Accessibility advisors based in the Adirondacks reflect on recent improvements and prioritize next steps
By Arietta Hallock
As part of an ongoing push towards statewide inclusivity, the DEC announced its latest round of accessibility upgrades earlier this month.
Coupled with $5 million in accessibility improvements on state lands, the DEC launched an interactive map of accessible recreation destinations on the agency’s website. The tool aims to help people locate accessible features at campsites, day use areas, trails, and waterway access points throughout the state.
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Three Adirondack park campsites were among the latest upgraded, resulting in wheelchair-accessible restrooms and showers at Caroga Lake, Lake Eaton, and Meacham Lake campsites. At Lake Eaton, a further project introduced an accessible picnic area and beach access.
Above: Accessible restroom facility at Moffitt Beach campground, as seen from a wheelchair-accessible campsite. Photo by Arietta Hallock
Mapping a new way forward
The DEC stated that the accessible sites on the map were selected in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) at the time of construction. The new web page provides information on the “length, slope, width and surface type” of all trails that they deem accessible, so that visitors can make informed decisions that suit their abilities and interests. Information on accommodations for power-driven mobility devices and motorized access permits are available in the site’s sidebar.
Local DEC/APA Accessibility Advisory Committee members who helped spearhead the project reflected on the news and what it will mean for their experience of the park.
“I have been involved with the committee since its inception and there’s a lot of work done in the last 20 years, so this is a great culmination of that work. I’m very impressed with the information that is provided,” said Lisa Genier, a committee member and accessibility advocate.
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“I think it’s very informative, getting down to the slopes of the trails and what they’re made out of. That’s very important when you’re looking. Because I remember when I was on ‘accessible’ trails elsewhere and they were really not accessible,” Genier said.
Priority projects
While wheelchair-accessible parking lots and restrooms have become more universal through recent projects, committee member Scott Remington hopes to see further improvements focused on access to waterways and outdoor features. He says he is impressed by accessibility features in places like John Dillon Park and Schroon Manor, but some disappointment remains regarding stalled DEC projects elsewhere.
“Years ago, they did Schroon Manor. They did a nice job there, making it accessible for people. But when it comes to spots like Camp Santanoni and Golf Brook Road, I don’t think they make it a priority.” Remington said.
On Golf Brook Road, an old logging route that’s part of the 20,543-acre Boreas Ponds tract purchased by the state for public recreation, a parking lot that opened in 2020 helped improve access by landing visitors within a mile of Boreas Pond. Yet without a low-grade trail to the waterfront, the area remains difficult to access for wheelchair users like Remington.
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Another place where accessibility has stalled on state lands is Great Camp Santanoni, where accommodations for wheelchair users who have difficulties seeing the camp via the traditional horse-and-wagon rides continue to fall through. Remington is hopeful that the DEC will be able to resolve the issue so he can enjoy the historical site.
“I am hopefully going to be in Santanoni this summer, one way or another. I’ve got to figure out a way, but I want to go in,” Remington said.
An ongoing journey
While the new map tool shows 266 wheelchair-accessible destinations across New York State, accessibility infrastructure improvements are ongoing in the Adirondacks, according to the DEC.
The Accessible Recreation page of the website warns that some listed locations may temporarily not meet “the standards to which they were constructed” due to weathering and other factors. A grievance procedure is available on the site’s sidebar for formal complaints.
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The upkeep of a more accessible Adirondack park will take continued conversation and commitment, according to Jason Thurston, a member of the DEC’s Accessibility Advisory Committee.
“Continued engagement of the disability community is critical in expanding opportunities for those who have had limited access to our NYS public lands,” Thurston said in a press release.
Genier and Remington remain hopeful for further improvements through their advocacy.
“I just hope that we can find a way to make it accessible for everybody,” Remington said.
The Accessible Recreation Destinations map above is courtesy of NYS DEC.
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Several years ago, 2018 I believe, Leanto Rescue fabricated an accessible leanto modeled after Dillon Parks leanto’s. It was installed at the location of the old lodge which was removed by the DEC. At the time there was a plan for the DEC to construct an accessible trail from the inner parking area to the leanto. The trail hasn’t happened yet.
This leanto took hundreds of hours to build. Since it is much larger than the standard Adirondack leanto, special tamarack logs were used for back logs and purlins. Tamarack is twice as dense as the cedar that is normally used. As a result, several of these logs weighed over 500 lbs. The leanto was built in a large garage. The large logs had to be lifted using chainfalls. When it was two-thirds built, a portion of it was disassembled so it could be finished without hitting the ceiling.
The leanto was disassembled and moved by trailer by the DEC to Boreas. It could only be moved to the wilderness boundary. From there convicts moved the logs several hundred yards uphill by hand. Leanto Rescue then assembled the leanto, this time without the aid of chainfalls to lift the logs.
The point of this is that a tremendous amount of labor, both convict and volunteer, and thousands of dollars for the logs were expended to provide an accessible experience for those in need. And the DEC has failed to finish the project so that it is usable. It’s a shame.