After an accident left her husband disabled, a lady got here to the Blue Ridge to seek out accessible locations for them to discover the outside.
WHEN YOU FIRST ENTER THE big black tunnel within the facet of the mountain, you can not see the opposite facet, the place it as soon as once more enters the sunshine of day, about three quarters of a mile away. You may hear operating water, which is slightly disconcerting at first, however the crushed gravel path appears to be like promising. The gaping elliptical gap we enter is named the Claudius Crozet Blue Ridge Tunnel. It’s 4,273 ft in size and within the mid-1800s when it was constructed, it was the longest prepare tunnel in North America.
I’m about to push my husband in his guide wheelchair into its darkness. At 2.3 miles lengthy, the Tunnel Path is positioned under Rockfish Hole close to Waynesboro and Afton, Va. At first this didn’t seem to be the standard vacation spot for the disabled, however we discovered the trailbed simple to navigate.
Just a few years in the past, my very athletic and adventurous husband Todd suffered a devastating fall, which broke his neck and resulted in an incomplete spinal twine damage. Since then, we determined we wouldn’t be content material with a life indoors, away from the fantastic thing about nature, with its calming peace and lots of well being advantages. So just lately we traveled from our Pennsylvania house to Virginia’s stretch of the Blue Ridge to see what the realm has to supply in the best way of accessible trails.
We had been thrilled to seek out a number of trails that make exploring the pure world attainable for sluggish walkers and wheelers. Getting Todd to a trailhead isn’t at all times simple, nevertheless it’s price it once I see the best way being exterior elevates his temper. Minor challenges like ruts or roots, or puddles of water makes issues tough, however total, with slightly power, there are a lot of trails we are able to navigate simply tremendous.
We entry the tunnel path from the east entrance, (215 Afton Depot Lane in Afton), as it’s a pretty flat .5-mile method path versus a really steep hill on the west facet. Inside, the damp coolness is reassuring on a scorching summer season day, whereas the looming rock partitions and the darkness assist us think about what it was like for the Irish immigrants to blast this large tunnel. Then the welcoming mild of day greets us on the opposite facet.
We quickly hear laughter echoing out of the tunnel and are shocked to come across a jubilant group of younger folks, gathered round a woman with cerebral palsy in an influence chair. Kaili Webster is together with her church group, having a enjoyable day open air. Stephanie, her mom, says the youngsters selected this path as a result of they know it’s accessible and the way a lot it means to Kaili to affix in actions on fellowship outings. “It means a lot to her to be part of the group and really feel no totally different than anybody else.”
Later, we in a single day within the historic Large Meadows Lodge within the central part of Shenandoah Nationwide Park. It provides very snug accessible lodging, with our room’s personal personal entrance. Todd’s wheelchair can get via the door, match underneath the sink, and get into the bathe. There’s a lot allure at this rustic mountaintop lodge, with far-reaching vistas from the lodge deck, and its restaurant serves scrumptious meals, providing some Southern favorites, like fried inexperienced tomatoes, Virginia peanut soup, and hush puppies made with Virginia candy corn, served with native scorching honey. After an evening of relaxation, we spent the remainder of our journey discovering extra accessible trails within the space.
- One other favourite is the 1.3-mile circuit Limberlost Path within the Shenandoah Nationwide Park. It’s a state-of-the-art accessible path with very mild grades and a easy, finely crushed stone trailbed. The path is large sufficient for side-by-side strolling, with benches sprinkled all through for handy resting, and variety within the panorama because it winds via thick groves of mountain laurel, tall oaks, fascinating rock formations, and lacy ferns. Right here we did a combo of my husband strolling together with his walker, then using in his guide chair when he grew fatigued. This path has some grades, though mild.
- From the Luray-Hawksbill Greenway in Luray spot bucolic cows munching away contained in the fence that the path circles round. This totally black-topped path is a cinch to navigate throughout with an accessible lavatory half method around the .8-mile loop path (Path is a Lolli-pop configuration).
- The .8-mile Augusta Springs Wetland Path in George Washington Nationwide Forest exterior Augusta is a candy circuit path. It’s an growing old path that might use some repairs, however the boardwalk throughout the swampy marshland is especially scenic and residential to a number of waterfowl. It took us slightly extra effort than typical to push throughout some spots, because it goes from boardwalk to filth path, nevertheless it’s price a go to, with white pine forest that’s beautiful in the summertime and an ideal accessible lavatory.
- The .5-mile interpretive Massanutten Storybook Path exterior New Market is a wonderful paved accessible path, resulting in a spectacular view of the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains however sadly among the boardwalk burned within the spring 2024 Shenandoah hearth and is briefly closed, awaiting restore.
Many different accessible trails may be discovered by looking out wheelchair and stroller-friendly trails at AllTrails.com and TrailLink.com of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. The Nationwide Park Service additionally provides a free lifetime Interagency Entry move to completely disabled of us. You may get hold of your move on the park entrance station, or on-line at nps.gov/topics/accessibility/interagency-access-pass.htm.
Cowl picture by the writer