Volunteer Information

Purpose

The Hike Inn welcomes volunteers and appreciates their assistance.  The effort offers the volunteer an interesting and rewarding experience and a chance to be of benefit to the Inn.  Most volunteers will help in the kitchen at dinner and breakfast, and help get housekeeping started in the mornings.  Volunteers with special interests may give evening programs on approved ecological or historical topics, or play music for the guests.  It is hoped that all volunteers will enjoy their experience while at the Inn.

Policies 

To be a volunteer at the Hike Inn, one must be a member of Friends of the Hike Inn and must have been a previous guest of the Hike Inn. Information on this $15 membership is available on our Friends page.

Volunteers are encouraged to contact the Inn (staff@hike-inn.com) to arrange a time to volunteer.  Every effort will be made to accommodate your preference of dates.  This also greatly facilitates the recruiting process.  Volunteers are needed almost every Saturday throughout the year and generally on Thursday, Friday and Sunday nights.  In other months the need for volunteers on weekdays varies.  The Hike Inn Volunteer Coordinator also occasionally recruits volunteers for specific dates at the Inn.  The number of volunteers at the Inn will be balanced with the number of guests and staff as needed.  Volunteers are usually limited to two people at one given time.

If unable to attend on their scheduled date, the volunteer is required to contact the Volunteer Coordinator as soon as possible.  Likewise, no volunteer is to arrive at the Inn without notice and expect to serve as a volunteer or to be given free lodging.

Volunteers ON DUTY receive free meals and lodging at the Inn.  All volunteers will have a good amount of free time during their stay.  Volunteers are requested, however, to check in with the Manager on Duty before leaving the grounds for a hike or other activity.

Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age.  A volunteer parent wishing to bring a child less than 12 must have the approval of the Hike Inn.  The child will be asked to participate in appropriate volunteer activities but is not allowed in the kitchen or office.  The parent must accept responsibility for the supervision of his/her child at all times.

Volunteers must sign in at the Trading Post in the Amicalola Falls State Park Visitors Center.  All volunteers must hike to the Hike Inn.

Volunteers should report to the Hike Inn at or before 3:00 p.m. (EST) and 4:00p.m. (EDT) on their scheduled work day; the earlier the better.  Volunteers report to the Manager on Duty upon arrival at the Inn.  Most volunteers stay overnight.  On the day of departure, volunteers help with breakfast and are encouraged to help get other cleaning activities (rooms, laundry, etc.) started.  The staff will be most happy for volunteers to stay and help out as long as they can.  At present, all volunteers function as "general volunteers " and are instructed in the various functions by the staff or Manager on Duty.  To qualify for a specific job such as giving a program or cooking, a volunteer must talk with the appropriate manager (Education Manager, Kitchen Manager, etc).

Volunteers are expected to abide by all rules and regulations of the Hike Inn.  The Inn is drug-free environment.  Smoking is permitted only in certain areas.  Volunteers, as staff, may not use alcohol while working and at no time are open containers of alcohol permitted in open areas of and around the Inn.

Tangible Benefits

Volunteers will receive a free membership in Friends of the Hike Inn for the upcoming year for volunteering four days, and a free T-shirt for volunteering 6 days.