Many National Parks feature accessible trails, campsites and other lodging options. So although you can't exactly ramp Mother Nature, these U.S. treasures are still very inviting to wheelchair-users and slow walkers. Additionally, with the newly revamped Access Pass, a National Park visit is also a very affordable vacation choice.
New Name -- Same Great Benefits
Formerly the Golden Access Passport, the National Parks pass for disabled visitors got a major face lift last year. Renamed the "America the Beautiful Access Pass", and upgraded from paper to plastic; this lifetime pass offers a bevy of National Park discounts and freebies to folks with a permanent disability.
Applying for an Access Pass is easy, but it can only be done in person at a National Park entrance. Be sure and bring along documentation of your disability, such as a doctor's statement or a letter from a federal or state agency. There's no charge to apply for the pass, and it's good for free admission (for the pass holder and up to three adults) to all National Parks and other federal recreation sites. Pass holders also receive a 50% discount on expanded park amenities, such as camping, swimming and boat launch fees. And, if you still have an old Golden Access Passport, it can be easily exchanged for the new plastic card.
Experience Yosemite's Grandeur
With your Access Pass in hand, you'll save a whopping $20 on entrance fees alone at Yosemite National Park (tel. 209/372-0200; www.nps.gov/yose); a park that's filled with breathtaking scenery and brimming with access upgrades. From the barrier-free pathway to Glacier Point, to the wheelchair-accessible trail at Happy Isles Nature Center; there's something to suit just about every taste.
The newest access improvement in the park is the barrier-free trail to Lower Yosemite Falls. Designed by the same landscape architect who worked on the FDR Memorial in Washington, D.C., this wide-level trail offers unobtrusive access to Lower Yosemite Falls. You can wheel right up and feel the spray on your face. Additionally, this loop trail serves a dual purpose. Not only does it make Yosemite Falls accessible to everyone, but by its very design it also helps ease overcrowding at this popular valley landmark. It just makes viewing the falls a more pleasant experience for everyone.
Camp Out or Sleep In -- The Choice is Yours
National Parks also offer a wide range of accessible lodging options. For example, if you'd like to sleep out under the stars, then head to the back-country camping area at Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park (tel. 970/586-1206; www.nps.gov/room). It can be reached via an accessible trail and it includes an accessible vault toilet, a picnic table and a fire ring with a grill.
At the other end of the spectrum, there's Grand Canyon National Park (tel. 928/638-7888; www.nps.gov/grca) which offers a wide range of accessible guest rooms in their park lodges. Thunderbird Lodge and Yavapi Lodge feature accessible guests rooms with roll-in showers, while El Tovar and Kachina Lodge have several with tub/shower combinations and grab bars. Maswik Lodge offers accessible bathrooms in either configuration. And all of the accessible guest rooms include good pathway access, wide doorways, grab bars around the toilet and roll-under sinks.
Best of all, Xanterra Properties holds these rooms till the last possible day, so disabled guests have ample opportunity to book them. It's a great choice for folks who enjoy nature, but prefer some of the creature comforts of life.
Candy Harrington is the editor of Emerging Horizons and the author of 101 Accessible Vacations; Travel Ideas for Wheelers and Slow Walkers. She blogs regularly about accessible travel issues at www.barrierfreetravels.com.
