For any birders who are curious of ADA accessible sites in the Salt Lake birding area:
Though there is a platform at Salt Lake, it isn’t rated as ADA accessible. There is an unpaved path at a gradual downward slope, and it would be tricky for a wheelchair. Your best bet for accessible viewing platforms would be Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge. It has several areas with paved, level trails connected to parking areas. This includes a few viewing platforms, some with gazebo-style shelters, and others open to the elements. One of the viewing platforms on the Auto Tour is wheelchair accessible and overlooks a shallow wetland popular with shorebirds. It has some of those old-fashioned, metal-cased permanent outdoor binoculars, including a new unit that has a special filtered lens that corrects for birders with congenital red-green color blindness. Here’s a link to a page that describes the different paved viewing areas. LIST OF TRAILS: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/big-stone/visit-us/trails The trails that are listed as “paved” are generally pretty level. The only slight rises and dips in elevation are on the paved sections of the Outcrop Trail. Unpaved trails tend to be narrow, and wind between trees and outcrops. Tree roots, loose rocks, divots in the soil, and branches will all be found underfoot. Some of the trails are moderately maintained with very fine gravel. Others cross large swaths of exposed granite bedrock and can be slippery if it’s recently rained. LARGE INTERACTIVE REFUGE MAP: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/big-stone/map Hope this helps, Jason Frank Ortonville ---- General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
