A Dozen Accessible Fall Hikes to Delight and Inspire

Temperatures across the Northern Hemisphere are beginning to creep downward and the mad dash of the holiday season looms, but there are still a few weeks left to enjoy the beauty of nature. Autumn is considered one of the best hiking seasons. It’s not so hot and stuffy, trails are less crowded, and the changing colors of foliage are among nature’s greatest shows. We know hiking can be tough, but there are also trails all over that offer greater accessibility than your usual trek, with all the wonder and awe you could want. 

The Mount of the Holy Cross in Minturn, Colorado, was once extremely difficult to access for people with disabilities. Julia Love Tuschman changed that by partnering with various organizations to create Julia’s Deck. The ADA-accessible trail and deck offer an amazing view of the mountain’s 14,011-foot peak and the surrounding forest. In California’s Van Damme State Park, visitors can navigate the Pygmy Forest Trail, an elevated boardwalk through the trees—most of which only grow to around nine feet tall. From a wooden pathway that meanders through a forest crafted by a glacier to a nature preserve on the edge of the city, here are a few of our favorite trails. While not all of them are accessible to all people, these should have something for families with small children and people with mobility issues to enjoy.