Village Creek State Park: Pushing Through the Rain on the Military Road (Trail of Tears)

 

March 2013

Our visit to Village Creek State Park in Arkansas was supposed to be a relatively simple hike along a historic section of the Trail of Tears. Instead, a forecast calling for only a 20 percent chance of rain turned into a steady, soaking afternoon. Fortunately, Kellisa was prepared. Her special-needs jog stroller, the Freedom Push Chair, had a newly purchased rain canopy that kept her reasonably dry as we ventured onto the trail.
The park sits on Crowley’s Ridge and offers a variety of trails, picnic areas, campgrounds, cabins, and other outdoor opportunities. For visitors with mobility challenges, accessibility can vary considerably from one trail to another. The short Arboretum Trail is the easiest trail in the park and includes benches and picnic tables, while other routes range from relatively easy to moderately rugged.

Arizona - Accessible Trail Guides

Area / Park	Clickable Blog Post
Canyon de Chelly National Monument	Making the White House Trail Accessible in Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Grand Canyon National Park	Grand Canyon - A Winter Visit that Changed Everything
	Accessible Guide to Hiking and Backpacking the North Rim in Grand Canyon National Park
	Accessible Hiking Guide to the Shoshone Trail - Grand Canyon National Park
Montezuma Castle National Monument	Montezuma Castle National Monument
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park	An Afternoon Among the Icons of the American West - Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
Petrified Forest National Park	An Accessible Visit to Petrified Forest National Park - Spring Break 2010
	Wheelchair Accessible Trails at Petrified Forest National Park
Saguaro National Park	An Accessible Visit to Saguaro National Park
Sedona, Arizona	Sedona, Arizona: Red Rocks, Cold Days, and Accessible Adventures
Sunset Crater National Monument	Lava Flow Trail: An Accessible Winter Adventure Through Sunset Crater National Monument
Wupatki National Monument	Wupatki Pueblo Trail: Going Beyond the Accessible Trail

 Not All Accessible Trails Found Above are ADA Complaint

Back to Accessible Trail Guides

HOME

Accessible Hiking Guide to the Shoshone Trail

 

This chapter recounts a family’s evolving relationship with Grand Canyon National Park through three visits and the author’s experiences “pushiking” trails with Kellisa, who uses a mobility chair. The author explains that choosing the Grand Canyon for the book was easy because it held unfinished ambitions from earlier trips. On the family’s first visit in March 2006, when Kellisa was seven, they expected typical Arizona heat but instead arrived to frigid temperatures, snow, and ice along the South Rim. Although winter conditions limited them to paved sidewalk trails, the canyon’s gray and blue tones still left a powerful impression. The author departed eager to return and explore natural-surface trails with Kellisa.

An Accessible Afternoon Among the Icons of the American West

During our June 2007 Southwest adventure, one destination had been high on our wish list for years—Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Few places are as recognizable as this incredible landscape of towering sandstone buttes rising from the desert floor. By the time we reached the visitor center, the brilliant blue sky and deep red sandstone created one of the most unforgettable scenes we had ever witnessed.
From the moment we arrived, we found plenty to enjoy with Kellisa's manual travel wheelchair. The paved overlooks around the visitor center allowed us to experience many of Monument Valley's famous vistas without difficulty, making it easy to stop, take photographs, and simply admire one spectacular view after another.

An Accessible Visit to Petrified Forest National Park – Spring Break 2010

Kellisa’s first visit to Petrified Forest National Park during spring break 2010 was unlike anything we had ever experienced. Although it was officially spring, northern Arizona still felt more like late winter. The air was cool and crisp, making it comfortable to spend the day exploring under brilliant blue skies without the summer crowds or heat.
This trip was especially meaningful because it was one of the first trips where we relied on Kellisa's new Special Tomato special needs jog stroller. The rugged three-wheel stroller proved to be an excellent companion as we explored every accessible trail and overlook in the park. Smooth paved paths allowed Kellisa to comfortably experience the incredible scenery.