Via Oregon - September/October 2021 - 24

Great
accessible
parks
in Oregon & Idaho
Visit these places for a treat for all the senses.
by jennifer burns bright
Oregon's and Idaho's forests, mountains, and
shores have a flavor for everyone who loves
the outdoors. Increasingly, parks in both
states are dedicating more resources to taking
the " everyone " part more seriously, retrofitting their
infrastructure to welcome all people, regardless of how they
experience the physical world. Now, visitors with a wider
range of abilities can take advantage of site improvements
and multisensory opportunities at national, state, and local
parks. Interested in the salty air of crashing waves or the
rough rocks created by an ancient lava flow? What about the
cranking turbines of a historic mill? These parks will have
you exploring the natural world with ease.
» Federal Lands: Forests,
mountains, and steam heat
Thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act, federally
managed parks and other natural sites now provide documentation
about ADA-qualified facilities such as entrances,
pathways, restrooms, and parking on their websites and on
the National Park Service (NPS) app. U.S. citizens and permanent
residents with allowable disabilities can apply for a
24 VIA | SEPTEMBER+OCTOBER 2021
free lifetime Access Pass for national parks at nps.gov. Though
visitor centers may not open in 2021, rangers are available by
phone for accessibility questions to reserve services such as a
wheelchair or an ASL interpreter or guide, or to inquire about
brochures in Braille and assisted listening options.
Other national parks may be vast and sprawling, but
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park in Astoria, Ore.,
is easily explored. Home of the 1805-1806 winter camp of
explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, the forested
park comprises several sites and trail systems near the
mouth of the Columbia River. The Fort Clatsop exhibit and
interpretive center offer a re-created fort made of log buildings,
one of which is accessible by motorized scooters visitors
can borrow from the front desk. (Ask the experienced
staff the best ways to access the river path and canoe landing.)
Volunteers give daily tours during the summer, talks,
and demonstrations of period equipment such as muskets
as well as hides and furs that provide tactile experiences, as
does a raised map at the visitor center entrance. A listening
tour, an intriguing " story map " of sounds associated with
the site, and other media are available via the website. Call
ahead to inquire about living history talks during the holiday
break, December 26-January 1.
TOP: NPS / JACOB W. FRANK
http://www.nps.gov
Via Oregon - September/October 2021

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