NEW YORK - Accessible Nature

New York has a lot of trails with minimal obstacles. Some are very easy and others are wheelchair accessible. Here are just a few of them.
Most of the links given were found through Internet search. Some places I have been able to visit and a few have been recommended to me by other people 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

Fire Island National Seashore
“Rhythmic waves, high dunes, ancient maritime forests, historic landmarks and glimpses of wildlife, Fire Island has been a special place for diverse plants, animals and people for centuries. Far from the pressure of nearby big-city life, dynamic barrier island beaches offer both solitude and camaraderie, and spiritual renewal.” Accessibility Map
There is a loaner beach wheelchair available on a first come first serve basis at Sailors Haven. National Park Planner gives a detailed description with photos.
Here is the Seashore’s website and phone (631) 687-4750. Wilderness Visitor Center phone is 631-281-3010 Sailors Haven Visitor Center phone is 631-597-6183
Parts of the boardwalks are accessible, others not yet compliant with ADA standards. You really need to call ahead to determine where you can go given your abilities.
Sunken Forest trail is mostly boardwalks. Call to be sure of conditions.
Gateway National Recreation Area
Gateway’s 27,000 acre area constitutes three geographic units: Sandy Hook, New Jersey; Jamaica Bay and Staten Island, New York City. This park was badly hit by Hurricane Sandy. Some areas are still closed. There are beach wheelchairs available at Jamaica Bay and Sandy Hook. Call ahead.
Here is Gateway’s website. Phone 718-354-4606
Staten Island. There are walking paths at all three Staten Island sites. Accessibility at Staten Island. Phone 718-354-4606
A paved and wheelchair-accessible Multi-Use Path begins at the entrance to Great Kills Park and extends 1.5 miles to the beach center.
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Try the Upland, East Pond and West Pond trails. Or hike in the back fort area of Fort Tilden. Here is a website by Steve Markos which describes the West Pond, and North and South Trails at Jamaica Bay. Accessibility at Jamaica Bay.
? West Pond Trail, 2.7 miles, looks from the photographs as if it might be wheelchair accessible. Call the Visitor Center 718-318-4340 to be sure.
Sandy Hook Accessibility at Sandy Hook. Visitor Center phone 732-872-5970.
Multi-use Pathway, 5miles, is wheelchair accessible.
Green Mountain & Finger Lakes National Forests
“The 16,212-acre Finger Lakes National Forest lies on a ridge between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of New York State. ”
“The Green Mountain National Forest (GMNF) encompasses more than 400,000 acres in southwestern and central Vermont.”
The Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests’ Supervisor’s Office is located in Rutland, VT. The Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont has Ranger Stations in Manchester and Rochester, VT. The Finger Lakes National Forest in New York has a Ranger Station in Hector, NY.

Here is the Forests’ website. Supervisor’s Phone 802-747-6700. Manchester Ranger Station phone 802-362-2307. Rochester Ranger Station phone 802-767-4261. Hector Ranger Station phone 607-546-4470.
Thundering Falls Trail Guide 900′ of boardwalk in the Appalachian Trail leading to the sixth tallest waterfall in Vermont. In Green Mountain National Forest near Killington.
Robert Frost Interpretive Trail The first 0.3 miles across a beaver pond boardwalk to the South Branch of the Middlebury River is accessible for wheelchairs. The 1.2 mile loop trail is an “easy walk” . Trail guide and map.
? South Slope Trail 0.75 mile “The trail passes through hardwood and conifer stands and crosses a small stream. It is a primitive trail with plank boardwalk over wet areas. ” It is classified as easy. Call the Hector Ranger Station to be sure.

State

New York Department of Environmental Conservation
ADA Coordinators Here is a listing with contact numbers of the ADA co-ordinators for New York who can provide site-specific information related to accessible features.
Accessibility in outdoor New York
State Forest areas allowing ATV use for qualified people with mobility limitations.
Motorized Access Program for People with Disabilities (MAPPWD)
The DEC issues temporary revocable permits that provide motor vehicle access to certain state lands. “MAPPWD permit holders are permitted uncommon access to activities such as hunting, fishing, camping and wildlife observation.” The permit is only issued to qualified people with disabilities, who must apply.
Accessible Recreation Areas arranged by county
New York Department of Environmental Conservation describes Nature Centers organized by four zones. These pdf’s give information and maps of trails in state parks, forests and other state lands. Most area descriptions have phone numbers listed so you can call to see if some of the many short trails might be suitable for you.
Introduction

Northern Zone This includes information about DEC Regions 4, 5, 6 and portions of Region 3 and the Saratoga-Capital District, Thousand Islands and Adirondack Park Regions of OPRHP.
Saratoga Spa State Park. Page 14 Phone 518-584-2535 “The gentle terrain offers picnic areas, shady streamside trails, suitable for the nature-lover or the casual walker…” Call to inquire about possible obstacles.
Wellesley Island State Park Page 17 Phone 315-482-2722
Friendship Trail 0.125 mile

Southern Zone This includes information about DEC Regions 1, 2, 3 and portions of Region 4 and the Long Island, New York City, Taconic, Palisades and Catskill Park Regions of OPRHP.

Central Zone This includes information about and OPRHP’s Central and Finger Lakes Regions.
Selkirk Shores State Park Page 58 Phone 315-298-5737 “The cross-country ski trails follow generally flat and gently rolling terrain, providing easy skiing for the novice and easy walking for the day hiker.”

Western Zone This includes information about DEC’s
Region 8, all of Region 9 and OPRHP’s Genesee, Niagara Frontier and Allegany Regions.

Other Trail information This includes information on long distance trails and canal trails.
Black Pond Wildlife Management Area
This 526 acre WMA in Jefferson County is “…a natural wetland complex consisting of a barrier beach, dune, open water, emergent marsh, and wooded/shrub swamp. ”
Here is the WMA’s website. Phone 315-785-2263 Map
Accessible 0.4 mile “passing through woodland, wetland and dune areas, ending on the Lake Ontario shoreline. The trail also provides opportunities for wildlife observation, a fishing pier, and an observation deck.”
Burnt-Rossman Hills State Forest
Burnt-Rossman Hills State Forest consists of 10,568 acres, managed for multiple uses including timber production, watershed protection, wildlife habitat, and recreation.
Here is the Forest website. Phone 607-652-3692 Map Looking Glass Pond map There are “2 accessible trails, both located around Looking Glass Pond. One trail is 0.4 miles long and winds its way through the forest on the northwest side of the pond. The other trail is 0.1 mile on the eastern side of the pond and leads to an accessible observation deck located on the eastern side of the pond.”
Carters Pond Wildlife Management Area
Carters Pond is a 446.5 acre Wildlife Management Area and a Bird Conservation Area.
Here is the Area website. Phone 518-623-1273 Map
Nature Trail 0.5 mile of a 1 mile trail. The trail accesses a elevated viewing platform. “The accessible loop trail goes through several habitat areas, providing views of wooded wetlands, upland forest, and the large marshy pond. The trail has a hardened stone dust surface and includes a boardwalk, several foot bridges, and ample passing spaces.”
“A shorter trail leads from the accessible parking area up a very slight grade to a point where it meets a wooden boardwalk with railings. The level board walk extends out toward the pond as the surrounding ground slopes fairly steeply down to the water’s edge. The short board walk ends at a small deck with railings that allows room for a wheelchair to turn around. The viewing platform at the end of the boardwalk provides a pleasant bird’s eye view of the pond.”
Catskill Park and Forest Preserve
The Preserve is 287,500 acres of state land within the Catskill Park. “These public lands are primarily forested, but also include meadows, lakes, rivers, wetlands, waterfalls, cliffs, and many species of fish, wildlife, and plant life.”
Here are the websites for Catskill Preserve and for Catskill Park Interpretive Center. Phone for the Catskill Interpretive Center 845-688-3369 Map and Guide
Catskill Hikes The guide suggests you “Call DEC’s Regional Access Coordinators or the Universal Access Program in Albany at 518-402-9428 for trip-planning information.”
Here is the “Catskill Adventure”, a list of 18 suggested hikes for families. A few of these are short with small elevation gains of 300′ or less and might be suitable for you.
#13, Alder Lake 1 mile is described as “gentle, mostly level, old road/trail around the lake. ”
Lower Birch Creek Rd. has a wheelchair-accessible path around a pond
Chautauqua Gorge State Forest
Chautauqua Gorge State Forest consists of 538 acres in Chautauqua County. “Numerous wildlife species can be found here, including white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, raccoon, and turkey. There are also occasional fox, mink and bear sightings. A variety of songbirds can be found, especially near heavily harvested areas where there is thick seedling-sapling cover.”
Here is the Forest website. Phone 716-363-2052 Map
There is an accessible ¼-mile loop trail made of crushed stone. The trail head is located at the picnic area.
Edgewood Oak Brush Plains Preserve
Edgewood Oak Brush Plains Preserve at Edgewood is an 813-acre property in the Pine Barren forest. There are more than 23.5 miles of trails and paved/unpaved roads.
Here is the Preserve website. Phone 631-444-0270 Map
“There are 4 routes, Old Commack Rd, Edgewood Oak Brush Plains PFAR, North of Airfield Rd., and Flyers Road, which bisect the property the center of the property that are universal access trails and allow motorized access for people with mobility impairments.” A permit is required through DEC.
Edgewood Blue Hiking Trail 2.7-mile loop “easy walk through the pine barren forest.” Hiking is also allowed on all the area’s paved and unpaved roads.
Five Ponds and Pepperbox Wildernesses
“The 107,230-acre Five Ponds Wilderness and the 23,816-acre Pepperbox Wilderness are part of the Adirondack Forest Preserve.”
Here is the website for the wildernesses. Phone 315-265-3090 Map Five Ponds Wilderness -East Map Five Ponds Wildnerness – West Map Pepperbox Wilderness
Sand Pond Accessible Trail 800′ trail leading from Main Haul Road to Sand Pond in the Pepperbox Wilderness. “It passes through a woodland setting, crossing two small wetland areas over an elevated wooden boardwalk as it winds along toward the lake shoreline. There is a lake view available at the end of the trail.”
Five Rivers Environmental Education Center
Five Rivers Environmental Education Center is a living museum comprising over 450 acres of fields, forests, and wetlands in Albany County.
Here is their website Phone 518-475-0291 Nature Trails
Nature’s Accessible Backyard Trail 0.25 mile loop with shortcut options

Woodlot Trail 0.25 mile loop with shortcut option

Old Field Trail 0.5 mile with shortcut options “…gentle grades over grass and wood chip surfaces…”
Service Road Loop 1.5 mile “…seldom-used service road of gentle grades over grass and gravel surfaces…”

There are several other trails which might be within your ability. Call or check at the Visitor Center.

Local

Harrier Hill Park
Harrier Hill Park is in the City of Hudson, Columbia County.
Named for the Harrier hawks, which can often be seen here, this small park has sweeping views of the Catskill Mountains and the Hudson River. ” The surrounding fields, also protected by Scenic Hudson, support a wide variety of birds…”
Here is the Park website. Trail Map
A short, universally accessible trail leads from the parking area past a farm pond to the pavilion.
? The first half-mile or so of the 2 mile Stockport-Greenport trail is on a flat contour and looks as though it might be easy. Try calling Scenic Hudson in Poughkeepsie for more information 845-473-4440.
Hudson Highlands Gateway Park –
Located in Cortlandt, Westchester County, this 352 acre site has a network of 4 trails, totaling more than 4.9 miles, rambling through woodlands, meadows and around ponds and offers several options for scenic loop hikes including a one-mile loop that is partly handicap accessible.
Here is the Park Brochure with Trail Map. Map with History.
Annsville Creek Trail approx. 1 hr. “This trail starts at Doris Lee Dr. and is universally accessible to the Pond Overlook. It travels by Annsville Creek, which contains breeding trout populations. Fishing is allowed. A sensitive wetland area surrounds the creek.”
Tifft Nature Preserve
Tifft Nature Preserve, associated with the Buffalo Museum of Science, is on the Outer Harbor. There are 264 acres of restored habitat with five miles of trails and boardwalks.
Here is their website. Phone 716-825-6397 Map
Other sources have described the trails as easy and they are all short. They do look easy from the photographs, but you should call first to be sure since there is no rating on the website.

Private

Beaver Meadow Audubon Center
“Beaver Meadow is a 324-acre nature preserve in North Java, NY. The preserve features its namesake beaver meadow with its associated ponds, glacial kettle ponds, wetlands with a boardwalk trail, wooded uplands, meadows, a hawk watch, an arboretum, and eight miles of marked and groomed trails.”
Here is the Center website. Trail map. Phone 585-457-3228 Here is the facebook page for Buffalo Audubon Society.
There are a lot of short and long trails here, but difficulty is not given other than the boardwalk. Some of these trails look easy, but call or check with the Visitor Center first.
Jenny Glen Boardwalk – short but length is not on the map.
Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery and Aquarium
Here is their website. Phone 516 692-6768
“The largest living collection of New York State freshwater turtles, fish and amphibians housed in two buildings and eight outdoor ponds.” I have written them about accessibility and will change this post when I learn more.
Jamestown Audubon Nature Center
Jamestown’s Audubon Community Nature Center is a “600-acre wetland preserve that includes over five miles of trails, a native tree arboretum, picnic areas, a natural play space, and educational gardens…”
Here is the Center’s website. Trail map and information. Phone 716-569-2345
In response to my inquiry on trails, the Center wrote, “We have a paved trail that goes to an overlook that is pretty accessible. The other trails are flat, though grassy or wood-chipped and may or may not be totally level. Inside the building, we have an elevator, and a chair lift that gives access to all of our exhibits.
Overlook Trail 0.6 mile, paved.

Spatterdock Trail about 1 mile.

Big Pond Trail about 2 miles.
Pfeiffer Nature Center
Pfeiffer Nature Center is over 676 acres in rural, southwestern New York State. The Nature Center has two properties. The Lillibridge Property includes 20 acres of rare, old-growth forest and has six miles of marked foot-trails pass through a variety of forest ecotypes, such as coniferous and mixed deciduous forests. Here is a brochure with map of the Lillibridge Property.
Their other property is the Eshelman Property. Here is a map.
Here is the Pfeiffer enter website.
Griffin’s Way 0.18 mile one way An easy wooded trail leads you through some of the oldest trees here, primarily eastern hemlock and white pine.
Wendy’sTrail 0.2 mile one way from the kiosk to deep in the woods.

Emery 0.43 mile one way ” This path starts down at our beautiful timber frame pavilion in the meadow & takes you deep into the woods…”
Bullhead Run 0.26 mile round trip through the meadow and by a pond.

Hawthorn Lane 0.14 mile one way “…a great place to see plants and animals that like transitional scrub areas.”

Miscellaneous

Nature For The Blind has a directory of Braille trails for almost every state in the US and for many other countries.
The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference has a searchable site for finding hiking trails. By choosing “Handicap Accessible” I came up with a list of links to nine Accessible trails
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy lists wheelchair accessible trails in New York.