Accessible Nature: A Hiking Guide for Disabled Hikers

I was well into adulthood when I realized that walking was an activity I could participate in. Growing up with multiple disabilities and chronic illnesses, I thought “being outside” was only for able-bodied people. I couldn’t find any information about walking as a disabled person so I spent a lot of time trying to figure it out on my own.

Accessibility is improving, but there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Different disabilities – and even people with the same disability – have different needs. For example, I look for trails without long inclines or obstacles such as large rocks and steep steps, that are shaded and wide enough to use a cane or walking sticks, and have benches or areas to rest (I often bring a folding chair ).

Wheelchair accessibility, in particular, means several things. A true wheelchair accessible path is flat, wide and has a firm surface without obstacles. Trails with steeper, more rugged sections may be an option for experienced outdoor wheelchair users or those using all-terrain chairs. I refer to these trails as wheelchair walkable.

For many travelers with disabilities, a lot depends on the level or slope of a trail. You can often find this information, expressed as a percentage, on park websites or trail apps. A slope greater than 12 percent can be difficult for people with mobility or cardiopulmonary problems, and inaccessible to most wheelchair users. Other considerations include tactile signage and maps, which have provided elements for exploration by touch; accessible parking; and excessive or unexpected sounds, which can lead to sensory overload for people with sensory processing disorders.

Access to nature is so important to our well-being. Everyone deserves to experience it – and people with disabilities can join us on these accessible summer adventures.

California

The Redwood Country of Northern California is one of my favorite places. Coast redwoods are the world’s tallest trees, and one can’t help but feel humbled by them. Redwood National and State Parks, which are located in the Yurok and Tolowa ancestral territories, include forests, prairie ecosystems, and shoreline, much of which is accessible.

These trails, designed for people using wheelchairs and other mobility aids, and those who are blind or have low vision, combine to form a three-quarter mile loop that begins at the Prairie Creek Visitor Center in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, part of the Redwood National and State Parks system. The Access trail winds under redwoods along Prairie Creek and there is a lookout with interpretive signage about fish spawning. After a quarter mile you can join the Revelation Trail or continue for another quarter mile the Elk Prairie Campground.

Lined with towering redwood forests, this 10-mile scenic parkway runs through Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Visitors can experience it on foot or by wheel on the first Saturday of each month from October through May, when the Parkway is closed to vehicles. You may want to use an electric wheelchair to travel the entire length of the paved, gently sloping road.

This is a lovely place to spend a day or have a picnic. The day use area, at the end of Enderts Road near Crescent City, has a paved parking lot and accessible vaulted restrooms. A sidewalk with edge protectors leads to two accessible beach picnic tables with a grill and fire rings. Beach access from the picnic area is fairly level and the sand is usually well packed. There are interpretation boards about Tolowa villages, but they are not in braille. Beach push wheelchairs are available to borrow with balloon wheels that make it easier to travel over sand. Come by the Crescent City Information Center to reserve one.

the state of Washington

I first went to North Cascades a few years ago and immediately fell in love with the jagged peaks, mountain lakes and waterfalls. One of the least visited national parks, it’s a great option for anyone wanting to experience the mountains without crowds. There are several accessible and easy trails and opportunities to learn about the Sauk-Suiattle And Upper Skagit tribes, who maintain their traditions and rights to this land.

This 0.6-mile loop, suitable for those using all-terrain wheelchairs, canes, or canes, begins at the Newhalem powerhouse, near the visitor center. It is a delightful trail along the Skagit River in a mossy forest of tall Western Red Cedars. Interpretive signs, some with tactile elements, provide historical and botanical information. The compact dirt path is wheelchair accessible, but there is a 12 to 15 percent incline at the end. (You could go back and forth to avoid the slope.) The path is occasionally muddy or narrower than a meter if plants have grown along the edge. Although the small gravel parking lot does not have a designated accessible parking space, you can parallel park along a circular area to use a ramp.

Just off Highway 20, a 0.5-mile wheelchair-accessible boardwalk and compact gravel path runs through an old-growth forest and along Happy Creek. The creek lives up to its name – I always feel happy listening to the gentle lapping. There are several viewing areas with benches and the paved car park has two accessible areas; for van access please park next to the toilet or use the parallel parking lot.

Rainy Lake is technically in Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, just beyond the North Cascades border. Passing through marshes, meadows and waterfalls, this one-kilometer paved trail leads to a beautiful lake in a cirque surrounded by mountains. It is shady and there are several benches. It is most accessible to power wheelchair users: the slope is gentle but long, with a few steep sections of 8 to 10 percent.

The trailhead begins at the parking lot entrance at the Rainy Pass Trailhead, which has several accessible parking lots, vaulted restrooms, and water during the summer.

south dakota

My first visit here was on a cross-country road trip. After days of monochrome highways, the colorful rock formations and prairies felt like a dream. This fascinating landscape is the result of thousands of years of geological action where rocks were deposited and eroded. The prairies are home to bison, prairie dogs and other wildlife. The land has cultural and spiritual significance to many indigenous groups, including the Oglala Lakota Nation, whose Tribal Trust lands form the southern unit of the park.

Three of the 17 trails are fully or partially wheelchair accessible and there are many accessible viewpoints. Back roads, mostly gravel, may be wheelchair accessible. It can be hot in the summer, so bring water and sun protection.

Fossils exhibition path

A wheelchair-accessible boardwalk leads to several tactile exhibits and fossilized replicas of ancient animals that once lived there. The interpretive signage includes braille. The trail, which is a quarter-mile round trip, begins at a parking lot on the Badlands Loop Road east of the White River Valley Overlook, where there is accessible parking and an vaulted restroom.

Window and door tracks

Both trails are boardwalks and start in the same parking lot just past the northeast entrance. The quarter-mile round-trip Window Trail on the south side offers views of a fantastic canyon through a natural window in the Badlands Wall. The Door Trail, which begins on the north side, is a three-quarter mile circular walk, but only the first quarter mile is wheelchair accessible. This trail leads through the Badlands Wall to an expansive view of the canyon and prairie.

The beginning of this trail is wheelchair accessible and leads to a viewpoint. The boardwalk continues, but there are many steps; the trail eventually becomes compact dirt and gravel, so it is most accessible to people who can climb stairs with handrails or use canes.

North Carolina and Tennessee

I lived in the southern Appalachians for many years and fell in love with hiking there. This is one of the most biodiverse regions in the United States, home to ancient hardwood forests and at least 19,000 species of animals and plants. It has deep cultural connections to the Appalachian culture and Cherokee people. Great Smoky Mountains is the most visited national park, but there are not many fully accessible trails. Here are three.

Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail

This half-mile wheelchair-accessible paved loop takes you through a beautiful forest along the West Prong Little Pigeon River. There may be some road noise but you can still enjoy the views and sounds of the river from one of the many benches. There are remnants of chimneys and rock walls, and tactile interpretive signs. The parking lot, just south of the Sugarlands Visitor Centerhas five accessible parking spaces, but the striped aisles may be too narrow for a van.

This 1.5 mile trail, which starts at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, is generally walkable for those with mobility concerns. It is partially wheelchair accessible and may be wheelchair accessible for those with terrain chairs. There are many benches. The first tenth of a mile is paved and takes you to the Mountain Farm Museum, where the path turns into gravel with some grass. It continues along the river and is generally flat for another half mile where there is a steep section of over 20 percent. The trail is less than a meter wide in places and can be somewhat muddy, with loose gravel and exposed roots. The visitor center has paved accessible parking, restrooms, and water fountains.

Small river route

The Little River Trail, a gravel road that follows the river, is not labeled as accessible, but many disabled people, including myself, have enjoyed it. It is best suited for people who use power wheelchairs, manual all-terrain chairs, walkers or canes. You can have a solitary experience here, complete with wildlife sightings, and the river provides a wonderful visual and auditory backdrop. The trail begins past the Elkmont Campground, with accessible parking nearby. The first 0.2 miles are a bit rough, with some broken tarmac and gravel, but it transitions into packed gravel. A mile away, a large boulder serves as a turning point.

In Letchworth State Park, the “Grand Canyon of the East,” the Genesee River flows through a deep canyon surrounded by lush forest. I have not visited this park, but it is home to the for miles Autism Nature Trail, with eight stations that stimulate different senses. It is popular and safe for children with autism, and is also accessible for autistic adults and wheelchair users.

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