Accessibility is key to making public lands truly public — and one of the biggest hurdles for parks across the country toward that involves mobility. How do you provide the best access without disturbing what makes these areas worth visiting? Michigan’s Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has a sandy solution that brings accessibility to their 35 miles of shoreline on Lake Michigan—beach-cruising wheelchairs.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore Offers Free Beach Wheelchairs to Improve Accessibility
Image from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Facebook
In a Facebook post made earlier this week, the national lakeshore announced they offer free beach-ready wheelchairs for those with disabilities or trouble walking. The chairs’ massive tires help roll on the uneven sand dunes the area is best known for. The chairs are available in adult and children’s sizes, and can be found at the Cannery at Glen Haven and at the Maritime Museum. The wheelchairs are non-motorized, and require a support person when in use.
The National Park Service’s accessibility efforts have been present for years — with a number of national parks and recreation areas featuring ADA-accessible trails and campgrounds. For more information on accessibility in the NPS, visit their informational page.
Related Campgrounds:
- Hungry Horse Campground, Dorr, MI
- Ludington Camping, Ludington, MI
- Dune Lake Campground, Coloma, MI
