Six organizations, including the NFCT, have teamed up to launch the Vermont Trail Accessibility Hub, a collaborative initiative aimed at providing the resources and information needed to make Vermont’s trails more accessible to a wider number of individuals, especially those with physical disabilities and mobility challenges.
The Trail Accessibility Hub (TAH) is one of the 51 projects that received funding from the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC) Community Grant Program, which recently announced more than $6 million in grants for Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy, including several focused on increasing outdoor equity. Out of nearly 8,000 miles of trails and waterways in Vermont, only a fraction are truly accessible for people living with disabilities and experiencing mobility challenges. The Hub plans to use its $644,000 grant award to promote outdoor equity by increasing the resources needed to develop and promote accessible trails statewide.
“The Trail Accessibility Hub not only allows existing organizations and trail builders to scale up the efforts to improve mountain biking, water and pedestrian access to hundreds of locations across the state, it also allows us to more effectively learn from and coordinate with other organizations also working to enhance trail accessibility,” said Erin Fernandez, executive director of Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, a partner organization with the Trail Accessibility Hub. “The TAH will significantly accelerate both the rate at which we can make more of Vermont’s multipurpose trail networks ‘adaptive-friendly’ and help us solidify Vermont as an accessible outdoor recreation destination.”
Hub partners, including Vermont Trails & Greenways Council (VTGC), the Upper Valley Trails Alliance (UVTA), Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA), Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT), Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports (Vermont Adaptive), and Community Geographics will develop an online hub hosted on VTGC’s website that will include comprehensive guidelines for designing and maintaining accessible trails, information on grants and funding opportunities, networking and training opportunities and related events, and resources for trail managers and organizations looking to assess their current trail networks.
Earlier this year, the NFCT and the Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program of the National Parks Service partnered on a survey to better understand accessibility along the waterways of the Northern Forest region.
“We want to create waterway access that is inclusive and welcoming to everyone, regardless of ability,” said Alex Delhagen, the NFCT’s assistant trail director. “Over the years, our stewardship program has rehabilitated campsites, installed modern and user-friendly access points and implemented new technology along portage routes that protects against erosion and enhances safety. These projects represent progress, but we also understand we can do more to encourage all users to enjoy the water, whether they’re looking to spend multiple days paddling in the wilderness or a single afternoon fishing.”
Hub partners will offer 50 free, professional trail assessments to evaluate the accessibility of pedestrian, water access, and mountain bike trails. These comprehensive assessments will cover all aspects of the trail experience, including parking lots, bathrooms, water access and entryways, communications and kiosks, and of course, the trails themselves, providing actionable recommendations to enhance accessibility. VTGC is actively accepting applications for assessments that will be completed in 2024 and 2025. More details can be found at vermonttgc.org/trail-accessibility-hub.
A third pillar of this project is major enhancements to the Trail Finder website (trailfinder.info), a free-to-use trails resource focused on Vermont and New Hampshire. Easy access to accurate trail information is essential for individuals to find trails that match their interests and abilities. Enhancements to Trail Finder’s digital maps and trail descriptions made through this project will help trail users with making informed decisions about which trails to visit next.
For more information on the Trail Accessibility Hub, visit vermonttgc.org or contact Sharon Plumb at sharon@vermonttgc.org. For more information about the NFCT’s accessibility work, contact Alex Delhagen at alex@northernforestcanoetrail.org.
