Resource Library:

Accessible Trail Design

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posted Jul 28, 2020

Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Standards (2015)

This document contains scoping and technical requirements for accessibility to sites, facilities, buildings, and elements by individuals with disabilities.


published Nov 2004

Stabilized Engineered Wood Fiber for Accessible Trails

by USDA Forest Service

Trails made with wood chips are difficult for those who use mobility aids because the surface is soft, uneven, and shifting.


published Oct 2017

Accessible Shared Streets

by Federal Highway Administration

This document reviews notable practices and considerations for accommodating pedestrians with vision disabilities on shared streets. It focuses on streets where pedestrians, bicyclists, and motor vehicles are intended to mix in the same space.


published May 2008

Best Practices of Accessibility in Parks and Recreation: A Delphi Survey of National Experts in Accessibility

As a result of frequent inquiries regarding best practices from practitioners, NCA initiated this research study in order to ascertain which practices in the field of parks and recreation accessibility management exceed the minimum standards set forth by the ADA and other disability-related legislation.


published Nov 2001

Visitor Expectations and Perceptions of Program and Physical Accessibility in the National Park Service

The purpose of the study was to identify the perceptions of people with disabilities relative to program and physical accessibility in the National Park Service.


published Nov 2013

2013 Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines; Outdoor Developed Areas

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board), are issuing a final rule that amends the Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines by adding scoping and technical requirements for camping facilities, picnic facilities, viewing areas, trails, and beach access routes constructed or altered by or on behalf of federal agencies. The final rule ensures that these facilities are readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.


published Jan 1993

Beach Access: Assist Devices and Surfaces

A Research Report of the National Center of Accessibility Original Study Conducted at Bradford Woods (1993)


published Jan 2011

Universal Accessibility of "Accessible" Fitness and Recreational Facilities for Persons With Mobility Disabilities

This study descriptively measured the universal accessibility of “accessible” fitness and recreational facilities for Ontarians living with mobility disabilities.


posted Apr 13, 2019

Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines (FSTAG)

by USDA Forest Service

The 2013 FSTAG and the Forest Service Outdoor Recreation Accessibility Guidelines (FSORAG) are the legally enforceable standards for use in outdoor recreation areas on the National Forest System for the facilities, routes, and features addressed in these guidelines.


published Aug 2012

USFS Accessibility Guidebook for Outdoor Recreation and Trails

by USDA Forest Service

This guidebook was written to help designers and managers apply FSORAG and FSTAG to their work and to pro- vide guidance for integrating accessibility into outdoor recreation site and trail projects.