trail Ambassador program was established by VVMTA in 2018 to take a proactive lead in educating and communicating about seasonal trail closures to protect wildlife and trails. Since then the program has grown to focus on educating our community and visitors about responsible recreation, Leave No Trace Principles, and overall stewardship of our trails. DATES & TIME
May 28th, 2026 – August 23rd, 2026 Flexible start and end dates may be considered based on candidate availability. Schedule Breakdown
May 28th – 29th, 2026: Training June 1st – June 18th: Monday – Thursday schedule June 25th – August 23rd: Thursday – Sunday schedule
General Expectations
4 – 10 hour shifts On average, 35-40 hours per week Will be required to work some evenings, weekends, and holidays
POSITION DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Work at different trailheads and trails in Eagle County Participate in local community events to provide outreach and education initiatives Distribute educational materials including, but not limited to local businesses, hotels, concierges. Interact with the public in a courteous and informative manner Be positive, and encourage trail users to have fun! Educate trail users on the importance of seasonal closures Educate trail users on responsible recreation and etiquette Educate trail users on land manager policies and rules Provide Leave No Trace and other helpful trail information (i.e. difficulty of hike, open trails in proximity if seasonal closure is in effect, etc.) to trail users Understand and promote VVMTA’s Respect the Vail Valley campaign Submit a trail log after each shift to document information and experiences at the trailhead, including photos Assist with monthly newsletters about the Trail Ambassador program EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS
Personable and able to work within a customer service‑based environment that involves routine interaction with the public Preferred understanding of our local trails with significant experience mountain biking, hiking, trail running, etc. Positive attitude adaptability to a changing work environment Strong communication skills, both written and verbal Preferred experience with knowledge of desirable trail characteristics in our local trail system Preferred experience working with land management agencies and other government entities Ability to work outdoors for long hours in all types of conditions Possess a strong attention to detail Ability to use web‑based apps, software, and website to document work and record hours Preferred experience in working with volunteers Spanish speaking is preferred but not required Wilderness First Aid/Responder preferred but not required U.S. Citizen with required forms of identification Must be 21 years of age or older with clean driving record PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT
Frequently required to stand, sit, walk, crouch, climb and squat Frequently required to walk on uneven or unstable surfaces Frequently required to hike or bike 1-4 miles a day Frequently required to travel throughout the Vail Valley Frequently required to utilize hand and finger dexterity Frequently required to climb, balance, bend, stoop, kneel or crawl Frequent exposure to heat and cold Frequently required to lift and carry up to 25lbs Occasionally required to hike or bike upwards of 5-10 miles a day Occasionally required to upwards of 50lbs Occasionally required to be exposed to wet and/ or humid conditions Occasionally work near moving mechanical parts Occasionally work in high, precarious places Occasionally work around fumes, airborne particles, or toxic chemicals Continually exposed to outside weather conditions Willingness to travel (within Eagle County) during work week BENEFITS
Access to outdoor industry pro deals Housing stipend available ($250 per month based average 32 hours worked) Paid time off for holiday, vacation, and sick Team events Staff apparel (t-shirts, sun shirt, hats, sweatshirt, pants, socks, footwear stipend) Gas/fuel stipend Cell phone stipend Employee Assistance Program through Vail Health’s Mountain Strong program COMPENSATION
$21.00/hr – $23.00/hr – commensurate with experience TO APPLY
Send a resume and letter of interest to: info@vvmta.org The Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes a diverse pool of candidates in this search. This program is available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, political affiliation, or religion. *A seasonal worker is defined as a person who works for an employer who conducts business only during a defined period of time. Seasonal workers may also be hired in an occupation that operates only for a defined period of time. The season as defined by this job position is May 2026 through September 2026. Seasonal workers cannot collect unemployment benefits based on wages paid for the seasonal employment unless they are out of work during the specified season. Seasonal workers who work outside the season are no longer considered seasonal workers and may be able to collect unemployment benefits based on the seasonal wages.
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The Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance (VVMTA) is seeking a Trail Ambassador to join our team for the summer season. This position provides hands‑on experience in outdoor recreation, environmental education, and community engagement. Trail Ambassadors work together to promote responsible recreation, educate trail users, and support stewardship efforts across Eagle County. This position will require frequent interaction with trail users and the general public, and will be required to convey the ethos and mission of the VVMTA while helping reinforce sustainable recreation in Eagle County and seasonal trail closure education. ABOUT THE VVMTA
The VVMTA’s mission is to connect our community to the outdoors through sustainable recreation. Our vision is a sustainable multi‑use soft surface trail network connecting all communities in Eagle County to the outdoors. We envision a community of stewards striving to conserve our public lands through sustainable recreation opportunities. Through trail access and experiences, the community will improve its mental and physical health, quality of life, and economic vitality. We advocate for soft surface trails, manage trail stewardship programs, maintain and build trails, coordinate and train volunteers, educate outdoor recreational users, and create opportunities to access the outdoors. We provide our expertise, resources, and experience to support local land managers in various soft surface trail initiatives. ABOUT THE TRAIL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
The Trail Ambassador program was established by VVMTA in 2018 to take a proactive lead in educating and communicating about seasonal trail closures to protect wildlife and trails. Since then the program has grown to focus on educating our community and visitors about responsible recreation, Leave No Trace Principles, and overall stewardship of our trails. DATES & TIME
May 28th, 2026 – August 23rd, 2026 Flexible start and end dates may be considered based on candidate availability. Schedule Breakdown
May 28th – 29th, 2026: Training June 1st – June 18th: Monday – Thursday schedule June 25th – August 23rd: Thursday – Sunday schedule
General Expectations
4 – 10 hour shifts On average, 35-40 hours per week Will be required to work some evenings, weekends, and holidays
POSITION DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Work at different trailheads and trails in Eagle County Participate in local community events to provide outreach and education initiatives Distribute educational materials including, but not limited to local businesses, hotels, concierges. Interact with the public in a courteous and informative manner Be positive, and encourage trail users to have fun! Educate trail users on the importance of seasonal closures Educate trail users on responsible recreation and etiquette Educate trail users on land manager policies and rules Provide Leave No Trace and other helpful trail information (i.e. difficulty of hike, open trails in proximity if seasonal closure is in effect, etc.) to trail users Understand and promote VVMTA’s Respect the Vail Valley campaign Submit a trail log after each shift to document information and experiences at the trailhead, including photos Assist with monthly newsletters about the Trail Ambassador program EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS
Personable and able to work within a customer service‑based environment that involves routine interaction with the public Preferred understanding of our local trails with significant experience mountain biking, hiking, trail running, etc. Positive attitude adaptability to a changing work environment Strong communication skills, both written and verbal Preferred experience with knowledge of desirable trail characteristics in our local trail system Preferred experience working with land management agencies and other government entities Ability to work outdoors for long hours in all types of conditions Possess a strong attention to detail Ability to use web‑based apps, software, and website to document work and record hours Preferred experience in working with volunteers Spanish speaking is preferred but not required Wilderness First Aid/Responder preferred but not required U.S. Citizen with required forms of identification Must be 21 years of age or older with clean driving record PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT
Frequently required to stand, sit, walk, crouch, climb and squat Frequently required to walk on uneven or unstable surfaces Frequently required to hike or bike 1-4 miles a day Frequently required to travel throughout the Vail Valley Frequently required to utilize hand and finger dexterity Frequently required to climb, balance, bend, stoop, kneel or crawl Frequent exposure to heat and cold Frequently required to lift and carry up to 25lbs Occasionally required to hike or bike upwards of 5-10 miles a day Occasionally required to upwards of 50lbs Occasionally required to be exposed to wet and/ or humid conditions Occasionally work near moving mechanical parts Occasionally work in high, precarious places Occasionally work around fumes, airborne particles, or toxic chemicals Continually exposed to outside weather conditions Willingness to travel (within Eagle County) during work week BENEFITS
Access to outdoor industry pro deals Housing stipend available ($250 per month based average 32 hours worked) Paid time off for holiday, vacation, and sick Team events Staff apparel (t-shirts, sun shirt, hats, sweatshirt, pants, socks, footwear stipend) Gas/fuel stipend Cell phone stipend Employee Assistance Program through Vail Health’s Mountain Strong program COMPENSATION
$21.00/hr – $23.00/hr – commensurate with experience TO APPLY
Send a resume and letter of interest to: info@vvmta.org The Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes a diverse pool of candidates in this search. This program is available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, political affiliation, or religion. *A seasonal worker is defined as a person who works for an employer who conducts business only during a defined period of time. Seasonal workers may also be hired in an occupation that operates only for a defined period of time. The season as defined by this job position is May 2026 through September 2026. Seasonal workers cannot collect unemployment benefits based on wages paid for the seasonal employment unless they are out of work during the specified season. Seasonal workers who work outside the season are no longer considered seasonal workers and may be able to collect unemployment benefits based on the seasonal wages.
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