Normally I post about wheelchair accessible opportunities. Alas, this park does not shine for wheelchair access during winter months. Many of the wide ski trails through woods and fields would make for some easy walking and easy hiking in warmer months. Most of the trails are moderate in terrain. Flatter fields and forests near the park entrance have potential for reasonable wheelchair access come summer. More to be revealed after the snow melts!
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| Reservoir loop trail with well-packed snow. |
The reservoir loop is entirely level also. Most people might be inclined to park in a small lot for about 20 cars at 355 Chestnut Hill Road known as Gate A next to the Reilly Skating Rink. There are no accessible parking places for people with disabilities in this lot, probably because of a steep 100 foot paved entry up to the water level and wide gravel walkway.
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| The cover of Marjorie's recently published book. |
Marjorie has a few disabling conditions that make her an excellent measure of what is required of a trail to be considered an Easy Walk. In short, an Easy Walk would be on flat to mild terrain, have minimal low rocky conditions to navigate, and could be anywhere from a quarter mile to two and a half miles in length. Any slightly more challenging terrain might last only 20-30 feet. A step or two might be encountered at a bridge. Any wheelchair accessible path would constitute an Easy Walk, but some Easy Walks will extend beyond wheelchair accessibility.
Read on to learn some Easy Walk locations in the Connecticut River Valley, and find out about Easy Hikes too.
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| Scenic roadway along the Quabbin shoreline. |
Gate 35 is located along the northeastern tip of the massive reservoir, technically in the town of Athol, at the end of N. Old Dana Road off Route 122 in New Salem. There is roadside parking at the gated end of the road and room around the gate to pass through in a wheelchair. A kiosk with map and various rules is within sight at a fork in the dirt road beyond the gate.
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| Thoreau's cabin replica in a light dusting of snow with sign and sculpture of Thoreau walking. |
Henry David Thoreau, one of our Massachusetts literary icons of the 19th century, spent a famous 2 years, 2 months and 2 days living in a cabin on the shore of Walden Pond. An intrepid spirit, he also wrote:
“I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits, unless I spend four hours a day at least—and it is commonly more than that—sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields, absolutely free from all worldly engagements. "
Nowadays we all suffer from cabin fever and fresh air is more important than ever. The pandemic is a steady challenge and some people simply may not be able to go out. For those who can, our walks may be quite limited by time constraints along with short days and winter conditions. Winter's cold, snow and ice present tough challenges for many people with disabilities. It is daunting to consider going out. Forty minutes, let alone, 4 hours, may be an ambitious undertaking for many, yet even just sticking your head out the door, can be beneficial for your health and well-being. But the question remains, where can you go for an accessible trail experience in the winter? On top of that we now add "where there aren't too many people?"
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| Three people, including one in a wheelchair, walk alongside ice covered water. |
My first stop was Webb Memorial State Park at 371 River Street in North Weymouth on Boston's south shore. I needed a dose of sea air and views of the water! This park is a peninsula that extends into Hingham Bay and offers views of Boston, the harbor, and islands. Much to my delight I found the bathrooms not only open, but heated, with warm water coming from the sink faucet at Webb Memorial State Park!! Thank you DCR! Be aware that there is about an inch of threshold to navigate to get into the restroom, otherwise the interior is accessible.
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| A man sitting along a boardwalk views a battleship. |
The first is in Fall River, at Fall River Heritage State Park. Though the visitor center remains closed during the pandemic, the urban waterfront park and its three-quarter mile trail are open. Most helpful of all, the accessible bathroom is open and can be accessed from a separate door on the building's exterior.
Park your vehicle in one of two small parking lots off Davol Street near a community sailing facility or at Battleship Cove on 5 Water Street. This historical area is located very close to I-195 along the Taunton River. A paved and boardwalk trail circles the Heritage Park Visitor Center with a short connecting bridge to Battleship Cove. The ships sitting right there in the cove are quite impressive, as is the highway bridge over the river. It all makes for some very dynamic visuals. The USS Massachusetts is resting here, a well decorated battleship from WWII.
Key information for visitors with disabilities to Cape Cod include two foundational opportunities. The 22 mile Cape Cod Rail Trail offers a paved linear bike trail through the towns of Dennis, Harwich, Brewster, Orleans Eastham and Wellfleet, passing through Nickerson State Park about mid-way in Brewster. Both of these state parks offer accessible opportunities managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
