Silvio O. Conte National Wildlife Refuge<\/strong>
\n“This refuge is comprised of over 36,000 acres within parts of the four watershed states of New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut….
\nThe refuge includes\u00a0nine divisions and nine units<\/span><\/a> that represent a wide variety of unique habitats such as: northern forest valuable as nesting habitat for migrant thrushes, warblers and other birds; rivers and streams used by shad, salmon, herring and other migratory fishes; and an internationally significant complex of high-quality tidal fresh, brackish and salt marshes. Many opportunities exist for visitors to explore the diverse landscapes of the Connecticut River watershed.”
\n Brochure<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 Here is the Refuge website.<\/a>\u00a0 Thank you to S. M. Burk for sending a correction for the link.<\/p>\n

$\"Wheelchair$ <\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0A one-mile long, universally accessible birding and natural trail is located at the Fort River division<\/a>.
\nVermont
\n $\"Wheelchair$ <\/a> Mollie Beattie Bog boardwalk<\/a>. is a 200 foot self-guided interpretive trail.<\/p>\n

New Hampshire
\n $\"Wheelchair$ <\/a>Mud Pond Trail 0.6 mile<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n
<\/a>State<\/h2>\n
Vermont State Parks
\n<\/strong>Here is the website<\/a> for information on the over 30 Vermont State Parks open until mid-October.\u00a0 Searchable map of Vermont State Parks<\/a>. \u00a0You can select amenities such as “trails” or “universal access” to narrow the search. There are links to each state park.
\n<\/strong>Vermont State Parks Hiking Trails<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0This site lists the trails and gives maps for each state park. Length, estimated hiking time, trail difficulty and whether or not a trail is considered “kid-friendly” is given for each trail. \u00a0Here is the same information on a printable PDF<\/a>.
\n Nature Trails in Vermont State Parks<\/a>\u00a0 Descriptions of six short interpretive nature trails. \u00a0Accessibility is not addressed.
\n Accessibility in Vermont Sate Parks<\/a><\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>
Brighton State Park
\n<\/strong>“The outstanding attraction of this area is its remoteness: mountains with tree-covered slopes, fast running streams, and clear lakes. “
\n<\/strong>Here is the Park website<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0Phone 802-723-4360 \u00a0 Campground Map & Guide<\/a>
\n $\"Wheelchair$ <\/a>Boreal Forest Trail<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a00.4 mile<\/p>\n
$\"\"$ <\/a>Easy walking trails include Red Pine Trail .33 mi., Main Trail .5 mi., Logger’s Loop .25 mi., and Shore Trail .40 mi.\u00a0 Call ahead to determine if these trails are easy enough for your capability.<\/p>\n
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Camel’s Hump State Park
\n<\/strong>“Camel\u2019s Hump State Park does not have an entrance or office. It spans five towns and can be accessed from numerous undeveloped parking lots and trails.”
\nHere is the Park website<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0Phone 802-879-6565\u00a0 Map<\/a>
\n $\"Wheelchair$ Camel’s Hump View Trail \u00a0This loop is 0.8 mile long and ADA complaint. It is “wide and flat, and has three viewing spots to the summit of Camel’s Hump – it’s perfect for small kids and elders.”<\/p>\n
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Elmore State Park\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>
\nElmore State Park includes Lake Elmore and Elmore Mountain.
\nHere is the Park website.<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 Phone \u00a0802-888-2982\u00a0 Map and Guide<\/a>
\n?\u00a0<\/strong>Mountain Brook Nature Trail \u00a0is 0.5 mile and said to be easy. \u00a0Call ahead to be sure.
\n\u00a0? \u00a0<\/strong>Beaver Trail is mentioned by \u00a0<\/strong>VisitNewEngland\u00ae.com<\/a>\u00a0which says it is 0.5 mile and easy. \u00a0However, this trail is not shown\u00a0on the Campground Map & Guide.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>
Groton State Forest
\n<\/strong>“Groton State Forest is home to seven state parks, the Groton Nature Center, and eight lakes and ponds.\u00a0 Groton State Forest is also home to several state-designated natural areas, such as Peacham Bog Natural Area (748 acres) and Lords Hill Natural Area (25 acres). ”
\nHere is the Forest website<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0Phone Nature center at 802-584-3827 or try 617-642-5740
\n $\"Wheelchair$ <\/a>Kettle Pond<\/a> ADA trail to boat launch is “short”.\u00a0 The “easy” walk around the pond is 3.1 miles, but the south end is described as rocky and wet.
\n $\"\"$ Groton Nature Trail<\/a> \u00a00.6 mile. A self-guided nature trail through diverse woods from the Nature Center.\u00a0 \u00a0There are several other short, easy trails in Groton State Forest, which includes seven state parks. \u00a0Check with the Nature Center for more information.<\/p>\n
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Jamaica State Park
\n<\/strong>“Jamaica State Park is located on a bend of the West River about one-half mile from the center of the town of Jamaica.”
\n<\/strong>Here is the Park website<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0Phone 802-874-4600 \u00a0 Trails Guide<\/a>
\n $\"Wheelchair$ West River Trail<\/a>\u00a0 The 2 miles from the park entrance to Cobb Bridge are universally-accessible.\u00a0 The whole rail-trail is 16 miles. The trail meanders along the West River, following the old bed of the West River Railroad.<\/p>\n
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Waterbury Center State Park
\n<\/strong>Waterbury State Park is located on a 90-acre peninsula and contains picnic and paddle-to campsites, a swimming beach, a nature trail and two accessible fishing platforms.
\nHere is the Park website<\/a>.\u00a0 Phone \u00a0802-244-1226 \u00a0They are closed in the winter.\u00a0 Map and Guide<\/a>
\n $\"Wheelchair$ <\/a>Peninsula Nature Trail<\/a>\u00a0 0.5 mile was made universally accessible in 2010.\u00a0 It now includes two accessible fishing platforms. Call ahead to be sure of this trail.\u00a0 The website is a bit confusing.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n
<\/a>Local<\/h2>\n
City of Lebanon<\/strong> \u00a0 Phone \u00a0603-448-5121
\n $\"Wheelchair$ Riverfront Trail \u00a0at Riverside Park Pavilion & Skatepark<\/a>\u00a0 Trail length is not given.
\nAlana Cole Conservation Area has an easy 0.5 mile trail \u00a0Map & Guide<\/a>
\n“…on the banks of the Connecticut River. It is an out-and-back trail, with a river loop at the outer end, all in the woods. At the far end of the loop, there are nice views of the river and some log benches.<\/p>\n
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Middlebury Area Land Trust\u00a0 <\/strong>
\n“We have created nearly 30 miles of trails to make a complete loop around Middlebury with 2 bridges that span Otter Creek, and a spur trail heading to Snake Mountain. We are working with the National Park Service and North Country Trail Association to connect the TAM with the North Country National Scenic Trail and the Long Trail. We have conserved over 3,500 acres of land, farms, forests, wetlands and recreational areas. We hold 22 easements and own four properties and one fa\u00e7ade easement.”
\nHere is the Land Trust’s website<\/a>.\u00a0 Phone 802-388-1007
\n $\"Wheelchair$ \u00a0<\/strong>Otter View Park<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a00.5 mile “Otter View Park is 16 acres of wetlands, scenic vistas, and opportunities to view wildlife. The primary walking path at the park is universally accessible and the boardwalk is ADA-accessible.”<\/p>\n
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Stowe
\n<\/strong>The city of Stowe maintains the Stowe Recreation Path, “… an internationally recognized greenway stretching from Stowe Village to Top Notch Resort on the Mountain Road….The trailcriss-crosses the West Branch of Little River. Breath-taking mountain views and access to restaurants, lodges and local businesses make the bike path one of the most popular recreation assets in Stowe.”
\nHere is Stowe’s website<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0Stowe’s hiking website<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0 Parks and Recreation phone 802-253-6148
\n“For more information on hiking in and around Stowe, contact us at 877-GO-STOWE for hiking maps and recommendations.”
\n $\"Wheelchair$ <\/a>\u00a0 Stowe Recreation Pat<\/a>h\u00a0 \u00a05.3 miles paved<\/p>\n
$\"Wheelchair$ Riverwalk<\/a> \u00a00.2 mile paved trail along the Little River. \u00a0It is not listed as ADA, but certainly looks like it should be accessible. \u00a0“Great views and easy terrain.”<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n
<\/a>Private<\/h2>\n
Equinox Preservation Trust
\n<\/strong>“Consisting of 914 acres on the slopes of Mt Equinox
\nin Manchester, the Trust “is the home to rare plants & varied wildlife, diversified woodlands, marble ledges, springs, wetlands and a pond. From the upper slopes, there are exceptional views.”
\n<\/strong>Here is the Trust website<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0Phone\u00a0<\/strong>802-366-1400 \u00a0Trails<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 Trail Map<\/a>
\nPond Loop 0.75 mile \u00a0“Easy loop through beautiful hardwoods around Equinox Pond on a level woods road.”<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>
Green Mountain Audubon Nature Center
\n<\/strong>“Nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains, the 250-acre Green Mountain Audubon Center offers outstanding opportunities for exploration and discovery of the natural world of Vermont.\u00a0 Five miles of trails wind their way through a variety of natural communities including, northern hardwood forest, hemlock swamp, and the Huntington River.”
\n \u00a0<\/strong>Trail Map<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Phone 802-434-3068\u00a0 Here is the Center website<\/a>.
\n Sensory Trail<\/a> \u00a00.5?\u00a0mile loop. \u00a0Information on the internet about length and elevation vary widely and this trail does not appear on the trail map. \u00a0Their office was closed when I called. \u00a0Be sure to call in advance, Monday through Friday.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>
Hazen’s Notch<\/a>\u00a0 – High Ponds Farm
\n<\/strong>The High Ponds Farm in the Hazen’s Notch area of Montgomery, Vermont is a privately owned nature preserve that is open to the public on a limited basis.<\/p>\n
The non-profit Hazen’s Notch Association “maintains a network of 15 miles of trails and woods roads for hiking in Summer and Fall. \u00a0These are part of a larger network of 40 miles of trails that are maintained in Winter for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the Hazen’s Notch\/Jay Peak area of northern Vermont.\u00a0 \u00a0The trails pass through a variety of interesting habitats that include meadows, forests, orchards, and beaver ponds.”
\nHere is the Farm website<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Here is a website for the Hazens’s Notch Association<\/a>
\nPhone 802-326-4799 \u00a0 Trail Map<\/a> (winter)\u00a0
\n<\/strong> $\"Wheelchair$ Beaver Ponds Trail – Distance not given. “The first section of the trail is almost completely flat from the parking area to the first beaver pond on the right. This pond is visible from the parking area. It is also a flat walk beyond this pond to the junction with the Window Rock Trail and for the next 100 meters to the wheel chair accessible bridge over Flood Brook.”<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>
Montshire Museum of Science
\n<\/strong>“The Montshire Museum of Science is a hands-on science museum in Norwich, Vermont.\u00a0Located on a 100-acre site along the Connecticut River, the Museum offers over 150 exhibits relating to the natural and physical sciences, ecology, and technology. The outdoor space includes miles of trails and David Goudy Science Park, which features water exhibits.
\nHere is their website<\/a>.\u00a0 Phone 802-649-2200 Trails<\/a>
\n<\/strong> $\"Wheelchair$ Meadow Walk 0.3 mile \u00a0“a demonstration plot for native grasses, an enriched riverside environment for birds and other animals, and the solar-powered Meadow Sounds Kiosk.”
\n $\"Wheelchair$ River Loop Trail \u00a00.8 mile \u00a0“…winds along the Connecticut River.”<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>
Raven Ridge Natural Area<\/strong>
\nThe Nature Conservancy’s Raven Ridge Natural Area, Moncton, Vermont has 15 diverse natural communities in its 365 acres.\u00a0 It is described as a “…craggy green oasis perched above a sea of civilization in the Champlain Valley.\u00a0 It remains a place where bobcats, ravens, and federally endangered Indiana bats find seclusion.”\u00a0 “The calcareous cliffs, outcrops and caves, vernal pools, shrub swamps, cattail marshes, seeps, plus streams like Lewis Creek, all offer extraordinary habitat. ”\u00a0 Thank you Lynn McNamara for alerting me to this accessible natural area.
\nHere is their website<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0Phone 802-229-4425
\n $\"Wheelchair$ <\/a>From Green Mountain Club<\/a>: “Traveling a 935-foot accessible boardwalk to a 0.3-mile-long accessible trail gives you a chance to spot bats, bobcats, and rare plants.”<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n
<\/a>Miscellaneous<\/h2>\n
Eshqua Bog Natural Area
\n<\/strong>“Eshqua Bog is a botanical wonderland of cold-climate holdovers\u2014small pockets of bog and a two acre fen\u2014from the post-glacial era 10,000 years ago. This preserve contains a diverse array of bog and fen plants: labrador tea, cotton grass, pitcher plants, showy lady’s slippers, larches and buckbean. “
\n<\/strong>Here is the Area website.<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Nature Conservancy \u00a0Phone 802-229-4425 or 802-884-8165
\n $\"Wheelchair$ Handicap Accessible Boardwalk 460′<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>
The Green Mountain Club<\/a><\/strong> has a wonderful list with links of 19 wheelchair accessible Trails in Vermont.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>
Hike New England<\/a><\/strong> \u00a0 This marvelous, searchable website lists hikes in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island\u00a0with information about\u00a0difficulty, length, elevation gain, and features. There are maps and photos for many of the hikes. \u00a0Using their Hike Finder, I did a search for Easy trails, 5 miles or less and came up with 51 trails! \u00a0 Be aware that Easy for them, might not be easy enough for you. \u00a0Once you come up with a page for a sanctuary, park, forest, whatever, it would be wise to call for trail conditions.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy<\/a> lists wheelchair accessible trails in Vermont.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>
The West River Trail
\n<\/strong>The WRT is a 36-mile scenic (former railbed) all-season trail through the West River Valley. When connected, sections of the trail will link Brattleboro, Dummerston, Newfane, Townshend, Jamaica and South Londonderry.<\/span>
\nHere is a website<\/a> for the trail.\u00a0 I don’t have a phone number for them.\u00a0 Here is the page with mailing addresses<\/a> for inquiries.\u00a0\u00a0
\n<\/strong>Lower Section Map<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 Map of Upper Section<\/a>
\n<\/strong> Description of the Lower Section from trailfinder<\/a>, “The trail is flat, well drained, and some sections have been surfaced with stone dust. It is popular with runners, bikers (mountain or hybrid bike recommended), families, and those seeking a leisurely stroll.”<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>
$\"Wheelchair$ <\/a>Trail Finder<\/strong>\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0 This wonderful site lets you plug in your parameters to come up with names and information on trails in Vermont and the Upper Valley of New Hampshire. \u00a0I put in “easy” and “wheelchair accessible” and brought up 25 trails in Vermont! \u00a0“Easy” and “nature and interpretive” brought up 24 trails, two in New Hampshire.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>
Upper Valley Trails Alliance<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong> This helpful searchable website lists trails by town. \u00a0There are descriptions and links to maps.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul> Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Vermont\u00a0has a number of trails with minimal obstacles. \u00a0Some are very easy and others are wheelchair accessible. \u00a0Here are just a few of them. These\u00a0links \u00a0were found through Internet search. \u00a0I would love some first-hand information. \u00a0\u00a0With your help, we can share our knowledge with disabled people everywhere and also increase awareness of the need … Continue reading Upper Valley Trails Alliance<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-129","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/129","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=129"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/129\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5885,"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/129\/revisions\/5885"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}