Author: Cecilia

Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary – Northampton, MA

Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary
Massachusetts Audubon’s Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary encompasses 724 acres ad has 4 miles of trails, including the Braille-signed Sensory Trail.  “Spanning Easthampton and Northampton, Arcadia’s diverse terrain (forest, meadows, grasslands, marsh, and wetlands) attracts an extraordinary variety of wildlife. You will also find a thriving population of wildflowers…”  Phones 413-584-3009, 800-710-4550.  Here is their website.
Wheelchair AccessibleSensory Trail  850′ universally accessible with “… interpretation available in seasonal audio tours, large print, Braille, and tactile formats.”

Town of Manchester

Town of Manchester
Manchester’s Union Pond Park “features an accessible stone dust path that winds through this small park on the south side of North School Street (across from Robertson Park and School). Encompassing about five and a half acres, and including a pond with fishing pier, used for fishing and non-motorized boating, the park is designed with special features for wheelchair users and the visually impaired.  Here is a list with links to information about Manchester Trails.   About 11 of these are described as “easy”.  The phone for the Recreation Division is 860-647-3084.

Wheelchair Accessibleeyelogo copyUnion Park Accessible Trail  – 0.5 mile. This accessible trail has signs in raised-Braille that give clues to the special nature of the plant and animal life in the area.

Long Wharf Nature Preserve

Long Wharf Nature Preserve
Long Wharf Nature Preserve is managed by the (New Haven Land Trust).  It lies just off I-95 and fronts on New Haven Harbor.  The upland is a “grassland and a small woodland dominated by tall cottonwood trees.”  ” The tidal wetland and dune area accreted over the 50 years since I-95 was constructed. At low tide, the preserve encompasses approximately 15 acres, from mud flat to dune to salt marsh to upland.”   Map   Here is the website for the preserve.  The Land Trust’s phone is 203-562-6655.  Here is the website for the Land Trust.    Facebook page for Long Wharf
Wheelchair AccessibleParts of this area are wheelchair accessible, but not all.  Contact the Land Trust to learn more.

Centennial Watershed State Forest

Centennial Watershed State Forest
Centennial Watershed State Forest encompasses 15,300 acres providing opportunities for hiking, fishing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and birding. About 90% of the land is in Fairfield County, with the rest in Litchfield, New Haven, and Hartford Counties.  Centennial has an accessible fishing dock.  Permits for physically challenged and seniors are free.  Here is their website.    Phone 203-452-3511.
Wheelchair Accessible  The Saugatuck Universal Access Trail  is a 500 feet long trail that ends at a platform overlooking the Saugatuck Reservoir.  It is open from sunrise to sunset.  Its construction was funded by the Wheels In The Woods Foundation.   Map

Wharton Brook State Park

Wharton Brook State Park – “Located on wooded, sandy knolls, Wharton Brook offers solitude for a quiet, peaceful picnic.”  The park is on Route 5 near Wallingford.  Here is their website.  Map  Phone 203-287-5658  The park is currently (September, 2018) closed due to storm damage.  
? This park has some short loop trails that look like they may be easy walking.  Call first to learn difficulty and current conditions.

West Rock Ridge State Park

West Rock Ridge State Park
West Rock Ridge State Park near Hamden and New Haven rises to 627 feet above mean sea level, and is a prominent feature of the New Haven area.  From the summit there are views of New Haven Harbor and Long Island Sound.   There is accessible parking at the summit.  Here is the DEEP’s official website for the park and another, very useful one.  The latter website contains a User Guide  and an Overview of Trails.   Map     Phones 860-424-3200      203-287-5658
? There is an “easy beginner’s hike”  1.6 miles around Lake Wintergreen.

Wheelchair Accessible?? “The Red Trail is suitable for wheelchair access, if the wheelchair has oversized tires designed for a gravel surface.”  I put the question marks in because another place in the website describes the Red Trail as steep and rocky with stone steps.  Call the park to see if there really is a trail suitable for wheelchairs.

 

Stratton Brook State Park

Stratton Brook State Park –
Wheelchair AccessibleStratton Brook State Park in Simsbury (near Hartford) is a completely wheelchair accessible park offering swimming, fishing, picnicking, hiking, and interpretive programs.  Stratton Brook is a designated Trout Park.  Pets on a leash are permitted in picnic areas and on hiking trails.  Pets are not allowed on the beach.  Phone 860-242-1158  Here is their website.  There are many trails, all of them accessible.  Trail Map