Summer Staff

This volunteer experience is for those who are at least one year out of high school (college age or older). You'll have the opportunity to get to know families, share your experience of Jesus with them and also grow in your own faith! Qualified applicants will be accepted into positions based on the order applications are received. If you have any questions, please contact us.

Summer Staff applications are live! Please click the "apply now" link below!

Our summer 2025 dates are:

1st session: Friday May 23rd - Saturday June 21st

2nd session: Saturday June 21st - Saturday July 19th

3rd session: Saturday July 19th - Sunday Aug 10th

Session 1:​ May 22 - June 21

Session 2: June 20 - July 19

Session 3: July 18 - August 16

To Apply:

Please apply online. You will need the email address of a Young Life staff person who is willing to write a recommendation on your behalf.

Jobs:

Administration/Front Desk, Kitchen, Horse Wrangler, Kids Club Wrangler, Lifeguard, Jeep Wrangler, Town Runner, Landscape, Round Up/Ropes, Retail, and Sound Tech.

Work Crew

This volunteer experience is for those in high school. To be eligible you must have completed one year of high school and complete your local area's work crew training course. Each work crew session is about one month long during the summer.

Recommendations will be open starting November 2024. Please connect with your local Young Life area in order to apply.

Camp will receive these applications from local young life areas and begin placements sometime in March 2025

Our summer 2025 dates are:

1st session: Friday May 23rd - Saturday June 21st

2nd session: Saturday June 21st - Saturday July 19th

3rd session: Saturday July 19th - Sunday Aug 10th

Session 1: May 22 - June 21

Session 2: June 20 - July 19

Session 3:​ July 18 - August 16

Jobs:

Dining Hall Server, Tawashi (Housekeeping & Laundry), Outdoor Crew, Pits (Dishwashing Crew), Kids Club Wrangler

To Apply:

The application process begins with a Young Life staff recommendation. To apply, please talk with your local Young Life staff.

Adult Volunteer Program

Volunteers have been an integral part of Trail West Lodge since the beginning, over 50 years ago! Thousands of hours of volunteer labor enabled the Lodge to initially open its doors and to continue operations today, touching the lives of families nationwide. As with any camp there are innumerable projects and tasks being completed before, during and after families stay at Trail West Lodge.

We have a list of projects for volunteers, ranging from working in the kitchen or housekeeping to serious construction projects; from small groups to large groups, youth and seniors.

Ways you can be involved:
  • Come Volunteer at Trail West! We have various projects around camp that we need help to complete. Please contact the office with details about when and where we're needing help!
  • Financial Gifts and Donations​ are needed to continue operating camp in an excellent manner. ​

If you have additional questions please do not hesitate to contact the camp office​ or by calling the camp office at 719-395-2477.

Session 1: May 22 - June 21

Session 2: June 20 - July 19

Session 3:​ July 18 - August 16

PHysicians Program

Summer Camp Doctor​ — Trail West is here to provide the most meaningful family vacation to families. During the summer we have about 40 families per week experiencing camp together. To provide the best possible care, we need physicians to help us meet the medical needs of the campers and summer volunteers at camp. All camp doctors and their families stay at camp during the week of service at no cost.

If you have any questions before applying please reach out to, Lauren Grap.

  • Week 1: June 15 - 19
  • Week 2: June 20 - 24
  • Week 3: June 25 - 29
  • Week 4: June 30 - July 4
  • Week 5: July 6 - 10
  • Week 6: July 11 - 15
  • Week 7: July 6 - 20
  • Week 8: July 21 - 25
  • Week 9 (WL): July 27 - 31
  • Week 10 (CPNM): August 1 - 5
  • Week 11 (CPNM): August 6 - 10

To Apply:

Complete a Camp Medical Professionals Application.

We have placed physicians for all our summer 2025 camp weeks!​ We will make the application live in the spring of 2025 for our 2026 summer placement! ​

The week will be more like a mission trip than a vacation. The camp physician’s primary role is to provide timely triage assessment of guests who require medical care for an injury or an illness during their week at camp. They direct the course of action in the event of an emergency and decide which patients need to be transferred to the local clinic or hospital. The physician is on call 24/7 for any emergencies. The physician must also adequately document the medical record to reflect the care that has been given. At no time should any physician practice medicine that falls outside of their medical license and level of experience and training.

Your spouse and children, ages 17 and younger, are invited to share the week with you. Whether it’s enjoying meals together, swimming in the pool, or watching Young Life family camp in action — you are sure to have a great time. Time and space permitting, your family will have an opportunity to experience the many activities around camp. 

2025 Work Week

Each May Trail West hosts an annual Work Week to help get camp ready for families to have the most meaningful family vacation. Jobs range from painting, raking, construction, housekeeping and everything in between!

We'll have nightly Young Life club including program, special music and a speaker. There is no fee for the week and lodging and food are provided.

Work Week is set for May 9th - 15th, 2025 for ages 8 and above. There will be no childcare available for ages 0-7 years old.

For availability, please reach out to Lauren Grap - lgrap@trailwest.younglife.org

Camp musician Program

Do you love Young Life Camp but can’t really do a month-long camp musician assignment?

Do you have a family and want to experience the most meaningful family vacation ever?

Trail West Lodge, Young Life’s Family Camp in Colorado, is perfect for you. There, you can serve as the camp musician for just one week while you and your family join in the camp experience at no charge.

We are accepting applications for the summer of 2025, please click "apply now" below!