In the mountain town of Groveland, Visit Tuolumne County and several local organizations are again joining forces with the Yosemite Climbing Association to host the Fifth Annual Groveland Facelift on Saturday, September 12, 2026.

Volunteers can join the Yosemite Climbing Association, First Light Resorts, Groveland Trail Heads, Echo Adventure Cooperative, Visit Tuolumne County, Stanislaus National Forest, Tuolumne County Public Works, the Groveland Community Services District, Greater Valley Conservation Corps, and more Groveland community partners for a morning of stewardship, connection, and giving a little love back to the places that all call home.

Groveland Facelift is under the umbrella of the well-established Yosemite Facelift event in Yosemite National Park, which is in its 23rd year. The event in Groveland begins at Mary Laveroni Park in town, and from there volunteers will disperse to trails, roads, and public space in the surrounding area to clean up trash and items for recycling.

The clean-up begins at 8 a.m. at Mary Laveroni Park in Groveland and continues through 12:30 p.m.  There will be a raffle at 1 p.m. for those who participate.

Among volunteer benefits is the popular "Trade Trash for Spa Treatments" at Rush Creek Lodge and Spa. This is available for use by any First Light Resorts guests (Rush Creek Lodge and Spa, Evergreen Lodge, and Firefall Ranch Yosemite) who volunteer at Groveland Facelift.

At the 2025 Groveland Facelift, about 30 volunteers collected 695 pounds of trash.

Registration for Groveland Facelift is open now at www.yosemiteclimbing.org/groveland-facelift.   Volunteers can also sign up on the day of the event. It is free to participate, and equipment is provided.

“Visit Tuolumne County is excited to be a part of Facelift once again. It is proving to be a significant event to support stewardship within our county. Now in its fifth year, it is an established event that continues to shine a spotlight on Yosemite’s best gateway community, Groveland,” said Visit Tuolumne County President & CEO Lisa Mayo.

ABOUT YOSEMITE FACELIFT:

Yosemite National Park’s annual park-wide cleanup event, Yosemite Facelift, is proudly celebrating its 23rd year this September, with significantly expanded programming and partnerships. Founded in 2003 by Ken Yager, President of the Yosemite Climbing Association, Yosemite Facelift has grown into a transformative week-long event, bringing together volunteers from around the world to contribute to the preservation of this cherished national treasure. Yosemite Facelift was conceived as a way for climbers to give back to Yosemite after each bustling summer tourist and climbing season, instilling a sense of stewardship and environmental responsibility among participants.

This year’s Yosemite Facelift takes place in Yosemite, September 23-27, 2026, with volunteer opportunities from as little as an hour to larger multi-day projects. There are daily giveaways, guest speakers, and music. This initiative has inspired similar cleanups in over 20 additional locations across America, including the fifth annual Groveland Facelift, September 12, 2026. To participate in any Facelift event, interested individuals must pre-register at yosemiteclimbing.org.

Yosemite Facelift remains committed to preserving the natural splendor of Yosemite National Park and encourages everyone to join this noble cause; and Visit Tuolumne County is honored and eager to support the local Groveland Facelift event. By fostering a spirit of camaraderie and fun while cleaning up the environment, Yosemite Facelift continues to inspire a worldwide community of volunteers dedicated to preserving our precious natural heritage. For more information and to participate in Yosemite Facelift, please visit yosemiteclimbing.org.

ABOUT VISIT TUOLUMNE COUNTY:

Visit Tuolumne (“to-all-o-me”) County (VTC) is the official destination marketing organization for Tuolumne County in Northern California.  Tuolumne County is just a 2.5 hour drive east of the San Francisco Bay Area. The destination is known for its pristine, scenic expanse reaching into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Gold was discovered in Tuolumne County in 1848, setting off the major gold rush of 1849. The main highways leading to the picturesque drive from the Bay Area are Highways 108 and 120 from the west and Highway 49 from the north. The State Highway 120 entrance to Yosemite National Park is considered the “front door” of the park for the Bay Area. The Stanislaus National Forest, Yosemite National Park and other surrounding areas provide natural vistas and settings for hiking, water skiing, horseback riding, rafting, camping, snowmobiling, boating, snow skiing, fishing, and other outdoor activities. Seven restored historic hotels, four golf courses, numerous and varied dining establishments, historic saloons, four wineries, a hard cider distillery, train rides, casinos, seven museums, two State Historic Parks, two live theaters, many bed-and-breakfast inns and a variety of Airbnb accommodations are among the many other attributes that make the county a year-round vacation destination. For more information, go to www.visittuolumne.com.

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Media Contacts:

Lisa Mayo, President & CEO, Visit Tuolumne County

lisa@gotuolumne.com

209-533-4420

Myrka Morales, Marketing & Communications Manager

myrka@gotuolumne.com

209-533-4420