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.
Our goal that day was the Old
Military Road Trail, a roughly 2¼-mile route that follows one of the most
dramatic remaining sections of the Trail of Tears. The historic road was
originally part of the Memphis-to-Little Rock Road, completed in 1829. During
the 1830s, it became an important route for the forced removal of Native
Americans, including Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Muscogee (Creek) people.
Today, the route is preserved as part of the Trail of Tears National Historic
Trail.
The rain quickly changed the character
of our hike. What might have been a manageable dirt trail became muddy and
increasingly wet, with water running along portions of the route. After a short
lakeside section, we encountered stairs where the narrow trail alongside them
was too slippery and dangerous for Kellisa's stroller. The only way forward was
for me to push, lift, and carry her up the stairs.
Our goal that day was the Old Military Road Trail, a roughly 2¼-mile route that follows one of the most dramatic remaining sections of the Trail of Tears. The historic road was originally part of the Memphis-to-Little Rock Road, completed in 1829. During the 1830s, it became an important route for the forced removal of Native Americans, including Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Muscogee (Creek) people. Today, the route is preserved as part of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail.
Farther along, the historic trail
became even more challenging. The Freedom Push Chair was wider than another
narrow set of stairs cutting through the ridge. I went ahead alone to see what
was beyond them, but the conditions were worse on the other side. With the
rain, slippery surfaces, narrow stairs, and stroller width all working against
us, I decided that turning around was the safest choice.
We didn't complete the entire trail,
but that wasn't a failure. We still traveled more than 2½ miles and experienced
a remarkable piece of American history with Kellisa beside me. Sometimes an
accessible adventure isn't about reaching the end of the trail. It's about
finding a way to experience as much of it as safely possible—and knowing when
it's time to turn around.
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