by Julie Dodd
Applications for Ridgerunner positions for 2026 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) are being accepted through Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.
Three Ridgerunners will be hired to work a 19-week season, during the busiest time of hikers on the 72-mile section of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) that runs through the Park.
The Ridgerunners will hike sections of the trail each week – educating hikers and maintaining the shelters and privies.
“Ridgerunners are boots-on-the-ground employees of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy who are also representatives of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Smoky Mountains Hiking Club,” said Anne Sentz, ATC Regional Manager for the Smokies and North Carolina.
“Being a Ridgerunner is unique role that combines a love for the backcountry and the hiking community with outdoor education and trail stewardship,” she said. “It’s not just getting paid to hike – it’s helping others recreate responsibly, which will ensure the A.T. remains for the next generation.”
The Ridgerunner job description and online application form are posted on the ATC website.
The finalists will be interviewed by representatives from the ATC, GSMNP and the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club.
Many skills required
Successful candidates have a wide range of skills.
“They must adhere to and appreciate strong the backcountry ethics of Leave No Trace,” Sentz said.
The photo at the top of the blog post is of the Ridgerunners from 2024 who monitored the A.T. in the Smokies and Georgia. They are holding trowels used to dig catholes for waste disposal, one of the principles of Leave No Trace.
“Ridgerunners must have mental fortitude and the ability to stay positive on the trail in all kinds of weather,” Sentz said. “They need strong communication skills, a love for educating others, and a love for the hiking community and the unique Appalachian Trail thru-hiker culture.”
In-person training will begin Feb. 24, 2026.
Ridgerunners who do not currently hold a CPR/Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certificate will be asked to participate in a CPR/WFA course in Georgia from Feb. 4 to 6. This training will be paid for by ATC and will count as hours worked.
Friends support Ridgerunner program
Friends of the Smokies helps fund the Ridgerunner program in the Smokies. In 2025, Friends provided $55,000, which included Ridgerunner salaries, uniforms, and first aid kits.
You can read about the experience of 2025 Ridgerunner Collin Chambers.
About Friends of the Smokies
Friends of the Smokies is the official nonprofit partner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Through private donations, fundraising events, and specialty license plates in North Carolina and Tennessee, Friends of the Smokies raises money to fund needed projects and programs in the national park that would otherwise go unfunded.
Learn more about how to get a Friends of the Smokies license plate at BearPlate.org. You can make a direct tax-deductible donation at our website. We are also grateful for those who pitch in at our donation boxes throughout the park. Every gift makes a significant difference for our beloved Smokies.
Sign up to receive our monthly e-newsletter and email updates at friendsofthesmokies.org/stay-in-touch/