Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is “America’s Favorite Drive,” encompassing 469 miles of gentle, rolling mountain splendor from Virginia to North Carolina.

America’s Favorite Drive

Within this region of Appalachia, you’ll encounter lush and thick green forests, open meadows, stunning vistas, cliff outcroppings, flowing waterfalls, brilliant wildflowers, and fall colors in just about every shade of the rainbow.

Popular activities along the Parkway include hiking, camping, backpacking, rock climbing, fishing, horseback riding, river rafting, bird watching, and swimming in local swimming holes. The Appalachian Mountains are alive with species of mammals (black bears, deer, coyote, and bobcats, to name just a few), amphibians, birds, fish, and reptiles.

What We Do

ACMNP in Blue Ridge Parkway provides:

Christian fellowship activities for visitors, residents, and employees
Leadership development for ministry team members and seminarians
Positive relationships among seasonal co-workers and international employees
Pastoral care during emergencies

Ministry Team Member Information

Team members serve at several different locations along the Blue Ridge Parkway: Julian Price and Mt. Pisgah in North Carolina, and Peaks of Otter in Virginia. Each team varies in size from two (Julian Price and Peaks of Otter) to four (Mt.Pisgah).

Summer only
Mentors not available for seminarians
Catholic mass nearby for interested team members (Julian Price only)
Undergraduate and seminary team members can expect to be placed at either Julian Price or Mt. Pisgah. We prefer to only place team members with an RV at Peaks of Otter.

Employment Information

Team members seek employment from Eseeola Lodge (Julian Price) or Mt. Pisgah Inn (Mt. Pisgah), depending upon ministry assignment offered. Team members at Peaks of Otter do not typically seek employment.

Area: 34,563 mi²
Established: June 30, 1936
Visitation: 16,093,765 in 2017

"God worked in small ways that summer which taught me to pay attention to His voice, and enjoy those precious little blessings He gives us. Sometimes it was a beautiful butterfly at the restaurant on a hard day at work, or watching an employee change just a little because of the love we showed them every day. On our last hike, after many days of rain and fog, God blessed us with the most immaculate sunset. It was a beautiful farewell present to finish a glorious summer."

Rachel T., 2013

Blue Ridge Parkway, VA, NC

Park Experience FAQ's

What should I expect?

Are you ready for an adventure of a lifetime? You have come to the right place. In addition to having a national park as your backyard, you will have the opportunity to engage in meaningful and important ministry efforts. National parks, although beautiful, are remote and challenging locations.

Can I choose my park?

While we cannot guarantee that you will get your top preference, we do consider your requests as we assemble teams. There is a section of the application where you will be able to list your top three park preferences.

If we are not able to offer you the park of your choosing, we will suggest an alternate park location that might fit with your interests and team needs. We ask that you apply to ACMNP for the ministry experience more than the park location, and we will do our best to find a good fit.

As you can imagine, team assembly is a complicated process. Every team member placement has to take into account employer needs, team needs, dates of availability, various ministry logistics, and applicant interests. We appreciate your flexibility and openness through this process. Trust us, by the end of a summer with ACMNP, every team member claims their national park as the best national park. There really is no bad placement!

What does a typical week look like?

One of the greatest ministry opportunities you will have is through your seasonal employment. Working 40-hours each week through the local hospitality concessionaire gives you the opportunity to get to know and work alongside those within the community. Not only does your employment provide you with an income, but working in this context gives you credibility for your ministry as you become friends with people who may have negative associations with Christians. That said, a big portion of your week will be your job, which is also a significant part of your ministry.

Can I apply with a friend?

Yes, you can absolutely apply with a friend! You will find a section on the application to indicate who you are hoping to serve with, please be sure to list them there.

If you are applying with a group of people, we would strongly encourage you to separate into pairs, and spread out into multiple parks. The experience is typically much stronger when you are serving on a team with new friends from different backgrounds. Not to mention, groups of friends serving in multiple parks generally enjoy sharing their experiences and encouraging one another from across the parks.

Who are we looking for?

Mature baptized followers of Jesus Christ.
Can affirm the principles of the Apostle's Creed, a common statement of faith.
Men and women, generally 18-30 years of age, who desire to grow as leaders and experience a challenging ministry adventure.
Ability and willingness to partner with people from different Christian backgrounds.
Ability and willingness to interact relationally with co-workers and park visitors of different faiths, backgrounds, and cultures.
Summer availability of at least 90 days, through August 20th or later (as close to Labor Day as possible).
High level of commitment to ministry and calling.

What will this cost me?

Ministry Team Members will actually earn an income through seasonal employment with private park hospitality companies (concessionaires). Additionally, seminarians enrolled in a seminary or theological graduate program will be eligible for a $2,000 scholarship stipend ($3,000 for returning seminarian leaders). If you are interested in our Advanced Leadership Development Program, you can earn $1000 through your participation. Room and board is provided at minimal cost and differs by national park location and employer. You will find quickly that living in a national park is very inexpensive, and most team members usually walk away with $2500-3500 in their pockets by the end of the summer!

ACMNP's ministry in the national parks is a specialized effort and presents unique challenges. Therefore, every ministry team member is required to attend the ACMNP National Training Conference. There is a $350 program fee to cover training, program, and season expenses. We have a reduced fee of $275 for returning alumni. Some team members choose to raise support to help cover these costs.

Please also note that Ministry Team Members are responsible for transportation to/from the training conference (Estes Park, CO April 12-14, 2024 or Indianapolis, IN May 10-12, 2024) and transportation to/from the national park where they will serve.