Accessibility at the Ridges

A Place for All

The Ridges Sanctuary welcomes visitors of all abilities and strives to create a safe, enjoyable, and engaging experience for everyone. We welcome feedback on how our facilities and trails can be more accessible to the community. As new technologies are released, we prioritize learning and growth in how they can best be used in our unique environment.

Trackchair

A child using the trackchair surrounded by friends.

Through a generous donation from Kinect M1, our Family Discovery Trail is now accessible by Trackchair.

The Trackchair, also called an all-terrain wheelchair, is a wheelchair with tracks in place of wheels. The Trackchair can be used by any visitor over the age of 18 at no additional cost. The Trackchair currently runs on specific trails and may only be used in designated areas.

Reservations for the Trackchair are available Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from May-October with some exceptions for holidays and/or during Ridges events. Anyone can reserve the Trackchair to use on the designated trails by contacting Anna Foster, Director of Programming via email at anna@ridgessanctuary.org or by phone at 920.839.2802, x 115. Reservations must be made at least one week in advance. Reserve the Trackchair HERE.

Watch Instructional Video

Hidden Brook and Range Light Boardwalks

Stretching nearly a third of a mile, the Hidden Brook Boardwalk welcomes visitors and members right from the doors of the Cook-Albert Fuller Nature Center to the ridges, swales, flora and fauna of the Sanctuary.

Its eight-foot-wide path and full-length toe rails allow for plenty of space for two-way traffic, especially with wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers. Its carefully designed path features ridges, swales, and of course Hidden Brook. It also weaves through the beautiful flowers the Sanctuary is known for and is fully accessible year-round so all seasons can be on display.

New in 2023, our accessible boardwalk system was extended to the Baileys Harbor Range Lights, expanding our accessible trail system to over a half of a mile.

Hearing Loop System

Visitors to the Cook-Albert Fuller Nature Center are greeted by a volunteer or staff member, then are fully immersed in the rich cultural and natural history of The Ridges. The exhibits take them on a journey from how the ridges were formed, to who fought to save this place, and how important these 1,700 acres are. Each exhibit as well as the front desk features the loop system for those with hearing impairments. Our exhibits were the first museum-style exhibits to be “looped” in the state.

For guided hikes held between May 1st and October 31st, a portable loop system is available. The portable loop is simply worn around the neck and connected to the t-coil in the hearing aid. We also offer headphones for those without hearing aids or the t-coil feature. The voice of the hike leader is then picked up via microphone, thus allowing their voice to be heard through the hearing aid or headphones.

If you would like to use the t-coil for a guided hike or a dedicated hearing loop in the Nature Center, please let the front desk staff know and they will direct you to its use.

Have ideas on how we can establish more programmatic accessibility in our experience? Reach out to us at info@ridgessanctuary.org or by calling us at 920-839-2802 to discuss.