ED 071 228 EC 050 464 TITLE National Park Guide for the Handicapped. INSTITUTION National Park Service (Dept. of Interior), Washington, D.C.. PUB DATE 71 NOTE 79p. AVAILABLE FROMSuperintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 (Stock Number 2405-0286 $.40) EDRS PRICE MF-$0.65 HC-$3.29 DESCRIPTORS *Exceptional Child Services; *Guidelines; *Handicapped Children; *National Programs; Recreation; *Recreational Facilities ABSTRACT The national park guide for handicappedpersons describes the accessibility of nationalbattlefields, national historic parks, national lakeshores, nationalmonuments, and national recreational areas to handicappedpersons including deaf, blind, or physically handicapped individuals andpersons with heart or respiratory ailments. Tips on numbers of steps,availability of ramps, assistance from park personnel, and elevationare provided for approximately 250 cites which are listedalphabetically according to state location. gm i.!',,e, f.'litrE NATIONAL PARK GUIDE FOREWORD NATIONAL PARK GUIDE FOR THE HANDICAPPED , Parks are for the people. A:l the peo- Too often in the past, public facilities 3 ple. The beauty of a mountain wilder- ware planned without regard for the ness, the sense of identity and con- needs of the handicapped. The Na- tinuity to be found at historic shrines, tional Park Service is now working on or the free Jom from the constraints of a double-edged program of building urbanization that exists at the seashore new facilities that easily accommodate or prairiethese things are the birth- the handicapped and of removingex- right of us all. isting obstructions to the fulluse of Those whose activitiesare restricted all facilities. by physical handicapsmay not be able This booklet tells what the handi- to take part in many activities atour capped may expect in the way of fa- national parks, monuments, andrec- cilities and limitations in the National reation areas. There is, however,no Park System. I want every handicapped limitation upon their ability to enjoyin person to know that the men and wom- other W3ys the miracles of lifeand en of the parks are anxious to help living that makeman realize he is part make your visit as enjoyable and trou- of nature. ble-free as possible. There is muchwe I think that the handicapped willbe in the Park Service can doon our own pleasantly surprised at thescope of and much more we can do if the activities and :titles now available to handicapped persons willask. The them in the Na ,:gal Park System.This rangers and interpreters are there to booklet will hell. them plan their visits help. Please call on them. by telling them in advance of boththe The national parks and historic conveniences and the obstacles they places embrace both the wondrous di- may find there. versity of our natural inheritance and I hope this booklet willencourage much that is significant from our na- handicapped people to visit theparks. tionalpast. Every American should The wonderful experiencesfound in a know these lands. In this booklet we park visit can be enjoyed byeveryone. issue a specific invitation to the handi- Rogers C. B. Morton capped. We hope you will accept it. Secretary of the Interior George B. Hartzog, Jr. Director, National Park Service U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION & WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS SEEN REPRO OUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORM INATIN1 IT POINTS OF VIFW Oh OPIN IONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDU CATION POSITION OR POLICY Handicapped persons are welcome and many park concessioners have 5 in the national parks and every effort small plastic contour maps for sale is made to afford them comfort and Also, in those cases where "don't convenience. Park personnelrangers touch" restrictions prevail, such as the and interpretersare trained in first log cabin at Lincoln Birthplace, regu- aid and emergency treatment, and, lations are suspended for the blind. what is important, they are alert to the needs of those, who, for some reason, Wheelchair Visitors are restricted in their movement about the parks. Most facilities constructed The most common problems for wheelchair visitors are steps and door in recent years have been designed widths. with the handicapped in mind: ramps With few exceptions these obstructionshavebeen eliminated and graduated paths permit access to or modified so that visitors are free buildings and high elevations; auto- to move almost any place: nature trails matic doors and wide passageways fa- cilitate the movement of wheelchairs; and walkways are packed and smooth hospitals and on-the-spot equipment and some are paved; ramps are pro- vided at curbs, steps, and building en- are avaitable for heart patients; and trances; handrails have been installed special audio programs and contour in restroom facilities; scenic overlooks exhibits assist the blind. The national are equipped with guardrails; and spe- parks are particularly concerned with cial assistance is provided for con- the deaf, the blind, those confined to ducted tours. With the exception of wheelchairs, and heart and special traveling on rugged terrain or unusu- medical patients, but visitois should ally steep inclines, wheelchair visitors not hesitate to seek advice or assist- ance for any purpose. can enjoy the national parks as easily as anyone else. Concessioners through- Deaf Visitors out the Park System provide accommo- dations for handicapped persons. Among the handicapped, the deaf visitor to the parks is probably the least Heart and Special Medical Visitors disadvantaged. All museum and way- Park elevations and warnings on side exhibits and trails are appropri- strenuous climbs are listed through- ately signed and marked with interpre- out this publication. Since so many of tive messages. Transcripts of audio the natural areas have such features, programs and lectures have been made visitors with respiratory ailments in some areas. Inquiries should be should pay particular attention. All made at information desks. areas cited are at elevations of less than 5,000 feet unless otherwise indi- Blind Visitors cated. Paths and trails are adequately Few areas are restricted to seeing- marked, but when in douot, visitors eye dogs and the blind are welcome in every park. Where there areno spe- cial programs and facilities, parkper- sonnel are available for assistance. Special efforts have been made in many areas to accommodate the blind, such as the Meade Station Trail at Pe- tersburg National Battlefield which is posted with Braille markers. A number of the mountain and canyon parks have especially constructed contour maps, which may be touched by blind visitors, 6 should inquire at park headquarters. A Note on the Listing Oxygen and other respiratory equip- Park addresses listed in this direc- ment are available in such parks, and tory are mailing addresses and not nec- park personnel have been trained in essarily locations. Since many parks their operation. Most parks have doc- are situated on or near State borders, tors, nurses, or medical attendants mailing and location addresses will either within the park boundaries or frequently vary. The Park Service has in nearby towns. Where there is a lack made an effort to eliminate problems of such facilities, the individual entry to make park visits enjoyable for the in this book will so state. Grand Can- handicapped. Park superintendents are yon is probably the most completely receptive to suggestions for further equipped to handle all medical cases. improvements. A hospital is on the park grounds. Not allauthorized parks are de- scribed. The following areas have been Living History Areas omitted because they had no Federal Certain parks in this directory are facilities at the time of publication: Bis- designated as "Living History" or "Liv- cayne National Monument, Fla.; Cape ing Farm" areas. As part of the Ser- Lookout National Seashore, N.C.; Carl vice's interpretative program, these Sandburg Home National Historic Site, dramatic and popular demonstrations N.C.; Florissant Fossil Beds National bring to life a historic or natural history Monument, Colo.; Fort Bowie National feature of the park. For example, park Historic Site, Ariz.; Indiana Dunes Na- interpreters may show the operation of tional Lakeshore, Ind.; Marble Canyon the ironworks at Saugus or a whiskey National Monument, Ariz.; Saint Croix still at Catoctin Mountain. Some dem- Island National Monument, Maine; onstrations deal with a single action or Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, craft, such as firing an 18th-century Minn.-Wis.; Wolf National Scenic Riv- musket or weaving an Indian basket, erway, Wis. while others illustrate the life of a mili- tary camp, a farm, or a period home. Inalmost every instance, handi- capped persons can find some enjoy- ment in these activities. Exceptions are always made for the blind so that they may participate by feeling the utensils, artifacts, and products. Upon request, wheelchair visitors will be as- sisted to better viewing positions. ' 4 4., el Aral. Mr Alabama Alaska 8 Horseshoe Bend National Military Park Glacier Bay National Monument Route 1, Box 63, Daviston, AL 36256. c/o Alaska Group, National Park Ser- Site of the battle of March 27, 1814, vice, P.O. Box 2252, Anchorage, AK on the Tallapoosa River when Gen. 99501. Andrew Jackson's forces broke the Tidewater glaciers and examples of power of the Creek Indian Confeder- early stages of postglacial forests; rare acy. The battle opened Alabama and species of wildlife; largest area in Na- other parts of the Old Southwest to tional Park System. settlement. A "Living History" area. Accessible by seaplane and charter A 3-mile road that loops through the boats from Juneau only. Main features battlefield has overlooks, roadside ex- are viewed daily by 8- to 10-hour trips hibits, and pavad paths to exhibit shel- from a 49-passenger cruise ship in ters. The steps leading to the visitor company with a park naturalist. A center can be by-passed by crossing boardwalk connects cabins and Gla- a short section of lawn.