Removing Obstacles: On the Road to Accessible National Parks

Visitors examine a park's Wayside Exhibit for accessibility.

The Denver Service Center Planning Division (DSC-Planning) helps parks ensure their services, activities, and programs are accessible and inclusive to all. Their efforts help enable visitors with accessibility needs to be as independent as possible within parks, and assist parks to provide the same high-quality experience to all visitors.

What started as a single planning effort at Point Reyes National Seashore in 2014 has since expanded to 36 parks across the country. In collaboration with parks and regional offices, 17 accessibility transition plans have been completed, 19 are in process, and at least 28 additional are planned by the year 2025. These working documents are tied to park work orders, and they continue to evolve to more effectively support park operations.

“Accessibility planning sets the framework for parks to improve accessibility as part of major projects. At Point Reyes National Seashore, construction is currently underway to restore the Point Reyes lighthouse, which includes accessibility upgrades to parking areas, the historic pedestrian route, to the visitor center and to restrooms, and to an observation deck that terminates at the top of the historic lighthouse stairs. New exhibits at the visitor center and viewing platform will include tactile models and exterior waysides with braille, digital flipbooks with open captions via iPads, audio described translations of all new exhibits, and information will be made available in large print format for download or for visitors on-site,” said Patricia Brouillette, Pacific West Regional project manager.

For many park staffs, accessibility is something to strive for; they often understand the benefits but are overwhelmed by the scale, possible impacts, and unknown costs. The DSC-Planning process trains staff to think differently about accessibility, where simple improvements may open up new opportunities and experiences for visitors with disabilities. Fully realizing universal accessibility is a marathon not a sprint, and there is more to making a park accessible than ramps and accessible programs. Providing all visitors an enjoyable experience has a lot to do with attitude. Through education and accessibility training, park staff gain an appreciation of the needs of individuals with disabilities and a desire to help them overcome barriers. Going beyond the compliance work, the planning team invites park staff into the field to help assess the accessibility of the park and to understand what it means to have a universal approach to accessibility.

Colin Heffern, a landscape architect with DSC-Planning, is impressed with the knowledge and interest of park staff. “Staff are excited to learn what makes an accessible experience. It’s inspiring seeing them jump all in during assessment training!”

Providing accessible facilities and programs takes a multidisciplinary approach, proper planning, good design, steady communication, and regular maintenance, along with consistent involvement by the disabled community. They must not only accommodate park visitors today, but continue to serve them long-term.

DSC-Planning continues to be involved in other accessibility efforts as well, from assisting with a nationwide effort to provide universal accessible experiences, to coordinating with the Washington accessibility office to incorporate accessibility into facility assessments. Each of these projects helps one more person enjoy a life-changing experience and brings the National Park Service (NPS) one step closer to a system without barriers.

Check out some amazing accessible public lands across America (blog).