MASSACHUSETTS - Accessible Nature

Massachusetts has a number of trails with minimal obstacles. Some are very easy and others are wheelchair accessible. Here are just a few of them.
These links were found through Internet search. I would love to learn about more accessible natural areas from those of you who have been there. With your help, we can share our knowledge with disabled people everywhere and also increase awareness of the need for more accessibility. Please e-mail me with your suggestions using the form in the sidebar.

Federal
State
Local
Private
Miscellaneous

Federal

Cape Cod National Seashore Park
Cape Cod National Seashore Park consists of “Forty miles of pristine sandy beach, marshes, ponds, and uplands support diverse species. Lighthouses, cultural landscapes, and wild cranberry bogs offer a glimpse of Cape Cod’s past and continuing ways of life. Swimming beaches and walking and biking trails beckon today’s visitors.” The Park Website. Accessibility
” Park trails at Doane Rock in Eastham and the Marconi Station Site in Wellfleet have been surfaced to accommodate wheelchairs.” The Park has quite a few other adaptations, including beach wheelchairs.
The Salt Pond Visitor Center is near to the 1.5 mile Nauset Marsh Trail and the Buttonbush Trail, a .25 mile multi-sensory trail that featuring a guide rope and text panels printed in large lettering and Braille”. Both trails are described as easy but with some log steps. Call 508- 255 – 3421 for information.
Here is “Everyone Outdoors”‘s article on “Wheelchair Accessible Cape Cod”.
Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge comprises more than 3,800 acres, 85 percent of which is freshwater wetlands stretching along twelve miles of the Concord and Sudbury Rivers. “Minute Man National Historical Park and Thoreau’s Walden Pond are located nearby.” Phone 978-443-4661
Here is the Refuge website. General map. Brochure.
There is a wheelchair accessible trail around the lake, according to this Yelp review.
From AllTrails: “Concord Unit trail is a 2.7 mile loop trail located near Concord, Massachusetts that features a river and is good for all skill levels. The trail ….. is accessible from March until November.” Trails described in the refuge brochure sound easy, but call first to be sure.
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge is located along the northeast coast of Massachusetts. The Refuge provides feeding, resting, and nesting habitat for migratory birds. “Most commonly associated with Plum Island – a barrier beach island – the refuge is comprised of more than 4700 acres of diverse habitats including sandy beach and dune, cranberry bog, maritime forest and shrub land, and freshwater marsh. The most abundant habitat on the refuge is its 3,000+ acres of salt marsh…”. Phone 978-465-5753 Here are Yelp Reviews and the Refuge Website. Refuge Brochure Map
Pines Trail 0.3 miles. Call the refuge about a loaner beach wheelchair. Accessible birding observation points listed in a US Fish and Wildlife Service website : “Salt Pannes Wildlife Observation Area, the Bill Forward Bird Blind, the North Pool Overlook, … Pines Trail, and the observation platforms overlooking the beach and ocean at parking lots 1, 5 and 7.”
Silvio O. Conte National Wildlife Refuge
“This refuge is comprised of over 36,000 acres within parts of the four watershed states of New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut….
The refuge includes nine divisions and nine units that represent a wide variety of unique habitats such as: northern forest valuable as nesting habitat for migrant thrushes, warblers and other birds; rivers and streams used by shad, salmon, herring and other migratory fishes; and an internationally significant complex of high-quality tidal fresh, brackish and salt marshes. Many opportunities exist for visitors to explore the diverse landscapes of the Connecticut River watershed.”
Brochure Here is the Refuge website. Thank you to S. M. Burk for sending a correction for the link.

A one-mile long, universally accessible birding and natural trail is located at the Fort River division.
Vermont
Mollie Beattie Bog boardwalk. is a 200 foot self-guided interpretive trail.

New Hampshire
Mud Pond Trail 0.6 mile

State

Massachusetts Dept. of Conservation & Recreation
The Department of Conservation and Recreation has a wonderful page with links to outdoor activities available to disabled people. Here is their schedule of Activities – mostly adaptive kayaking. This is a good downloadable Brochure on Accessibility in the State Parks . It lists accessible trails and other amenities and tells which state parks have them. There are many more than the few I have made posts on, so be sure to look up these other accessible Parks in Massachusetts.
Accessible Trails in Massachusetts State Parks and Forests This is a great website with short descriptions of the trails and links to the State Parks and Forests they are in.
Massachusetts has “two categories of trails, Accessible and Assessed. Accessible Trails are either paved or made from stonedust and are generally one-quarter to three-quarter miles in length. Assessed Trails are actual dirt hiking trails and offer a more rugged experience. Maps have been designed to provide information on grades, cross slopes, trail surfaces and obstacles. Assessed trails are one-half to 2 miles in length.”
Belle Isle Marsh Reservation
“Boston’s last remaining salt marsh offers unique views of plants and wildlife as you follow paths to the observation tower.” There are no restrooms. Here is the Reservation website. Phone 617-727-5350 Map
0.5 mile stonedust loop trail offers boardwalk access to the salt marsh, benches, dynamic birding and views of aircraft flying into Logan airport.
Breakheart Reservation
Breakheart Reservation Saugus includes two lakes and a large forest
Here is the Reservation website. Phone 781-233-0834
Breakheart Reservation, Saugus – “1 mile paved forested roadway to Pearce Lake with moderate grades. “
Castle Island
Castle Island is a peninsula in South Boston on the shore of Boston Harbor. In 1928, Castle Island was connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land and is thus no longer an island. It has been the site of a fortification since 1634, and is currently a 22-acre recreation site and the location of Fort Independence. (From Wikipedia ) Phone: 617-727-5290. Here is their website. Trail Map According to AllTrails the trails are paved, about six feet wide in gentle terrain.
Thank you to Mark Dionne for bringing Castle Island to our attention.
Castle Island Loop 0.79 mile

Pleasure Bay Loop 1.84 miles
Charles River Reservation
“The Upper Charles River Reservation extends from the Watertown Dam to Riverdale Park in West Roxbury, MA. Now that native plants have been restored to the riverbanks, birds and wildlife have returned. You can follow paths that wind along the Charles River, through the towns of Watertown, Waltham, Newton and Weston.”
Here is their website. Phone 617-727-1058
Moody St., to Prospect St., Waltham – 0.5 mile riverside trail connecting Waltham Center with an accessible canoe launch
Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) State Forest
D.A.R. State Forest, Goshen “… offers dozens of campsites, forest trails, a lake to swim and fish in.”
Here is the Forest website. Phone 413-268-7098 Trail Map
0.5 mile forested ADA stone dust trail along Highland Lake with benches and three accessible fishing piers.
Dunn State Park
Dunn State Park, Gardner MA “Dunn State Park has a range of universally accessible activities, from fishing to hiking to swimming.”
Call to reserve a beach wheelchair.
Here is the Park website. Phone 978-632-7897 Brochure and Trail Map
Woodland Trail about one mile trail looping through the forest.
Lynn Shore & Nahant Beach Reservation
“The reservation is open year-round, but summer is the time to visit and escape the heat. Enjoy swimming in the ocean, launch your boat, or sunbathe on the beach.” There are two beach wheelchairs available, one for floating, one for sunbathing.
Here is the Reservation website. Phone 781-485-2803 Trail Map
Nahant Causeway, Lynn – wide, 3 mile paved ADA pedestrian recreation path with views of ocean bay and beach access.
Mt. Greylock State Reservation
“At 3,491 feet, Mount Greylock is the highest point in Massachusetts. From its peak on a clear day, you can see as far as 90 miles away. No matter when you visit, there’s plenty to do and see.”
Here is the Reservation website. Phone 413-499-4262 Trail Map
The 0.25 mile loop trail at summit has “spectacular views.”

Local

Massachusetts Audobon has an abundance of wildlife sanctuaries with nature trails. Many of these are accessible and accommodate visual and auditory impairments as well as mobility. The following are a small fraction of them. Go to this link and click on the name of the sanctuary you are interested in to learn about their accessible amenities such as trails, visitor centers, tours, etc.
Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary has a 1/4 mile “All Persons Trail” – “self guided, fully accessible trail to offer a microcosm of the sanctuary’s habitats to accommodate everyone.”
Felix Neck has a one mile “universally accessible nature trail”.

Habitat Education Center & Wildlife Sanctuary has another “All Persons Trail”, this one a half mile loop.
Attleboro Springs Wildlife Sanctuary has a half mile loop called the “Reflection Trail”.

Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary has an 850 foot accessible Sensory Trail.

Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary has a 1,700 foot round trip All Persons Trail with guides available in print and in Braille as well as interpretive stations with auditory and braille information.
The Boston Nature Center & Wildlife Sanctuary has a one mile sensory trail.

Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary has a wheelchair accessible self-guided rope and post nature trail for the visually impaired.
Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary has an 0.3 mile accessible trail that leads to a wildlife observation blind.
Broad Meadow Brook Conservation Center & Wildlife Sanctuary has two accessible trails.

Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary has a 1/2 mile accessible sensory trail from the Nature Center to Goose Pond.
North River Wildlife Sanctuary has a the 1/2 mile Woodland Trail and Fern Path.
South Hadley
Here is a list with links to the many conservation areas managed by South Hadley. Map You might call them to learn about accessibility: 413-538-5030

The Bachelor Brook/Stony Brook Resource Area conservation property is 285 acres and was purchased on 2005. This property is open to the public. The property has 3.0 miles of easy public trails including an ADA wheelchair accessible loop trail. Thanks to S M Burk for bringing it to my attention and providing the link.

Private

Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary
Massachusetts Audubon’s Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary encompasses 724 acres ad has 4 miles of trails, including the Braille-signed Sensory Trail. “Spanning Easthampton and Northampton, Arcadia’s diverse terrain (forest, meadows, grasslands, marsh, and wetlands) attracts an extraordinary variety of wildlife. You will also find a thriving population of wildflowers…” Phones 413-584-3009, 800-710-4550. Here is their website.
Sensory Trail 850′ universally accessible with “… interpretation available in seasonal audio tours, large print, Braille, and tactile formats.”
Hancock Shaker Village
“Hancock Shaker Village is a landmark destination of 750 acres, 20 historic Shaker buildings, and over 22,000 Shaker artifacts. On the National Historic Register, it is the most comprehensively interpreted Shaker site in the world, and the oldest working farm in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts.” The address is 1843 West Housatonic St., Pittsfield MA. Their telephone is 413-443-0188. Here is their website. Walking tour/guide map.
“The Village’s Farm and Forest Trail is a one-mile, universally-accessible loop trail that winds through pastureland and forests adjacent to the historic village. Along the trail, walkers will encounter illustrated interpretive panels that highlight the historical, environmental, social, cultural, and natural significance of this special area.”
Marjorie Turner Hollman
Ms. Hollman has written four very useful books to help you find places to walk in Massachusetts and Rhode Island: “Easy Walks in Massachusetts” 2nd Ed., “More Easy Walks in Massachusetts” 2nd Ed., and “Easy Walks and Paddles in the Ten Mile River Watershed”. Her latest is “Finding Easy Walks Wherever You Are”. Here are her facebook page and her website. Thank you for contacting me, Marjorie!

Miscellaneous

“Everyone Outdoors” is a blog about “accessible adventures and adaptive recreation in Massachusetts State Parks and beyond”. Lots of very helpful articles about equipment and other concerns as well as places to go.
This is not a trail, but number of towns in Massachusetts provide seated sleds for for accessible ice skating. What fun!
General Hiking Guides –
Here are two guides to trails in Rhode Island and adjacent states.Trails & Walks in Rhode Island Auntie Beak’s Place They both have good descriptions and lots of photographs, but are not designed for people with any kind of handicap. If you want to know more about a specific trail, you could research it on these websites.
Hike New England This marvelous, searchable website lists hikes in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island with information about difficulty, length, elevation gain, and features. There are maps and photos for many of the hikes. Using their Hike Finder, I did a search for Easy trails, 5 miles or less and came up with 51 trails! Be aware that Easy for them, might not be easy enough for you. Once you come up with a page for a sanctuary, park, forest, whatever, it would be wise to call for trail conditions.
Nature For The Blind has a directory of Braille trails for almost every state in the US and for many other countries.
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy lists wheelchair accessible trails in Massachusetts.