About CA Conservation Corps Backcountry Trails Program

The Backcountry Trails Program (BCTP) was established in 1979 and is the longest running special program of the California Conservation Corps. The BCTP has also been an AmeriCorps program for more than two decades.

It is a five-plus month commitment to intense work and adventure with unique learning experiences in a truly spectacular environment. Those who complete the program will leave with renewed vigor, optimal fitness, augmented work ethic, and will be better able to live and work cooperatively with others.

Corpsmembers learn the historic skills of trail maintenance and construction, and the process of building healthy, inclusive communities. Highly regarded in the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and trails community, the BCTP offers a path for those interested in pursuing a career in related fields. An estimated 70-percent of BCTP alumni have gone on to work in trails and other conservation related fields for at least one season.