Disabled Hikers is “… a disability-led organization building community and justice in the outdoors. The website includes detailed trail guides – currently primarily in the PNW but we accept submissions from anywhere.” Thank you to founder Syren Nagakyrie for telling us about it. She “also leads group hikes and provides other resources and does advocacy work.”
Category: Washington misc
Wheelchair Wandering
Wheelchair Wandering
“Wheelchair Wandering” by Jeanine Schmitz is a great source of ideas from her outdoor adventures in a wheelchair. She lives near Seattle so many of her described trails are in the Northwest, including British Columbia and Alberta. Her blog is informative and fun to read.
ADA-Accessible Trails — Washington
Washington Trails Association
Here is a wonderful set of ADA-Accessible Trails from the Washington Trails Association.
5 Accessible Hikes for Outdoor Lovers with Disabilities
5 Accessible Hikes for Outdoor Lovers with Disabilities
Here are five hikes recommended by the family of a North Bend teen with cerebral palsy.
Nature For The Blind
Nature For The Blind has a directory of Braille trails for almost every state in the US and for many other countries.
Where to hit the trail in a wheelchair
“Where to hit the trail in a wheelchair” Article in The Seattle Times by Cathy McDonald, last updated April 26, 2016. Interesting article with twelve suggestions of wheelchair accessible trails.
Washington Trails Association Hiking Guide
Washington Trails Association produces this super Hiking Guide. If you type in “wheelchair” in the keyword search, it comes up with 37 hikes complete with maps, location, length, elevation gain and ratings.
Oregon Hikers Forum
Oregon Hikers Forum is a service of the Trailkeepers of Oregon, a non-profit organization. They provide this marvelous Find a Hike page where you can put in your parameters to look for suitable hikes in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. I chose easy Family hikes with an elevation gain less than 500′ and came up with 186 trails. Limit that to 2 miles or less and you get 81. The Trailkeepers also have the online Oregon Hikers Field Guide for hiking in Oregon and Southern Washington.
Terry Richard Article
“Lots of options for wheelchair, stroller recreation” This is a useful article from The Oregonian, by Terry Richard published March 23, 2008 and updated November 16, 3009.
Access Recreation
Access Recreation Here is a wonderful project in Washington and Oregon.
“Access Recreation [AR] is a Portland, Oregon ad hoc committee that has been developing uniform guidelines for minimum information that should be provided about hiking trails and outdoor recreational facilities, that would benefit hikers with disabilities. These guidelines can be applied to websites, printed materials and at trail sites. …..When put into place, these guidelines will provide the public with easy access to better information on the accessibility of recreational and hiking trails in the states of Oregon and Washington and nationwide.” Georgena Moran, founder and project coordinator, says it is a “two-year project [ends June 2016] and as for now only two trails have been trail mapped the with video accompaniment.” Article by Georgena, “Trails for Everyone”.