Accessibility Hub

Edie Perkins, an adventurer who explores Vermont by wheelchair and handcycle, is traveling to trails across the state and writing about her experiences—what’s fun, what could be improved, and what […]

Before the Trail Accessibility Hub even launched, Edie Perkins inspired us all. At our May 2023 Annual Meeting, she shared how her life changed after being struck by a car while cycling in 2017. Edie is now paralyzed from the chest down and uses a wheelchair to get around. An athlete, handcyclist, and avid outdoor adventurer, she loves to explore new places throughout Vermont and help other people with mobility challenges do the same. 

The Fox Field & Forest Trail is a planned, fully accessible pedestrian trail at Fox Field, an 11-acre town-owned parcel in Lunenburg, Vermont. The property includes a restored soccer field, gravel parking area, tennis courts in need of repair, a small stream, and diverse forest habitat.

The All Persons Trail offers a rolling, winding tour of northern hardwood forest, circling the main campus of the NorthWoods Stewardship Center. The route blends compacted crushed stone, boardwalk, and a bridge over Lang Brook, with rest zones for comfort and safety.

If you are a person living with a disability and want to enjoy the outdoors, it is not easy to find your adventure. Trail descriptions can be nonexistent, filled with platitudes (“beautiful view!”) or limited to subjective statements such as “easy” or “accessible”. Everyone – especially people who have unstable footing or use mobility devices – benefits from more information, including detailed descriptions of surface material, grade, the presence or absence of accessible parking, kiosks, legible signage, and more. South Hero Land Trust (SHLT) is working with a dedicated group of volunteers to help people in their community have the information they need to enjoy nearby outdoor recreation assets.

Upgrades to existing trails allow for every student at the Marion Cross School to access outdoor classrooms.