What kind of fall activities and events are taking place this year? Thanks to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), there are now several public lands offering outdoor activities that are more accessible to everyone.
In addition to ensuring public lands are more accessible to people with disabilities, the DEC has also made fall events accessible, including a Harvest Fest at Stony Kill Farm that featured fun, food, music and wheelchair-accessible features.
Leah Akins, Statewide Accessibility Coordinator, stated, “Each year, DEC education centers host fall festivals that offer a variety of activities for all ages and abilities.” She added, “All these festivals are free, open to all, and do not require registration.”
In addition, the DEC provides inclusive sensory kits to interested youth at festivals for free.
“We purchased these from the Autism Society and they have a selection of materials to hopefully assist neurodiverse individuals feel comfortable at busy festivals,” Akins said.
Other accessible outdoor activities to participate in this fall include:
- Adaptive archery at the Black Creek Marsh Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Voorheesville, Albany County. This new facility includes shooter lanes that are wheelchair accessible as well as elevated shooting platforms.
- Horseback riding at the Whiskey Road Horse Trail located in the Rocky Point Pine Barrens State Forest, which provides an accessible mounting platform.
- Hiking on wheelchair-accessible trails. These trails can be found at the Ridge Pine Barrens State Forest as well as the Rocky Point Pine Barrens State Forest.
Thanks to a statewide initiative known as “These Lands Are For Everyone” (TLAFE) spearheaded by Gov. Kathy Hochul, the DEC has created adaptive viewfinders at 36 different locations across New York. According to the DEC website, “the adaptive viewfinders feature EnChroma lens technology designed to help visitors with red-green color vision deficiency experience a broader spectrum of color while enhancing scenic viewing for all users.” One such location where these types of viewfinders can be found is Prospect Mountain at Lake George.
“The TLAFE initiative builds on DEC’s long-standing work to provide accessible recreation opportunities across the state so that people with disabilities have equal opportunity to access and enjoy the almost five million acres of state land that DEC manages,” Akins said. “DEC highlights 260-plus accessible recreation destinations on its interactive mapper and it includes over 85 boating, 60 fishing, 50 hiking and day use, and 45 camping facilities with accessible features statewide.”
Visitors can read more about recent accessible infrastructure projects and upcoming inclusive programming on DEC’s outdoor recreation web pages.
In a press release shared with Able News, the DEC also highlighted other adaptive recreation amenities made possible through a partnership with the state Department of Health’s Disability and Health Program. Those include new mobility scooters at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center and Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve.
Finally, another outdoor activity perfect for anyone who enjoys getting out in nature is open all year. The Adirondack Rail Trail is a 34-mile, multi-use recreational corridor between Lake Placid and Tupper Lake. It is open all year and the trail is compatible for wheelchair users. This trail runs through three communities and offers access to various waterways and campgrounds in the Adirondack Forest Preserve.
In addition to providing excellent fall foliage viewing, there are also opportunities for birdwatching, and since the trail runs along waterways, it is well-suited for fishing and sightseeing. However, be advised that weather conditions may make using the trail difficult for wheelchair users and that there are skiers and snowmobiles present on the trail during the winter. Call ahead to the DEC Region 5 Ray Brook Office at 518-897-1200 from Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:45 pm, to check weather conditions and see if the trail is wheelchair accessible for a particular day and time.
To learn more about various accessible outdoor public lands, visit the DEC website and click on “Places to Go.” On that page, you can access “Accessible Recreation” to find all of the information needed to discover the right location for your desired outdoor activities.