Adaptive hiking can be a difficult task to navigate, but there are some wonderful organisations helping those with disabilities or limited mobility get out and enjoy time in nature.
If you are new to hiking, then joining an organisation or adaptive hiking program is beneficial in so many ways. Not only to ensure you are safer, but to meet other like-minded people who may be going through the same challenges in life.
Let’s take a look at some of the top adaptive hiking organisations in North America.
The Trail Access Project
The Trail Access Project is a totally volunteer-run 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. They have no employees and rely solely on the kindness of others to donate their time. They strive to help those with physical disabilities have safer, more meaningful outdoor experiences in public lands and parks.
Their goal is to facilitate the removal of barriers to recreational trail use by:
- providing info about trails that may be considered for adaptive hiking
- increasing the number of “accessible” features
- support park managers’ development and/or modification of facilities that can be safely navigated and that provide meaningful experiences consistent with each park’s mission.
- conduct adaptive hiking events to introduce hiking styles and locations to individuals.
Waypoint Adventure
Waypoint Adventure is a non-profit educational organization founded in 2010. They use quality experiential and adventure-based programs to transform the lives of individuals with disabilities and their communities.
Waypoint’s hiking programs take place during a single day and are based in some of New England’s most beautiful woodlands and urban areas. During the adventure, you and your group will walk through the wilderness or urban environment while part of a supportive community.
Like every Waypoint adventure, their hikes are centered around a central goal like communication or perseverance. Lessons may include packing a backpack, practicing Leave No Trace (LNT) principles, navigating with a map and compass, and many more. Experience the trails, streams, mountains, and wildlife of New England in a fully accessible hiking adventure!
Outdoors For All Foundation
Outdoors For All aims to enrich the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities through outdoor recreation.
They provide a variety of recreation activities for individuals with disabilities or limited mobility. These activities are designed to accommodate a broad range of individual skill levels. This can range from individuals who want to try something new, to athletes who aspire to compete.
The Pacific Northwest offers some of the most beautiful and diverse hiking in the country. They offer hikes of varying difficulties, many of them having options for beginner, intermediate and advanced hikers, and particularly look for hikes that are wheelchair accessible. Because they look for relatively wide trails with a good ground surface, this allows all hikers to enjoy Washington’s forests, alpine meadows, and beaches.
Outdoors For All have a brand new piece of adaptive equipment called a TrailRider. This allows individuals of all abilities to get out and explore the wonderful wilderness trails. This “modified wheelchair” has the ability to go on hiking trails through the wilderness with the aid of volunteers, family or caregivers.
Rocky Mountain Adaptive
Rocky Mountain Adaptive are based in Canmore, Alberta. They are a registered charity providing individuals of all ages and abilities the opportunity to participate, learn and excel at mountain sport and recreation.
They aim to help remove cognitive, physical and social barriers so that all participants feel supported throughout each activity. Rocky Mountain Adaptive have witnessed first hand, the benefits of participation in its programs that go beyond the social aspects of equality and inclusion.
Rocky Mountain Adaptive’s vision is;
‘To increase the self-esteem, independence, physical health, mental well-being and sense of belonging to community of persons with physical, developmental or cognitive challenges through participation in adaptive sport and recreational activities.’
Conclusion
Parks offer some great facilities that most users would consider accessible, but a lot of the time these trails are short paved boardwalks that don’t venture far from the busy crowded visitor centres. With miles and miles of hiking trails, only a tiny percentage are ‘accessible’ to those with limited mobility. Adaptive hiking organisations are trying to change this.
If you know of any great adaptive hiking organisations please share them below!
Also if you’d like to find out more about adaptive hiking see our article here. And don’t forget to check out our post about the top adaptive hiking trails.