National Parks Offer Affordable And Accessible Fun

N ational parks and family         campground has a level campsite,   vacations just seem to go       accessible parking and an          hand in hand. In fact, most     accessible bathroom. Some          people over the age of 35 have at     national parks go a bit further    least one fond childhood memory       and have specialty campsites. For  of a national park family             example, Rocky Mountain National   vacation. Today, many parents         Park offers accessible back        long to recreate that magical         country camping at the Handicamp   childhood vacation experience         at Sprague Lake.                   with their own children; but at                                          the same time they worry about        Some national parks also have      appropriate access. Are our           lodges or hotels within the park.  national parks really                 Although these facilities are      wheelchair-accessible? The answer     required to be accessible under    is a qualified "yes." Access          Section 504 of the Rehabilitation  varies from park to park, so          Act of 1973, accessible rooms are  advance planning is a must;           often limited and difficult to     however, generally speaking most      reserve. Sometimes the best        national parks are a great choice     option is to look for accessible   for accessible and affordable         lodging close to a national park.  family fun.                           On the plus side, lodging located                                        just outside of national parks is  Finding appropriate accessible        usually cheaper than the in-park   lodging is a prime concern for        choices.                           many national park visitors.                                             Camping is the traditional way to     Accessible facilities and trails   enjoy a national park, and some       vary from park to park, but most   national parks have accessible        parks offer at least an            campsites. Most often,                accessible visitors center. Many   "accessible," means the               parks also offer accessible        interpretive trails near the          spots and benches along the way.   visitors center. Some parks, like     Indeed, for the first time there   the Everglades go a bit further.      is barrier-free access to the      Although this park is composed        base of Yosemite Falls.            largely of swamp and marsh areas,                                        there are a number accessible         Crater Lake National Park has      boardwalk trails throughout the       varied accessibility; and the      Everglades, including the Anhinga     wheelchair-accessible Rim Village  Trail. This half-mile boardwalk       Trail and Watchman Overlook        winds through sawgrass pines and      provide stunning views of the      is home to a wealth of bird life.     lake. And over in the Great Smoky  It's also a great place to get an     Mountains National Park, visitors  up-close-and-personal look at the     can walk or roll along the Cades   resident alligators.                  Cove Loop on Wednesday and                                               Saturday mornings from May until   Over in Yosemite National Park,       September. During this time, this  the newest access upgrade was         11 mile loop is closed to          unveiled in April 2005 -- the         automobile traffic; and it's one   culmination of the massive            of the most scenic trails in the   ten-year $13.5 million Yosemite       park. And Although the natural     Falls Restoration Project.            entrance to Carlsbad Caverns is    Designed by the same landscape        not accessible, visitors can       architect who worked on the FDR       reach the Big Room by elevator.    Memorial in Washington DC, the        This huge cavern has spectacular   project includes a new 3/4-mile       rock formations, and a large       paved trail to the bridge at          section of it is                   lower Yosemite Falls. The gentle      wheelchair-accessible              grade allows for                                                         wheelchair-access and the wide        No matter which national park you  trail has many pull outs, resting     choose to visit, advance research  is a must. The best place to          well-versed in access issues       start is on the National Park         because his sister is a            Service website (which is NPS dot     wheelchair-user. Remember, it      gov). Some parks have access          never hurts to ask about access.   information listed, while others      You might just be surprised by     only have contact phone numbers.      the answers you get.               Sometimes you just have to pick                                          up the phone and talk directly        Finally, don't forget about the    with a park employee to find out      America the Beautiful Access       about access.                         Pass, which you can find at the                                          NPS website, it's a lifetime pass  Park rangers can also be a good       for free admission to all          source of access information. For     national parks, monuments,         example, even though I've             historic sites, recreation areas   frequented Yosemite National Park     and wildlife refuges. This money   for over 40 years, last year a        saving pass is available free to   park ranger clued me in about the     any US resident with a permanent   access at Washburn Point. Located     disability, and it can be          just a half mile below Glacier        obtained at any National Park      Point, Washburn Point is nicely       entrance. Don't leave home         accessible, has spectacular views     without your America the           and is less crowded than nearby       Beautiful Access Pass.             Glacier Point. The ranger was          About the Author: Candy Harrington covers accessible travel and is the author of 101 Accessible Vacations; Travel Ideas for Wheelers and Slow Walkers. Visit Accessible Vacations, or her blog, Barrier Free Travels. Published At: www.Isnare.com