Comment on a Vermont Trail and Help Open the Outdoors to People of All Abilities
We’re giving out 200 Vermont State Park day passes to the first 100 people who share accessibility related comments on Trail Finder. Everyone who comments is entered to win one of three 2026 Vermont State Park Season Vehicle Passes and a night at Vermont Huts’ Chittenden Brook Hut.
Right now, less than 1% of Vermont’s trails are mapped as accessible. And for many people — including those with disabilities — trail info online often lacks the detail needed to plan an outing with confidence.
Labels like “easy” don’t always help if you use a wheelchair, walking aid, or have age-related mobility changes. And unclear info affects many: people with sensory sensitivities, caregivers with young kids, those with hearing or vision loss, and more.
Trail Finder and the Trail Accessibility Hub are working to change that by making better information available. But we need your help.
Here’s how you can help — two ways to win
Comment on a Vermont trail and get 2 Vermont State Park passes—only 200 available!
- Visit Trail Finder’s FIND TRAILS page.
- Choose a trail you know (or visit a new one) and click on it on the map.
- Click the COMMENT tab on the trail’s page. Create a free Trail Finder user account (or log in if you already have one) to leave comments on specific trails. Let others know about current conditions, challenges you encountered, and anything notable about the trail infrastructure. Tell us: What should others know before visiting this trail? What information would have been helpful to you before you went there? What could be improved?*
- Use hashtag #accessible in your comment to qualify for free park passes.
- Tag a friend on our giveaway Instagram post.
- OPTIONAL BONUS ENTRY: Share our contest Instagram post on your Instagram story and tag @vttrailsandgreenways. You’ll get a bonus entry in the grand prize drawing below. Make sure your account is public so we can view it.
The first 100 accessibility focused comments on Trail Finder will receive two (2) day passes to a Vermont State Park of your choice, and VT Trail Accessibility Hub and Trail Finder stickers. Only 200 passes will be distributed, so don’t wait.
Not sure what to include? You might mention:
- Surface conditions (gravel, pavement, dirt, etc.)
- Width and slope of the trail
- Rest areas or benches
- Navigation features (signage, trail markers)
- Any barriers or helpful features you noticed
*Only comments that provide useful information about a trail’s accessibility will qualify for prizes. General or off-topic comments will not be eligible.
Every time you enter a comment, you’ll be entered to win one of several grand prizes:
- One of three 2026 Vermont Season State Park Vehicle Passes, which provides unlimited day-use entry for up to 8 people in one vehicle to any Vermont State Park, all season long ($90 value).
- A night at the accessible Chittenden Brook Hut, managed by Vermont Huts (up to $170 value).
- …and more!
Deadline to enter the prize drawing: September 30, 2025
Winners will be drawn during the Vermont Conference on Parks, Trails, & Recreation (October 8–9) and contacted via email. You don’t need to be present to win.
Need help with your submission? Email: sharon@vermonttgc.org
Want to share your story in a longer form professionally?
Call for writers, photographers, and content creators
If you are a professional writer, photographer, or content creator with a disability or who uses a mobility device, we may have additional paid opportunities for you to share your trail or aquatic experiences. Please email sharon@vermonttgc.org with 2 to 3 samples of your work with the subject line: “Accessibility Content Partnership.”
Contest rules and fine print
Eligibility:
Open to individuals aged 18 and older. Participants must be legal residents of the United States. Employees, contractors, or immediate family members of Trail Finder and partner organizations are not eligible for the grand prize but may still receive participation rewards.
How to enter:
To qualify for participation rewards, visit Trail Finder, create an account with a valid email address, and leave an accessibility-focused comment using the COMMENT tab on any trail page.
- The first 100 qualifying comments will receive 2 Vermont State Park day passes (200 total passes available) and Trail Accessibility Hub and Trail Finder stickers. Limit one (1) two-pack of passes per person.
- Comments must include useful accessibility information — such as surface type, slope, barriers, signage, or accessibility for mobility devices, sensory needs, or small children.
- General, vague, or off-topic comments will not be eligible for prizes.
All qualifying comments automatically enter the participant into the grand prize drawing — no separate entry form is required. Multiple comments will count toward multiple entries in the grand prize drawing.
Entry deadline:
All comments must be submitted by 11:59 PM ET on September 30, 2025 to be eligible for the grand prize drawing. Grand prize winners will be announced during the Vermont Conference on Parks, Trails, & Recreation (October 8–9, 2025) and contacted via email. You do not need to be present to win.
Prizes:
- Participation rewards: Two (2) Vermont State Park day passes for each of the first 100 qualifying submissions, plus Trail Finder and Trail Accessibility Hub stickers
- Grand prizes:
- Three (3) 2026 Vermont State Park Season Vehicle Passes (unlimited day-use entry for up to 8 people per vehicle, $90 value each)
- One (1) overnight stay at the accessible Chittenden Brook Hut, managed by Vermont Huts (up to $170 value)
- Three (3) 2026 Vermont State Park Season Vehicle Passes (unlimited day-use entry for up to 8 people per vehicle, $90 value each)
Use of submissions:
By submitting a comment or story, participants grant Trail Finder permission to publish, edit, and share their content on the Trail Finder and the Trail Accessibility Hub websites, social media, or other affiliated platforms. Credit will be given when appropriate. Participants retain rights to their original submissions.
Privacy:
Email addresses will be used only for prize distribution and contacting winners, unless the participant opts into further communication. Personal information will never be shared or sold.
Limitations:
- One entry per person for the VT Park Passes
- Multiple entries are allowed for the Grand Prize including for multiple comments on Trail Finder, and for sharing the contest on Instagram stories.
- Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash
- Trail Finder reserves the right to modify or cancel the contest at any time
Supporting Partners
Since 2016, Vermont Parks Forever’s Park Access Fund has provided free park passes each year to thousands of Vermonters, including foster families, youth programs, those with developmental disabilities, BIPOC communities, new Americans, mental health clients andthose with limited mobility, who otherwisemightnot have the chance to experience allVermont’s state parks have to offer. New this year: the Park Access Fund Pilot will help over 100,000 Vermonters access the parks for free all summer long! Vermonters receiving services from the Department for Children and Families’ Economic Services Division and/or WIC are eligible for free day-use entry, including Vermonters receiving 3SquaresVT, Essential Person Program, Fuel Assistance, General Assistance, Reach Up, Summer EBT and WIC.
