Find YOUR path
Thanks to Blue Hill Heritage Trust (BHHT) in Maine for sharing examples of trail improvements
Accessibility & Beyond
Disability is a spectrum.
Cyclists and horses render natural trails unusable to walkers with mobility challenges. Read more.
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Understanding Trail Effort is key to building the overall fitness of those with disabilities. Read more.
Disability is a spectrum
Instead of just identifying people as having or not having a disability, think of a spectrum of disability. Consider how Margot (then 12 years old) and her grandmother (then 86 years old) enjoyed the spectacular High Line trail in New York on Christmas in 2012. This particular section is most easily reached using stairs
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Margot's disabilities include some Cerebral Palsy but she does not use a wheelchair and so she can manage stairs with help.
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Her grandmother does not have a disability per se but at her age would be uncomfortable on a rocky natural trail. And she especially appreciates an accessible path with Margot leaning on her arm for support
So this section of the High Line meets their needs individually, and especially when walking together.
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Categorizing trails as either meeting or not meeting UA standards does not help those with mobility challenges who want to plan outings to build their capacity for a greater range of trails. Instead, we advocate for thinking of trails on a spectrum of accessibility or usability:​
Paths with a paved, wood, or gravel that meet all UA standards as a Universal Access Trail along their entire length get a trail grade of A.
Natural trails that meet UA standards except for surfaces - i.e., but they have a dirt or grass surface that is typically firm - get a trail grade of A-.
Other natural trails approach UA standards - e.g., A- trails with sections that fall just short of one standard get a trail grade of B.
For example, instead of simply labelling the Penndell Trail in White Clay Creek Preserve (pictured here) as entirely inaccessible, we identify the isolated sections with specific features (like the rocks and roots seen here) that barely exceed UA standards. These might be stressful for people with certain types of disability without barring them completely from enjoying the trail.​
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Progressive Access
For example, instead of simply labelling the Penndell Trail in White Clay Creek Preserve (pictured here) as entirely inaccessible, we identify the isolated sections with specific features (like the rocks and roots seen here) that barely exceed UA standards. These might be stressful for people with certain types of disability without barring them completely from enjoying the trail.​
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Trail Effort
For example, instead of simply labelling the Penndell Trail in White Clay Creek Preserve (pictured here) as entirely inaccessible, we identify the isolated sections with specific features (like the rocks and roots seen here) that barely exceed UA standards. These might be stressful for people with certain types of disability without barring them completely from enjoying the trail.​
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Trail Stress
For example, instead of simply labelling the Penndell Trail in White Clay Creek Preserve (pictured here) as entirely inaccessible, we identify the isolated sections with specific features (like the rocks and roots seen here) that barely exceed UA standards. These might be stressful for people with certain types of disability without barring them completely from enjoying the trail.​
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Create accessible experiences
Start to look beyond the trail itself to the overall experience.
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How does it connect everyone with nature?
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Is it long enough to offer real exercise?
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Is it a destination worth an hour's drive?
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Can it be used in all seasons and conditions?
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Does it offer a range of challenges matching each user's needs and interests?
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Does it include all the other amenities that keep everyone comfortable?
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Could it support a group visit?
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What checks all of these boxes? Imagine a wooded trail meeting UA standards 1 to 2 miles long that overlooks a creek or lake or offers a beautiful view, with resting places along the trail, and a trailhead that offers a gathering place, accessible restrooms, and more challenging trail options. We recommend that County and State planners prioritize projects that create these kinds of options.​
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Connecting users with nature - A UA trail around a field gets users outside but offers little else. What about trails that immerse you in the sights, sounds, or smells of nature. A babbling brook in pine forest made fragrant by the summer sun is a special place. Margot loves to walk trails by quiet streams, like this section of the White Clay Creek Preserve.
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Offers real exercise - Some planners might feel that they can check the accessibility box with a 1/4 or 1/2 mile UA trail around a field. But more experienced users looking for real exercise will need more. We recommend aiming for a trail that is at least 1 to 2 miles long. The 1.25 mile Oversee Farm Trail pictured here, Margot's go to trail for regular exercise because its steep grades takes her about an hour to complete.
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Worth the trip - Some trails are destinations worth driving an hour and then walking. BHHT's Peter Clapp Trail was designed around this spectacular view.
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Use year round - We love wooded trails! While the right clothing allows you to hike in all but the coldest months, nothing can protect you from the sun and heat of a mid-summer day better than a wooded trail. Wooded trails like this one in Harmony Hill Nature Preserve offer their own unique magic in the fall.
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A range of challenges - Having a range of trails leaving from a single trailhead or branching off of a UA trail gives hikers options for a more challenging experience, or groups of hikers with different interests and abilities. For example, Harmony Hill Nature Area (pictured here) has different trails branching off of the East Branch Brandywine Trail, a shared use path that itself includes sections with different difficulty levels.
Include all other basic amenities - Accessible parking and bathrooms at the trailhead can make a big difference, especially for destinations drawing hikers from long distances.​
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Useable by groups - Planning a meaningful outing for a group of users with different needs (like a special education class or adult day program) is challenging! Trails that connect people with nature and offer real exercise, with trailheads that include basic amenities and link to a range of trails can sometimes meet the needs of groups like these. Even better? A trailhead with a gathering place like a picnic pavilion and parking that can accommodate a school bus - like the Yorklyn Trail pictured here.
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