If you happen to be driving around Northern California on Highway 101, then plan to stop in for a brief photo op with Paul Bunyan and Babe. These massive sculptures are located in the Trees of Mystery (emerginghorizons.com/explore-californias-wheelchair-accessible-coastal-redwoods/) parking lot; and although there is a charge to visit the forest, you can take a selfie with the larger-than-life duo for free. Paul stands over 49 feet high, and Babe measures 35 feet between her horns. You definitely can’t miss them. And for added entertainment, Paul Bunyan waves his hand and says hello, tells a variety of jokes and even asks kids questions. All in all it’s a fun stop, and there’s plenty of accessible parking with ample room to roll over to the iconic duo.
Barrier-Free Travel California National Park Road Trips for Wheelchair-Users and Slow Walkers
Located in sleepy Mendocino County, just east of the hamlet of Philo, Hendy Woods State Park (www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=438) is home to an off-the-beaten-path wheelchair-accessible redwood grove. And although it’s easy to pass by this secluded park, it’s definitely worth a slight detour on any road trip along scenic Highway 128. Whether it’s for a picnic and a short stroll, a longer hike through the grove, or even a sleep-over in a camping cabin, a stop at Hendy Woods offers wheelchair-users and slow walkers an abundance of options.
Wander Through the Grove
All Access Trail in Hendy Woods State Park
There are several wheelchair-accessible hikes in Hendy Woods, but they all begin in the day use area parking lot. There’s accessible parking in the lot with level access over to the picnic area, where you’ll find several accessible tables under the trees. There’s also an accessible vault toilet near the parking area.
The shortest accessible trail begins on the other side of the picnic area. The .3-mile All Access Trail, is wide, level and doable for just about everyone. The hard-packed dirt trail, which winds through Big Hendy Grove, is lined with redwoods and ferns. The trail ends on the park road; and from there you can double back through the redwoods for a .6-mile hike, or roll along the paved park road back to the day use area.
The accessible Discovery Loop Trail, which branches off of the All Access Trail, is another good choice. This .45 mile hard-packed dirt trail travels through the grove for a nice .85-mile hike. And if you’re up for a longer stroll, then take the Upper Loop Trail which branches off the Discovery Loop for a nice 1.8-mile hike through the grove.
Camp in the Redwoods
Puma Cabin in Hendy Woods Redwood State Park
Although spending the day at Hendy Woods is a treat, there’s nothing quite like spending the night surrounded by the giant redwoods. And although the Azalea Campground offers four accessible campsites, the adjacent Wildcat Campground also boasts a comfortable wheelchair-accessible camping cabin.
The Puma Cabin (1), which is located right across from the visitor center, is pretty basic, but it will save you from pitching a tent. There’s accessible parking on a cement slab in front of the unit, with level access over to the front door. Although there’s a slight lip on the threshold, most folks can bump over it easily. Inside there’s plenty of room to maneuver a wheelchair around the bunk bed (double on bottom, single on top), wood stove, table and bench. Bedding is not provided, and you’ll definitely want to bring an air mattress or an egg crate, as the wooden bunks are bare – and hard. Outside there’s level access to a raised grill and an accessible picnic table.
There’s no water or plumbing in the cabin, but an accessible showerhouse is just a short roll away. Both the men’s and women’s sides include a accessible stall, roll-under sinks, and roll-in showers with grab bars, a lowered showerhead and a built-in shower bench. The pay slots for the showers are within easy wheelchair reach, and the accessible shower stalls also feature enlarged changing areas.
Accessible Shower and Toilet in the Showerhouse at Hendy Woods Redwood State Park
All in all the Puma cabin is a rustic but comfortable wheelchair-accessible lodging option. After all, how often do you get to spend the night in an ancient redwood grove?
Barrier-Free Travel California National Park Road Trips for Wheelchair-Users and Slow Walkers
Revelation Trail at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
Located 50 miles north of Eureka, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=415) features one of California’s last stands of old growth redwoods. And although there are several accessible trails through the grove, the recent acquisition of a track chair makes it easier for everyone to get up-close-and-personal to these majestic beauties. This lush state park makes a great day trip; however if you’d like to linger on a bit, there are also wheelchair-accessible camping cabins in the park. Either way, it’s a relaxing, refreshing and remote getaway.
Drive Through the Redwoods
Although a hike through the redwoods is grand, the drive to the park on Newton B. Drury Parkway is equally appealing. You can access the parkway from Highway 101, six miles north of Orick or four miles south of Klamath – just watch for the signs. This is probably the top scenic drive in the park. It’s about 10 miles long and it takes about 20 to 30 minutes to complete the whole thing. This two-lane road winds through an old growth redwood forest, with a number of pullouts along the way.
Be sure and stop at the Big Tree Wayside, which is on the right, just north of Cal Barrel Road. There are accessible parking spaces and vault toilets near this wayside exhibit, and a 100-yard paved level path to the tree. Even better, there’s ramp access up to this 304-foot giant, which towers over the surrounding forest. Even if you can’t walk or roll very far, you’ll still be able to experience this exhibit.
Big Tree Wayside
The Prairie Creek Visitor Center is located about a mile south of the Big Tree Wayside. There’s accessible parking nearby, and level access to this small park office. Inside you can pick up a map, get your questions answered and buy a souvenir. It’s also the place where you can pick up the loaner track chair for an accessible jaunt through the redwoods.
Borrow a Track Chair
Action Track Chair
The loaner track chair at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.is the result of the efforts of David’s Chair, Redwood Parks Conservancy and Redwood National and State Parks. This Action Trackchair is fitted with tank tracks instead of wheels, and allows wheelchair-users and slow walkers better access to developed outdoor areas.
The Action Trackchair is 20 inches wide and can accommodate a maximum weight of 400 pounds. If you cannot transfer independently you will need to bring someone to assist you, as park employees and volunteers are prohibited from providing transfer assistance. Reservations for the track chair can be made at https://www.redwoodparksconservancy.org/permits/davids-chair. The chairs are available seven days a week, and visitors may choose to borrow the track chair from 9AM to 12PM or from 1PM to 4PM.
Visitors are allowed to take the track chair on the Redwood Access Trail and the Revelation Trail. The .7-mile Redwood Access Trail begins at the visitor center and winds through the redwood grove and the day use area. Along the way the Revelation Trail branches off the Redwood Access Trail and then reconnects to it about .3-miles down the road.
The Elk Meadow Picnic Area, which is located near the end of the Redwood Access Trail, makes a good lunch stop. There’s level access to accessible picnic tables on a level grassy area, and accessible restrooms are located nearby. As an added bonus, elk are known to visit the meadow across from the picnic area, so keep your eyes peeled.
Spend the Night
Cabin 3 at Prairie Creek Campground
If you’d like to spend a night or two in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, there are four accessible camping cabins in Elk Prairie Campground. Cabins 1, 2, 3 and 4 are all grouped together and they each have accessible parking with ramp access up to the front porch.
Each cabin can sleep six, with two bunk beds which have a single bunk on the top and a double bunk on the bottom. There are no mattress pads on the beds, so it’s best to bring foam padding or an air mattress. Guests also need to bring their own bedding, as it’s not provided. There’s also space outside for a small tent that can accommodate two more guests. Other cabin features include a small counter, electricity, lights and a heater. And there’s a raised grill, an accessible picnic table and a bear box outside in a level area.
There’s no water in the cabins, but there’s a paved path to a showerhouse with accessible family shower rooms. These shower rooms include a toilet with grab bars, a roll-under sink with an angled mirror, and a roll-in shower with grab bars, a hand-held showerhead and a fold down shower bench. There’s also a full five-foot turning radius in these spacious units.
Family shower room near the accessible cabins
And since the cabins are just across the street from the meadow frequented by the Roosevelt elk, they also offer a prime elk viewing location. It’s a relaxing and accessible spot to spend a night or two.
Barrier-Free Travel California National Park Road Trips for Wheelchair-Users and Slow Walkers
Set aside as a national park in 1890, Yosemite includes over 1,200 square miles of scenic beauty in the rugged Sierra Nevada Mountains. From glaciated granite formations to verdant meadows and ancient giant sequoias, there’s something for everyone in this Central California national park. And although Yosemite boasts a large wilderness area, there’s no shortage of accessible trails and attractions in Yosemite Valley, where the lion’s share of visitor services are located.
Insider Tips
The historic Yosemite Cemetery, which dates back to the 1870s, is often overlooked by visitors. Located across the street from the Yosemite Museum, it’s a must-see for history buffs. The hard-packed dirt paths through the cemetery are level, and although there are a few bumps near the entrance, the route is navigable for most wheelchair-users and slow walkers. A guide to the cemetery is available at the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center — and don’t miss the special ranger program and campfire at the cemetery on Halloween.
Although Hetch Hetchy Valley is the starting point for a number of inaccessible wilderness hikes, Hetch Hetchy Road also offers some beautiful windshield views along the drive. The road travels through gray pine, incense cedar and black oak forests, and features expansive views across the canyon once the road opens up. As an added bonus, you can catch glimpses of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir from almost the beginning of the road.
If you’d like a room with a spectacular view, then reserve room 421 at the Ahwahnee. Not only is this accessible room outfitted with a king-sized bed and a roll-in shower, but it also offers one of the best Half Dome views in the park.
Located in the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Sequoia National Park is home to a large grove of stately giant sequoia trees, including the 275-foot tall General Sherman Tree, the largest tree on Earth. The park is about a four-hour drive from Yosemite Valley, via Highways 41, 99 and 198, through Visalia to the Ash Mountain park entrance. From there the Generals Highway travels through the foothills up to the Giant Forest, and then continues through the Sequoia National Forest and on to Kings Canyon National Park.
Insider Tips
The most accessible way to get to the General Sherman Tree is to park in the lower accessible parking lot on the Generals Highway, and take the quarter-mile paved trail over to the tree. And if you can’t manage the entire length of the trail, you can still get an excellent view of the towering giant about .1-mile up the trail.
You know you’ve found a good picnic spot when you see that the rangers also frequent it – and that’s exactly the case for Pinewood Picnic Area. Located on the Generals Highway just north of the Big Trees Trail, not only is this picnic area very pleasant, but it’s also one of the most accessible ones in the park. The shaded grove features a paved pathway over to the accessible tables and grills, with accessible vault toilets nearby. Additionally, there’s level access to many of the standard tables in the grove.
Wuksachi Lodge, which is located four miles north of the General Sherman Tree, offers a nice selection of accessible rooms. To be more specific, the property boasts eight accessible rooms, all of which have roll-in showers. There’s also good access to the main lodge building which houses the Peaks Restaurant, that offers patrons a panoramic view of the surrounding forest.
Jointly managed by the National Park Service and California State Parks, this park includes the original federal land plus three Northern California State Parks. The federal area — Redwood National Park — is located southeast of the Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center in Orick. The California additions include Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. They are located along Highway 101 between Orick and the Oregon border. Highlights of this 131,983-acre preserve include several stands of ancient coastal redwoods, prairies dotted with Roosevelt Elk and 40 miles of scenic coastal drives. As an added bonus, there’s no admission charge or day-use fee for this park.
Insider Tips
Although there’s certainly no shortage of majestic redwoods along Newton B. Drury Parkway in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, make sure and stop at the nicely accessible Big Tree Wayside. Going south on the parkway it’s on the left and marked simply as “Big Tree”, and going north it’s not marked at all, but it’s the first turn on the right after Cal Barrel Road. From the accessible parking area it’s a short 100-yard walk on a paved level path to this 304-foot giant. And there’s even ramp access up to the tree.
Hop off of Highway 101 just south of Crescent City and enjoy a scenic drive along Enderts Beach Road. This winding route is lined with redwoods and offers a coastal view every now and then. It’s just a five minute drive to the end of the road, where there’s an accessible ocean overlook. Try and hit this short detour in the afternoon though, as the thick coastal fog hangs over the area in the mornings.
Spend the night in a redwood forest in one of four accessible cabins in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Each cabin can each sleep six, with two bunk beds with a single bunk on the top and a double bunk on the bottom. Other cabin features include a small counter, electricity, lights and a heater. There’s also a raised grill, an accessible picnic table and a bear box in a level area outside each of the cabins. And the accessible showerhouse near the visitor center is equipped with a spacious roll-in shower.
