2021-08-19 23:14:48
Arizona is a place of wild beauty, from sun-baked cactus forests to snow-drenched mountaintops. Thankfully, many of its outdoor destinations are accommodating to a range of ability levels, providing even more access to adventure, recreation and unforgettable experiences. See VisitArizona.com/plan/accessibility for more ideas. WHEELCHAIR-ACCESSIBLE TRAILS From state parks to national monuments, Arizona offers numerous outdoor destinations with wheelchair accessible trails. Near the town of Camp Verde, Montezuma Castle National Monument attracts visitors eager to witness the impressive Sinagua cliff dwellings, viewable via the half-mile, paved Rimrock Trail. As an added bonus, your entrance fee to Montezuma Castle includes admission (valid for seven days) to Tuzigoot National Monument. There, both the visitor center and the Tavasci Marsh Overlook trail are fully accessible for wheelchairs. In Sedona, Crescent Moon Ranch features two paved loops, totaling 1 mile, along Oak Creek where the iconic Cathedral Rock can be seen reflected in the water. The historic ranch house that gives the site its name is a popular photo op. About 30 minutes west of Sedona, 1.5 miles of accessible trails circle three lagoons at Dead Horse Ranch State Park. Keen on spotting wildlife? The 0.25-mile Canopy Trail, which starts and ends at the River Day Use Area, is thick with birds and fauna. In the Pinetop-Lakeside area, Woodland Lake Park Trail is a paved 1-mile trail that rounds Woodland Reservoir. Although water levels can be low at times, the trail is popular, especially with local birdwatchers. Expect to see walkers, cyclists and even those on horseback enjoying the trail. Boyce Thompson Arboretum in Superior is the oldest botanical garden in the state, featuring a mix of paved and compressed earth trails, including 1.5 miles of walking trails, and loops through the Wallace Desert Garden. Enjoy a well-designed cactus garden, in addition to a riparian area, an Australian forest, and herb and rose gardens. Guided trail tours are available for a nominal fee with advance registration. Several trails cut through Phoenix’s Papago Park, which is home to the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Garden. While the Crosscut Canal Path and Galvin Bikeway Trail both run north-south nearly 1.5 miles, the much shorter Nature Trail travels a half-mile through the heart of the park. Expand your options by considering the trails in the zoo or botanical garden. The Elliot Ramada Loop Trail, located across the street from Papago Park in Papago West Park, is a paved and dirt trail that loops 2.7 miles around red rock formations and buttes. Pause to appreciate the views of downtown Phoenix or to catch the sun setting over the city in the early evening. Part of Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve, the Jane Rau Interpretive Trail at Brown’s Ranch navigates nearly half a mile through the area and serves as a great introduction to the flora and fauna of the Sonoran Desert. (Do note: The trail has higher than average sections of grading for an accessible trail as it was built to 2013 U.S. Forest Service trail accessibility standards.) BRAILLE TRAIL At the Elsie McCartney Sensory Garden in Glendale, people with visual impairments can experience the splendor of the outdoors strolling along the flat pathways, hearing water features and smelling the fragrant blooms of roses, lilies and lavender. A tactile map at the entry allows for an understanding of the garden’s layout, and signage in Braille provides more information. ADAPTIVE SNOWSPORTS Arizona might be known for its desert landscapes, but come winter, the higher elevation areas transform into snowy wonderlands beckoning for outdoor recreation. Arizona Snowbowl, just north of Flagstaff, invites people of all ages and abilities to experience the thrill of zooming down its powdery runs with its on-site Ski and Snowboard School, which offers an adaptive ski/snowboard program featuring specialized equipment and professionally trained instructors, allowing even more people to enjoy wintertime adventures. FOLLOW THE LEADER With its rugged terrain and variable conditions, the outdoors can be intimidating. Thankfully, adventure guide companies can help bridge that gap, bringing everyone from nature newcomers to those with varying ability levels into the pristine beauty and serene solitude of the wilderness—all while providing a safer and more enjoyable experience. Working as an adventure guide for more than 14 years, Josh Kloepping—now in business development for REI Co-Op—has led people from all walks of life, ages and experience levels into Arizona’s rugged landscapes for unforgettable adventures. Perhaps his most memorable, however, have been the Operation Canyon Rising excursions, leading wounded veterans, many with one or even two amputations, and Gold Star widows on five-day hikes into the Grand Canyon on the anniversary of 9/11. “To get up and out of the canyon is no easy feat,” says Kloepping. “You just have to take it in small steps. You’ve got to set a goal and work toward achieving that goal. Once you do that, you build this confidence, and you learn to overcome your limitations.” Those hikes begin on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, continue 14 miles down into the canyon to Phantom Ranch, and then up and out to the South Rim, with family and supporters cheering on hikers at the end point. For those not quite ready to commit to multiday expeditions, Kloepping emphasizes the importance of just being outdoors, even closer to home. “Nature reminds you to just slow down and notice the small things, the little details,” he says. “It grounds us—it gets us connected to what’s truly important: Being in the now.”
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