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Keystone Ancient Forest Offers Track Chairs
Located in Northeastern Oklahoma, the Keystone Ancient Forest (www.sandspringsok.gov/175/Keystone-Ancient-Forest) is home to 500-year old cedars, 330-year old majestic oaks and over 80 species of butterflies. As an added bonus the preserve is filled with eagles, migratory birds, deer and other wildlife. The 1,380-acre parcel has received recognition from The Nature Conservancy and it’s the first Oklahoma property to become a member of the Old Growth Forest Network. And although the forest has a few natural barriers for wheelchair-users and slow walkers, track chairs are now available for loan.
Track chairs have tank tires instead of standard wheels and they can navigate over obstacles that most wheelchairs can’t manage. The track chairs can be taken on the Childers Trail, the Fire Road and the Frank Trail. If you cannot transfer to the track chair on your own, you must bring somebody to help you. And while you’re in the preserve, all pets must be on a six-foot leash.
The track chairs are available by advance reservation at sandspringsok.org/FormCenter/Case-Community-Center-10/Track-Chair-Request-Form-98. After the form is completed and the waiver is signed, someone from the Keystone Ancient Forest will get back to you to confirm your reservation and to answer any questions. For more information, call (918) 246-7795.
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National Park Lodges
for Wheelers and Slow Walkers
Honolulu Beach Wheelchairs and Beach Mats
If you’d like to hit the beach while you are in Honolulu, but you’re a wheelchair-user or slow walker, rest assured it’s still possible. Thanks to the Department of Parks and Recreation, beach mats and beach wheelchairs are available at many Honolulu beaches.
The hard plastic beach mats make it easy for wheelchair-users and slow walkers to navigate over the soft sand. And if you’d like to pave your own way, the beach wheelchairs make that possible too. The beach wheelchairs have three balloon tires, and have a weight capacity of 300 pounds. They are available on a first-come basis, in two-hour increments. It’s important to note that the beach wheelchairs cannot be self propelled, so you must bring along a companion to push you around the beach.
The following locations have beach mats and beach wheelchairs.
Beach Mats
- Waimea Bay Beach Park
- Ehukai Beach Park
- Waimanalo Bay Beach Park
- Sans Souci Beach at Kaimana Beach Hotel
- Kuhio Beach Park
- Hale’iwa Ali’i Beach Park
- Hunananiho
Beach Wheelchairs
- Kualoa Regional Beach Park
- Hanauama Bay Nature Preserve
Beach Mats & Beach Wheelchairs
- Kailu Beach
- Ala Moana Beach Park
For more information about the Honolulu beach wheelchairs and beach mats, visit www.honolulu.gov/dpr/therapeutic-recreation-beach-wheelchairs/. That site also has a helpful map of all the beach mat and beach wheelchair locations. So get ready to enjoy the sand and surf on your next Honolulu trip.
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California National Park
Road Trips
for Wheelchair-Users and Slow Walkers
Wheelchair-Accessible Italy Resources
If you’re planning on a trip to Italy and use are a wheelchair-user or slow walker, here are a few resources to help you in the trip planning process.
Rome and Italy Tourist Services
Rome and Italy Tourist Services (www.romeanditaly.com) is able to organize customized accessible tours and excursions throughout Italy. The tours are conducted by English speaking guides in lift-equipped vans, and feature accommodations at accessible properties. Tours are available to Rome, Sicily, Tuscany, Pisa, Naples, Florence and more.
Day tours of Rome are also available, and a special adaptive device – a Wheely Trekky – is used for inaccessible archeological sites such as the Colosseum. Additionally, arrangements for the rental of adaptive equipment, including shower chairs, hoists, scooters and manual and power wheelchairs can be made. Accessible transfers to and from all the major Italian airports are also available. For more information e-mail info@romeanditaly.it. And if you arrive in Italy by ship, accessible shore excursions are also available.
ADR Assistance
If a flight to the Eternal City is in your future, then make sure and check out the ADR website for information about accessible transfers to and from the airport. Helpful information about accessible taxi, bus and train transfers at Fiumicino and Ciampino airports are listed on this website. Also included is some general access information and some helpful tips. https://www.adr.it/web/aeroporti-di-roma-en/adrassistance
Italy Accessible
Italy Accessible offers accessible tours of Rome, Florence, Venice, Tuscany and and the surrounding areas for wheelchair-users and slow walkers. This local tour operator arranges customized excursions in ramped minivans, with stops at accessible attractions and restaurants. Accessible lodging in hotels that have been inspected for access is also included. Day tours, as well as week-long adventures are offered. And if you’d like a customized tour, they can put that together too. For more information, visit www.accessibletourism.it.
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Wisconsin Track Chairs for Loan
Based in Southern Wisconsin, Access Ability Wisconsin (www.accessabilitywi.org/) offers free loaner track chairs throughout the state. These track chairs have tank tracks instead of tires and unlike most wheelchairs, they can travel over rough terrain.
On-site track chairs, as well as track chairs that can be towed to the location of your choice are available for loan. The towable track chairs come with a trailer and everything that’s needed to tow it. The track chair weighs 350 pounds and the trailer weighs 800 pounds, so you need a vehicle with a towing capacity of at least 1,150 pounds in order to tow the trailer. The hitch uses a two-inch ball, and for safety reasons at least 8 inches of ground clearance is required. A mid-sized SUV, van or truck is suggested, in order to meet these safety requirements.
Reservations for the track chairs can be made at https://www.accessabilitywi.org/reserves-types . A $50 refundable deposit is required at the time of the reservation, and a $2.75 non-refundable processing fee will be charged for each chair. The processing fee will be deducted from the deposit when the equipment is returned.
If the track chair will be towed, a copy of your drivers license and proof of insurance are also required. A Waiver of Liability and User Agreement must also be signed in order to borrow the track chair.
The goal of Access Ability Wisconsin is to have at least one track chair for loan in every county. Their available inventory is continually growing, so check back often. For more information about these Wisconsin track chairs for loan, visit the Access Ability Wisconsin website or call (608) 886-9388.
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National Park Lodges
for Wheelers and Slow Walkers
Accessible Beaches in Massachusetts
If you’d like to hit the beach while visiting the Bay State, then check out these informative websites about accessible beaches in Massachusetts.
This site (www.mass.gov/info-details/accessible-beaches) contains helpful information about the location of all the Massachusetts beaches that have beach mats. These hard rubber mats are rolled out on beaches, and make it possible to traverse them in a standard wheelchair. They are usually rolled out to the high tide line.
This site (www.mass.gov/info-details/beach-wheelchairs) includes information about beach wheelchairs available at Massachusetts beaches. They have two types of beach wheelchairs available for loan on a first-come basis.
The standard sand beach wheelchairs are made of PVC pipe and have four balloon-like tires. They must be pushed by a companion, and they are not allowed to be taken into the water. They have a weight limit of 275 pounds.
Floating beach wheelchairs, on the other hand, are a great option if you want to get in the water. They have three wheels that are supported by an aluminum frame. These chairs are not self propelling, but they can be pushed from the back or pulled from the front. They have a 330 pound weight limit, and they are great fun in the surf.
This website has a handy table which lists the availability of each type of beach wheelchair, and a direct link to the beach website for more information.
Combined, these two resources offer a comprehensive look at what you can expect to find accessible beaches in Massachusetts.
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Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon
National Parks
for Wheelers and Slow Walkers
Borrow a Georgia State Park Track Chair
Thanks to a partnership between the Aimee Copeland Foundation (aimeecopelandfoundation.org/) and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (gastateparks.org/), many Georgia State Parks offer track chairs to disabled visitors. These all terrain wheelchairs are fitted with tank tracks instead of wheels, and can maneuver through mud and over trails that might otherwise be inaccessible in standard wheelchairs. They can be used for hiking, hunting, fishing and other recreational activities. There’s no charge to borrow the track chairs, but a safety certification and a 48-hour advance reservation are required.
Georgia State Park Track Chair Locations
The following Georgia State Parks offer track chairs:
- AH Stephens State Park (gastateparks.org/AHStephens)
- Cloudland Canyon State Park (gastateparks.org/CloudlandCanyon)
- Crooked River State Park (gastateparks.org/CrookedRiver)
- Don Carter State Park (gastateparks.org/DonCarter)
- Etowah Indian Mounds Historic Site (gastateparks.org/EtowahIndianMounds)
- Fort Yargo State Park (gastateparks.org/FortYargo)
- General Coffee State Park (gastateparks.org/GeneralCoffee)
- Hard Labor Creek State Park (gastateparks.org/HardLaborCreek)
- Indian Springs State Park (gastateparks.org/IndianSprings)
- Little Ocmulgee State Park (www.littleocmulgeelodge.com/)
- Panola Mountain State Park (gastateparks.org/PanolaMountain)
- Picketts Mill Battlefield Historic Site (gastateparks.org/PickettsMillBattlefield)
- Red Top Mountain State Park (gastateparks.org/RedTopMountain)
- Richard B. Russell State Park (gastateparks.org/RichardBRussell)
- Seminole State Park (gastateparks.org/Seminole)
- Skidway Island State Park (gastateparks.org/SkidawayIsland)
- Smithgall Woods State Park (gastateparks.org/SmithgallWoods)
- Sweetwater Creek State Park (gastateparks.org/SweetwaterCreek)
- Wormsloe State Park (gastateparks.org/Wormsloe)
And if you don’t see your favorite Georgia State park listed, visit gastateparks.org/Accessibility/TrackChairs , as new chairs are added as the budget permits.
Georgia State Park Track Chair Reservation Process
Advance reservations are required to borrow a Georgia State Park track chair. A valid accessible parking placard is needed in order to make a reservation. A doctor’s statement describing your disability and your need for a track chair is also acceptable. If you do not have either of these, but believe you still qualify, call (770) 866-2815.
All track chair-users must also be accompanied by a companion 18 years of age or older, who is able to navigate the park terrain alongside the track chair. This is important, because the terrain on some of the trails can get pretty rough. The user and the companion must submit a copy of their photo IDs. All documents must be e-mailed to info@allterraingeorgia.org.
Once all the documents are received, the user will be sent a link to a safety/operational tutorial. The user and the companion must view the tutorial and pass an online test. After this is completed, the user will be sent a link and a password to access the online reservation system. They can then make their track chair reservation online
For more information about the track chair program, visit gastateparks.org/Accessibility/TrackChairs.
And for more information about an accessible trail and a wheelchair-accessible cabin in Cloudland Canyon State Park, visit Cloudland Canyon State Park
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Wheelchair-Accessible Rental Vans at UK Airports
Thanks to the folks at Open Road Access (openroadaccess.co.uk/airport-hire/), wheelchair-accessible rental vans at UK airports are now available. This local company provides service to all the major UK airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Edinburgh. You can rent a vehicle for a day, a week, or even longer; and the quoted price includes breakdown coverage, comprehensive insurance and unlimited mileage. Open Road Access will deliver the vehicle to your arrival airport, and you can just drop it off there at the end of your stay. And they will also provide a thorough orientation of the vehicle, so you will be comfortable driving it on your holiday.
Rental vehicles come in a variety of sizes and include the Ford Connect, Renault Traffic, Peugeot Horizon and Ford Custom. They all come outfitted with ramps or lifts and tie downs, so you can just roll in and go. Their small vehicle has room for one wheelchair-user and four more passengers, while the medium vehicle can accommodate one wheelchair-user plus four or five additional passengers. And their large vehicle can accommodate one or two wheelchair-users plus four to five other passengers. All vehicles also have ample space for baggage and additional equipment.
And with 24/7 customer support you can have a worry-free holiday. For more information about these wheelchair-accessible rental vans at UK airports, check out the Open Road Access website or give them a call at +44 300 045 4505.
Barrier-Free Travel
101 Accessible Vacations
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for Wheelers and Slow Walkers
Wildwood Preserve Track Chair Loaner Program
Toledo’s Wildwood Preserve Metropark (metroparkstoledo.com/explore-your-parks/wildwood-preserve-metropark/) now has two models of track chairs and some adaptive bicycles for loan. Bisected by the Ottawa River, this 493-acre park is well known for its varied terrain and well developed trail system. And thanks to the Wildwood Preserve Track Chair Loaner Program, everyone can now explore all the nooks and crannies of this popular park.
Track Chairs and Trikes
The Wildwood Preserve Track Chair Loaner Program includes one Action Trackchair with a 22-inch wide seat. It’s outfitted with a four-point harness, a seatbelt extension, armrest pockets, an oxygen tank holder and an attendant control. There is no weight restriction on this chair.
The park also has a GRIT Freedom Chair, a recumbent trike and an upright trike to loan.
All of the track chairs and trikes must be reserved at least three business days in advance. They are available for loan in three-hour increments, and all track chair-users must bring along a companion to accompany them on their hikes. The companion must be able to assist with transfers, as park employees are not allowed to help.
The loaner track chairs and trikes can be picked up at the maintenance area in the park, which is close to a number of trails. The closest ADA parking is located at Metz Stables. Accessible restrooms are also located at Metz Stables and near the playground.
The following form can be used to request the loaner track chairs or adaptive bicycles.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSemvCMUaMisLGDjUWDxojdMYyxkO_tSm4mPOtpmBiP7T1vxzQ/viewform
For more information about this program, or for details about your reservation contact Ashley Smith at (419) 265-2920.
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Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon
National Parks
for Wheelers and Slow Walkers
Wheelchair-Accessible Acropolis
If a trip to Greece is in your future, then a stop at the Acropolis is an absolute must. This ancient citadel sits on an hill that overlooks the city and contains the remains of several structures, including the Parthenon. And although ruins can be problematic for wheelchair-users and slow walkers, this wheelchair-accessible Acropolis guide (www.acropolis-athens-tickets.com/wheelchair-accessibility), provides some much needed information on how to access this historic structure.
This wheelchair-accessible Acropolis guide includes information on how to get free admission if you are disabled, a link to details about the accessible routes through the ruins, plus information on the location and hours of the elevator to the Parthenon. This accessible Acropolis guide also includes information on how to get to the site by the accessible Athens Metro, and includes lots of helpful tips and even a FAQ section. Although the tours mentioned on the website do not appear to be accessible, this guide provides important details for anybody with a mobility issue who wants to include this historic site on their Greece itinerary.
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the Grand Canyon
for Wheelers and Slow Walkers