Guide to Accessible Outdoor Recreation in Vermont
This page is your quick-start directory for finding accessible trails, accessible activities, mobility equipment, and stories from people leading the way in accessible outdoor recreation across Vermont.
Find Accessible Trails on These Platforms
Trail Finder
Vermont’s go-to resource for discovering Access(ible) Experieces whether by foot, chair, adaptive bike, or paddle. Find important details like surface, width, grade, parking, and cell service. Postings are being updated and added regularly.
Trail Forks
Global trail database with detailed maps and profiles. Includes some adaptive mountain biking routes in Vermont.
VMBA
Unified voice for MTB advocacy and education in Vermont and parent nonprofit to 28 Chapters that collectively steward over 900 miles of trail. VMBA is actively assessing and supporting the creation of adaptive mountain biking trails (aMtb) in Vermont, and hosts a guide on available aMTB experiences.
All Trails
App-based trail guide with reviews, photos, and filters. Accessibility info. varies, but community comments can help with planning.
ADA Map
A Google map of ADA recreation spots. The map also includes locations of Vermont Adaptive and Ski Sports, where various types of adaptive sports, such as skiing and sailing, are offered.
How you can help more people get outside:
- Leave detailed comments on trail platforms about your accessibility experience so other trail users can learn from you.
- If you’re a trail manager, be sure trails have information like slope, width, surface, and amenities. These make a real difference in helping people feel confident. Learn more about how to write a trail description.
Get Outdoors with Support
These organizations can help you find programs, gear, and community:
Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports
Year-round adaptive sports programs with volunteer support and mentorship opportunities.
Kelly Brush Foundation
Grants and support for adaptive sports equipment.
Createability
Accessible aquatic equipment.
Angleoar
Adaptive paddling gear.
Grit Freedom Chair
An all-terrain wheelchair for trails.
Bikes for Everybody
Adaptive mountain bikes (aMTB).
Explore Trip Recommendations
5 Accessible Outdoor Recreation Experiences
This curated list from the Vermont Department of Tourism offers up some of central Vermont’s top accessible activities and experiences.
Trip Ideas for Accessible Travel
This statewide selection offers accessible travel resources including trails, boardwalks, museums, historic sites, and stunning mountain views, accessible for all.
Accessible Trail List by Car and Wheelchair
A selection of scenic vistas accessible by car, and a sample of new and interesting wheelchair accessible trails.
Discover Accessible Trails in Vermont!
Get Connected
Meet some of the people redefining what it means to enjoy Vermont’s outdoors.
Cory Lee
Wheelchair travel content creator with Instagram and YouTube. See his fall trip to Vermont.
Enock Glidden
Adaptive athlete sharing trail blogs on Trail Finder and on his website.
Photo credit: Enock Glidden
Allie Bianchi
A journey on navigating the world from a new perspective as an adaptive athlete after sustaining a spinal cord injury.
Allie also shared about her experience in a Trail Accessibility Hub video.
“I am blind, and it feels like a sense of freedom being on a trail that is safe and not having to worry.”
— Derek Flint (listen to his audio story)
Explore blogs and articles about Vermont’s outdoor accessibility.
Trail Talk
First-hand accessibility experiences and trail reviews in blog and audio format.
Vermont Wheelchair Travel
A page of tips and firsthand accounts.
Living life to the fullest
An article from Vermont Land Trust about making outdoor spaces more accessible and inclusive.
“I love to get outside, especially with my kids, and having [resources] so I can find new places that I didn’t know about before is invaluable. Now my kids can see that I can get outside and be active just like anyone else, and we don’t come upon an obstacle that makes it impossible for us to continue.”
— Kelly Brush, Kelly Brush Foundation, wheelchair user
FAQs
A: The Trail Accessibility Hub is a partnership of trail organizations and disabilities advocates dedicated to improving accessibility on public trails and outdoor recreation areas in Vermont for people with disabilities. The Hub was created in 2024 by Vermont Trails & Greenways Council in partnership with the Upper Valley Trails Alliance, Vermont Mountain Bike Association, Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, Northern Forest Canoe Trail and Trail Finder. VTGS hosts web–based resources that educate trail managers and support trail users. Together, the partnership hosts networking opportunities that connect partners and trail users to accessible trail design and maintenance information, trail grants and funding sources; provide trail assessments and more. Initially funded by the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC) Community Grant Program, the TAH is now seeking funding to continue in ‘26 and beyond.
A: Our Trail Accessibility Hub includes a helpful guide to finding wheelchair friendly trails and other types of outdoor recreation that are accessible to all persons. In this guide, you’ll find recommendations for accessible trail apps—like Trailfinder, Google’s ADA Map, and All Trails—as well as blogs and articles about disability friendly trails, accessible activities, and accessible travel resources in Vermont.
A: Trail Finder’s Accessible Experience Search is the easiest way to discover family-friendly outdoor activities that work for a wide range of ages and abilities. You can filter for pedestrian trails, biking routes, paddling access, walking paths, and nature centers that include accessibility details—such as surface type, slope, amenities, rest areas, parking, and restrooms. Many of the listings also note features that make outings easier for families, like stroller-friendly surfaces, short loop options, shade, picnic areas, and nearby playgrounds or educational programs.
A: Mobility equipment and other adaptive sports equipment—like aquatic equipment, all-terrain wheelchairs, adaptive paddling gear, adaptive mountain bikes, and more—can be purchased, rented, or borrowed through several adaptive sports organizations and programs in Vermont. Some of these organizations offer grants to help users purchase mobility equipment. Visit our helpful guide to learn more about the organizations offering these services.
A: Here in Vermont, several companies and organizations specialize in building accessible and adaptive trails. These experts can help make mountain bike trails more usable by people on adaptive equipment, improve aquatic access trails, suggest easy improvements to make pedestrian trails usable by people who may have visual impairments, or use walkers or canes, and ensure your trail project meets ADA accessible trail guidelines and standards. The full list is available on our Professional Trail Builders page.
A: Yes, there are private and public funding sources that can be used to improve trail accessibility. Two popular funding sources in Vermont include the FPR Recreation Trails Program (RTP), and the VOREC Community Grant Program. There is also federal funding for trails and recreational paths. Vermont Trails & Greenways Council continuously monitors available grants and funding sources to support your accessible trail project or other accessible outdoor recreation project. Available trail grants and other resources can be found here.
A: The short answer is, no. The two nationally recognized guidelines for defining trail accessibility are Access Board Guidelines (National guidance applying ADA/ABA principles to outdoor spaces) and the U.S. Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines (FSTAG). Many trails can be greatly improved without being fully compliant with these guidelines. Small, low-cost improvements can still have a big impact. For example, improved parking and trail information at the trailhead, benches and resting spots, and removing tripping hazards can help parents with young children and people who use mobility devices like canes and walkers enjoy trail-based activities. You can learn more about guidelines for building accessible and adaptive trails here.
A: A sensory trail is a trail designed for people living with autism or a neurodivergence. Trails designed with these users in mind typically include sensory-friendly spaces or “alone zones,” predictable and consistent pathways, a video preview of the trail, interactive stations with tactile, auditory, or visual elements, and wayfinding support. Any and all of these features help reduce anxiety and provide an accessible nature experience for neurodivergent trail users.
A: The gold standard for accessible trails include: a minimum 36-inch width with 5-foot passing areas every 1,000 feet (preferably 5 feet throughout), slopes following U.S. Forest Service guidelines that allow up to 5% unlimited distance, 5 to8.33% for up to 200 feet between rest areas, and steeper grades up to 12% for shorter segments with mandatory rest stops. Trails should use hardened multi-layer surfaces like compacted hardpack with crushed stone base, feature accessible parking within 2% slope near the trailhead, include frequent benches with wheelchair space, and provide clear signage with trail information, safety barriers at viewpoints, and accessible restrooms connected by firm pathways. For more detailed information about ideal standards for trail accessibility, click here.
A: A good place to start is to talk with trail managers and disability advocates in your region to share your interest and learn about current projects. While it can be daunting to consider building a new trail, there is strong momentum in the state right now and a lot of helpful resources to get you started. You can find ideas for low-hanging fruit on the Trail Accessibility Hub web pages, attend networking events and workshops, and visit trails being built. Sign up for VTGC’s enews, and we’ll keep you updated. Still have questions? Feel free to contact us at info@ermonttgc.org.
