Habitat and outdoors for all—that’s the theme at Mahoosuc Land Trust’s Valentine Farm in Bethel, Maine.
Mahoosuc Land Trust’s western Maine properties include mountain peaks, forests, ponds, rivers, islands, and this former farm with the trust’s conservation center and a 1.2-mile universally accessible trail. The crushed-stone path meanders through the forest and alongside fields, waterways, and a Habitat For All Garden. It also connects to the 1.7-mile Bethel Pathway, for a longer option.
Recently I had the chance to hike the accessible trail with representatives from the land trust, Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation, and accessibility specialist and advocate Enock Glidden.
Before we started the Roll and Stroll outing (part of the Maine Outdoor Economy Summit), Maine Adaptive staff members discussed their organization’s mission to promote adaptive sports and year-round recreation for children, adults, and veterans with disabilities. The non-profit’s activities include mountain biking, paddling, climbing, skiing, snowboarding, and more. They also showed examples of adaptive equipment for accessible trails.
What does accessible mean? Accessibility can look like a lot of different things. It includes not just wheelchairs, but other adaptive equipment, including walking aids and e-bikes, and it can serve individuals with vision impairments, balance challenges, sensory issues, and a range of accessibility needs. Also, accessible doesn’t automatically means paved. Adaptive users want a variety of options including unpaved nature.
Leading the Roll and Stroll was Enock Glidden, Accessibility Ambassador for Maine Trail Finder, Development Coordinator at Maine Adaptive, and a Mahoosuc Land Trust board member. Glidden, an adaptive athlete and adventurer who has climbed Yosemite’s El Capitan, helps assess and identify changes and improvements to make trails around the state more accessible.
As we traveled along Mahoosuc Land Trust’s universally accessible trail, Glidden periodically stopped to point out and discuss features that make a trail more accessible. A few examples:
- Not only was the trail level, but it was wide enough for two to travel and converse together, for a more social outing
- A bench overlooking the fields and river had space for a wheelchair user to park and share the view with companions; wheelchair-accessible picnic tables are another option
- Knowing there are benches to rest may encourage someone to keep going, and are especially helpful at the bottom and top of inclines
- Regular distance markers told users how far they’ve come, allowing them make choices and avoid getting too tired
- Info along a trail also can include what to expect in the next section (for example a hill grade or a bridge), allowing individuals to make informed choices
Accessible for one user doesn’t mean accessible for all. Providing detailed trail descriptions—including features, distances, and pictures—helps users know what to expect when planning and choosing a trail. Once on a trail, that info lets users decide to continue or choose a different option.
For example, prospective trail users can learn that Valentine Farm has accessible parking at the trailhead, the 1.2-mile universally accessible trail is a crushed-stone surface, its West Loop is flat with a maximum grade of 2%, and the East Loop has a 30-foot stretch with a grade of 9%, and a 20-foot section with a grade of 15%. They can also read Glidden’s first-hand experience on the trail on Maine Trail Finder.
Accessibility isn’t all or nothing. Nor is it a simple checkbox. As Glidden said, “You can do ten ‘easy’ trails and they’re all different.” Information and context are essential.
Organizations wanting to make their trails more accessible can listen to, learn from, and build trails alongside individuals with accessibility needs. ABA Accessibility Standards’ Chapter 10: Outdoor Developed Areas, American Trails’ Trail Accessibility Hub, and the National Park Service’s Accessibility Info are examples of resources that can be consulted.
It may sound like a lot, but in the words of Glidden: “You can always build on a good start.” Picking away at removing barriers still leads to improved accessibility, and ultimately, everyone deserves access to nature and the choice to make their own outdoor challenges.
This Roll and Stroll was an enlightening and enjoyable outing. I’m grateful to Glidden and the folks at Mahoosuc Land Trust and Maine Adaptive for taking the time to share the trail and educate me and others. What could have been a simple walk in the woods raised my awareness of the numerous opportunities we have to increase outdoor accessibility for all.
I also hope to visit Valentine Farm again, perhaps when the Habitat For All Garden is in bloom, or during its annual Monarch Festival, or to explore its self-guided birding trail, or at one of its Habitat For All birding programs. Outdoor options abound at Valentine Farm.
More Info and Resources:
Go Beyond the Fence (Enock Glidden’s site)
Maine Trail Finder Accessible Trails