Nope not Christmas, it’s the Awesome Weather in Arizona Season, and that’s always marked by a great event, The All-Access – Phoenix Summit Challenge. (City of Phoenix Event Details)

The Phoenix Summit Challenge (see 2008 event coverage) is a non-competitive hiking event that embraces various ages, abilities, and fitness levels to challenge an individual’s mind and body while enhancing the quality of life and promoting healthy outdoor recreation. We challenge participants and families on barrier-free and summit trails in the mountain preserves and parks of Phoenix.

All-Access-Paved Hike four wheelchair/stroller friendly trails of the Phoenix Parks!
One Day, 4.5 miles, 10 hours
~Papago Park (Accessing Arizona Review)
~South Mountain (Review)
~Rio Salado (Review)
~North Mountain

This course will allow participants to personally challenge themselves by going longer distances and hiking Shaw Butte, the final summit of the challenge.  Shaw Butte is an uneven, unpaved trail that may require the use of specialized equipment which we will provide.
One Day

Registration Fees:
$22 for Adults &  $12 for youth (17 years and under)
Fee includes a t-shirt, celebration dinner at the Phoenix Zoo on Sunday, November 7th (5-8pm)
and free admission to Zoo Lights.  This is a family friendly event and a great way for families to get out and spend time together.

T’is The Season is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

To a guy from the northside of Phoenix, the east valley might as well be in another state. There’s towns over there I have never even been to in 35+ years. So after shooting a fencing camp in Mesa two weeks ago I went by the Gilbert Water Park. I’ve heard of it from numerous people and wanted to see whats the story.

Peggy Thomas

One of those people is Peggy Thomas. Twenty-five years ago she was probably one of the first quads who rolled into my hospital room. Not too long after that she let me fly her para-sail off into the wild blue yonder. And due a slight malfunction, I literally almost did so, but that’s another story. These days she’s big time into birding, or bird watching, and she publishes an informative blog about birding for people who roll around (www.birdingwithoutbarriers.org). So we met up for an afternoon jaunt and I got to learn about the various birds that reside at the park.

The place is commonly called the Gilbert Water Ranch which is the short version for “The Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch.” The 110 acre compound consists of seven large water basins used to recycle effluent water. Next to a nearby library is one urban lake that features a nice walking bridge. This is the one lake stocked for fishing. The place gets five big stars for wheelchair accessibility. Its got good parking, plenty of shade, and many miles of wide smooth paths to roll around.

One of my favorite spots is the artificial creek they’ve got flowing through the middle of the park. It’s well designed for wheelchairs to forge in a few places, and nobody gets uptight if your pooch wonders in to one of the little pools for a cool down. By advised that amongst those casually enjoying this great place is some serious ‘birders’ and photographers who are busy holding very still and being quiet for a reason, so consider turning of the cell phone and practice some quite rolling when you get deeper into the park.

And finally, the park has a rare treat for wheelers. A roll-in astronomy observatory called the Gilbert Rotary Centennial Observatory (GRCO) that features an accessible 16″ telescope. We observed Mars near dusk and the astronomy club members that maintains the telescope were plenty happy to help us squeeze two chairs in to get a photo.

www.riparianinstitute.org

www.eastvalleyastronomy.org

Thanks, Peg!

Gilbert, Arizona Offers a Great Park For Wheelers and Birders is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

Feliz Peseos Park (web site)  is a city park located on the east side of Tucson. This is definitely not a tourist attraction, but it is a good place to take a leisurely stroll.  The main trail is paved and flat and is maybe 1/2 mile long.  The trail winds through flat desert and has numerous places to stop along the way.

I give the park high marks for accessibility, but it’s not any place one must visit.  It lends itself to being a nice place to get some excercise with friends, or maybe a place to picnic with a date.  The parking lot has good access and there is a big ramada for shade.

When I visited I opted to not even take a camera. Instead I just rolled on through with the iPhone.

Feliz Peseos Park – Tucson is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

September 26th, 2009: Today, the City of Scottsdale and the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy dedicated the grand opening of  the all new, all accessible Bajada Trail. The trail is located at the Gateway Park, which is east of Thompson Park between Bell Road and Union Hills.

Accessing Arizona was on hand for the brief ceremony. The Bajada Trail, in true Scottsdale fashion is more than just a trail. It has an information center that features some very nice architecture. Even the parking lot feels like more than just a place to park.

Denise Labrecque, ADA Coordinator for the City of Scottsdale crosses the bridge at the beginning of the Bajada Trail.

The main Bajada Trail is 1/4 mile long. It’s made of rammed earth and is plenty wide. The trail meanders across the foothills (aka Bajadas) that begin the base of the Sonoran Mountain range. Along the way there are observation points to observe the desert. The Information Center is a perfect place to water up, learn a little about the desert and the McDowell Mountains and prepare for the trek. Immediately you will travel across a walk way the spans over a dry creek bed. You can see that critters are plentiful around the trail. For anyone wanting to get back into nature a bit more, there is a second trail you can pick up that is much more rugged. It’s another quarter mile of loose gravel and dry creek beds that is much more challenging.

The Bajada Trail is a perfect place to get some excercise and take in the desert. The only thing thats missing is some shade. The information center is great for cooling off, but ideally the trail would benefit from shady rest spots. For people in the north valley, the Bajada Trail should be considered the first true accessible trail. We’ve covered the trail at the City of Phoenix’s  Reach 11 (Tatum north of Union Hills) and it’s poor trail head and recent lack of maintenance.

Seven year old twins, Evan and Yale Richardson, race ahead of mom on the new Bajada Trail. Both twins have cerebral palsy caused by premature births. The boys attend Copper Ridge School in Scottsdale.

A Red Tail Hawk is released during the ceremony.

Bajada Trail is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

Tempe Lake is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

Its late November and in the high 60′s in Phoenix, so I decided to find somewhere warmer. I see Lake Havasu is predicted to be mid-70′s so I packed another pair of shorts and headed west for the 2 hour drive.

Forty years ago some clever people in Lake Havasu, Arizona bought the London Bridge for $3 million from London. They spent another $7 million getting it back to Lake Havasu, now it’s a pretty cool place to visit. Lake Havasu is on the Arizona California border. The lake has a reputation for big time lake parties and some awesome boats. We visited over the Thanksgiving weekend. Not many parties but plenty of seriously fast (and sexy) boats.

The bridge goes across a 1-mile long channel which has beaches on both side. Above the beaches is a 5-star urban trail that goes from the city’s Rotary Park, along the shoreline, up and over the bridge and then down the coast of the island. What I like is that its got a little bit of everything. The park has a great beach. The sand is compact enough that I could get the ol’ power chair to get right on the shoreline. The palm trees add some tropic flavor and the lake and mountains are very scenic. We stopped and watched the kids race the RC cars at a cool little track.

Click on the photo for notes, or see larger photos at Flickr

As you approach the bridge, there’s numerous shops and bistros on the path. Beneath the bridge is a stage where music events occur. Now here is where it gets a bit tricky. In order to get to the island you cross the bridge, which means you have to get up to street level and the one path that is obvious is way too steep. We found a much easier detour by the tennis courts of the London Bridge Resort. You have to cut through their parking lot for a 1/4 mile but it seems like the best route.

Going across the bridge is easy and scenic. When you get to the island, take the sidewalk around the Javalina Cafe (ok food, nice view) and head to the lobby of the Heat hotel. We met the general manager who said they allow PwD’s to use the elevator to get down to the shore. There’s another route but this was easy. From here the path runs south toward London Bridge Beach. This is a really nice path the goes past a great dog park. During our visit they were working on the path past this point, but there’s a great looking park that goes down to the end of the island. One other path is located on the island itself. This is basically a 3-mile bike path that would be great for exercise. It takes you all the way around the island.

Where To Stay
We stayed at The Nautical Inn and really liked it. They have 3 rooms that are ADA wheelchair accessible. Only one has a roll-in shower. The rooms have a great view of the lake. Whats really cool is they have a path leading down to the beach. If you look close you can see my tracks. The restaurant is accessible, and the tiki bar is really fun.

We also visited Heat Hotel, which is right next to the London Bridge and has a room with roll-in shower that has a great view. Heat is definitely a eclectic festive location and the GM tells me the parties slow down around 2pm, so dont expect less. They have two levels of outdoor bars and good music, so its definitely meant for a fun time.

As for fishing, I had hoped to visit the Havasu Springs Pier (Wiki info)which is located 10 miles south of town and supposedly accessible, but we ran out of time.

London Bridge – Lake Havasu is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

I’ve been hanging around Prescott lately. When it is 110° in Phoenix, it is about 90° in Prescott. And it seems pretty easy to find somewhere nearby that is even a little bit cooler. Lynx Lake has a wheelchair accessible trail, and a good picnic area. I have been to Watson Lake once. It does not seem to be as accessible, but it’s the biggest and perhaps the most scenic.

Coming back from the Groom Creek area, we spotted a sign for Goldwater Lake. This is a Prescott city park. It is even smaller than Lynx Lake but has some accessible features that make it a fun place to roll about.

One feature I always look for when assessing lakes and rivers and oceans, is the ability to get right down on the water. To me, even if I don’t want to get in the water, I’d like to know I can. And this is what I really like about Goldwater Lake. Basically you drive right down on a small beach where the planners smartly created the accessible parking lot, and from here you can wheel around. The sand or dirt is compact enough to allow anyone to roll right down into the water.

The lake has a new fishing pier that’s accessible. Strangely, unlike Lynx Lake, the planners did not lower the side rail in a few spots to allow wheelers to cast or lean over to pull in a whopper without having to lift it over the entire rail. So thumbs down for fishing access.

Besides the beach and the pier, the rest of the park is pretty basic stuff. Good access to picnic tables, plenty of ramadas and good w/c bathroom. This a good dog park too.

The Bannor Creek Trail goes about half way around the lake. I’m not too optimistic that it is accessible but I’ll be back to try it someday.

Goldwater Lake is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

Arizona’s Most Accessible Lake Offers Kayaking

Arguably one of the best places to get out and enjoy metro-Phoenix’s weather is at Tempe Lake. My previous entry does not do justice to the south side of the lake and I hope to improve it soon. But one little secret is the north side marina. Not many people know it exists, and even fewer know how to get there.

The marina consists of probably 20 slots for small sailboats and pontoon boats. It is also where many water-related competitions and sports organize their events, and there is an excellent accessible floating pier. Adding to the marina is i’ts impeccable landscaping, excellent parking, access bathrooms and plenty of shade. There is no concession stands but it is an excellent picnic area. The concrete path around most of the lake is the longest trail I’ve found in Arizona yet.

My recent visit was to participate in the city of Mesa’s adaptive kayaking program. Mesa (Arizona Disabled Sports) and Phoenix (Daring Adventures) seem to be the only two cities with well-organized recreation for wheelers. Tonight was our first session in the lake. Susan Rossi who heads up the program has obviously done this before, and she has a good crew of volunteers and we are in the water on time, and without commotion.

My first observation about kayaking is that it is fun and I am out of shape. Apparently lifting a camera has done little to improve my cardiovascular performance. Rowing is a motion that comes rather natural and does not have any heavy impact on any portion of your body. Its relaxing except that when you are trying to keep up with kids half your age and your heart and lungs begin to feel like you are paddling uphill.

- – -

Tempe Lake Marina is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

In my travels, I am always asking people if they know about anywhere accessible, and on two occasions I have heard mention of an accessible lake up in Pinetop, Arizona. I know a little bit about Pinetop as I have driven through there a few times and could never find the lake. On one trip I noticed a sign for the Pinetop-Lakeside Interpretive Trail. It caught my eye because there was a big wheelchair-dude logo on the sign. Its worth visiting.

This week we traveled to northeastern Arizona to visit the Hidden Meadow Ranch, and so I googled for an accessible lake in Pinetop. Sure enough it exists, but there really are no signs on the main drag through Pinetop and definitely no wheelchair-logos to catch my eye. But the lake does exist, and it is a great place for wheelers to roll about.

Woodland Lake is basically right in the middle of town. The lake has no dedicated website, nor is it easy to find. I get the feeling the locals are keeping this place a secret. Good idea.

This is your basic 18-acre man-made urban lake. It is stocked with trout and bass and electric motor boats are allowed. Around the lake are picnic tables, a boat ramp tennis courts, volleyball, and playgrounds and all that stuff. But what makes Woodland Lake a must visit destination is the accessible trail going all around the lake.

What I liked about the trail is that it is 99% flat. This is casual strolling and rolling. The path itself is made of asphalt and plenty wide. A portion of the trail takes you across a shady hillside covered in pine trees, and another portion takes you across the earth mound damn which allows you to see quite a distance. The last portion is also in the pines but it takes you around by the shallow waters which are heavily vegetated and home to many birds. All along the way are rest areas, but I did not see any water supply. I estimate the circumference of the lake is a tad more than 1 mile.

So here is the odd part about this circular trail. Near one of the entrances to the park is a miniature covered bridge. This baby has some very steep ramps. ADA-enthusiasts will blow a gasket when they see the bridge entrance and exit ramps. And directly behind this bridge is a 50-foot section of the trail which is way too steep as well.

On this trip I brought along a power chair for some off-road exploring/photography I was doing elsewhere. So I happened to be in a power chair that handled the steep trail and the bridge without a problem. But in my trusty manual chair, and by myself, neither would be accessible. No big deal, because I would be perfectly happy to turn around and go back the way I came. Maybe even a few times.

Bring your tackle because the lake has an accessible fishing pier for wheelers too. Dogs on leashes are also welcome.

In my research, I learned that the lake is federally owned and locally managed and that this relationship is potentially going to expire. It sure would be a shame if this lake somehow became unavailable to the public. Pinetop is no exception to the urban sprawl Arizona is experiencing, and this lake is a true treasure.

I’m going to geo-tagged my Flickr photos very accurately so anyone can zoom in on my map and get some perspective about where the lake is. Or, another novel idea is to just to ask someone in Pinetop. But I just could not bring myself to this approach. Hint: From White Mountain Boulevard/AZ 260, turn in about a half mile on Woodland Lake Road at the Chevron Station. Pinetop-Lakeside Parks and Recreation (928/368-6700).

Woodland Lake is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.

Location: Phoenix

The name Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area does not sound all too inviting, but being as I live in Phoenix and the the park ranger’s e-mail says it is accessible I figured I would swing by.

Wow! Good job Phoenix. This is a nice little sanctuary and it’s also got some excellent wheeler trails.

Basically the city restored a a five mile stretch of the dried up Salt River just south of downtown Phoenix. This once deteriorated dump site is now a lush “riparian” (google it if you need a refresher) environment. The trail system takes you through various habitats that include a wetland and waterfalls.

Thus far, I’ve visited twice. The upper pond is 100% accessible (shown in all 3 photos). I also traversed a fairly steep asphalt trail down into the river bottom where I came to the first wetland habitat. This is not too accessible and thats really unfortunate. There is a pond full of ducks and other various birds and the trees and vegetation are a striking change from the surrounding desert, but the main trail doesn’t get you close enough to water. Rock paths lead to the water’s edge, and with quite a bit of assistance I went around the entire pond.

If you have a power chair the terrain would be ok, but manual chairs with 4″ casters wont find this too much fun. What is really needed is one or two concrete viewing stations where a chair can get to the water and view left to right. We are in a flood zone so I know we can not build something too grand, but I suspect there something that could be done, and no doubt everyone would use it.

I’m yet too travel the paths that take you around the habitat. Thats next.

Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area is a post from: Wheelchair Arizona eMag Accessing Arizona.