BLM Tucson Field Office offers accessible sites for visitors with disabilities to explore

Public lands are meant for everyone to enjoy, regardless of ability. But public lands aren’t always easy to visit for people with disabilities.

Approximately 28.7% of adults in the U.S. have some type of disability and 12.2% of U.S. adults have a mobility disability with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This can make it very challenging, and at times even impossible, for people with disabilities to explore and enjoy public lands.

Creating accessible recreation sites is crucial to make navigating and experiencing public lands easier for all visitors, including those with disabilities. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Tucson Field Office offers several sites with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant features that make them easier for people with disabilities to visit. These include the San Pedro House, the Fairbank Town Site, the Empire Ranch Headquarters Heritage Discovery Trail, and the Christmas and Shores recreation sites.

There is something for everyone, from experiencing the wild west’s past to appreciating the local wildlife and so much more.

The San Pedro House is a historic ranch house located within the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA). The area around the San Pedro House features a riparian forest, one of the rarest forest types in the world. It has been designated as a globally important bird area, with more than 350 species present. ADA-compliant pathways, picnic tables, restrooms, and a ramp that leads to the entrance of the San Pedro House enable people with disabilities to visit the area in comfort.

The Fairbank Historic Townsite is a ghost town, also located within the SPRNCA, that dates back to the 1880s. People with disabilities who visit this site will find a number of ADA-compliant features that facilitate access to this once thriving boomtown of the wild west. These include two parking spaces, one with a concrete pad and a ramp that can accommodate a van carrying a wheelchair; a paved path from parking spaces to the townsite; and accessible restrooms.

The Heritage Discovery Trail is located along Empire Gulch in the Empire Ranch headquarters area in the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. Visitors, including people with disabilities, can learn about the history of the “Hired Man’s House” and the “New Ranch House” while exploring this half-mile long ADA-compliant interpretive path. Visitors will also find ADA-compliant parking spaces and restrooms at the site.

Finally, people with disabilities who are interested in recreating along the Gila River near Winkelman will find day use and overnight camping sites at the Christmas and Shores areas near the town of Winkelman. ADA-compliant campsites and restrooms are available in both areas. Visitors can enjoy camping, picnicking, swimming, sightseeing, wildlife viewing, fishing, and small craft floating.

While providing ADA-compliant trails and other amenities remains critically important to facilitate access to public lands for people with disabilities, Jody Barker, BLM park ranger at SPRNCA, has observed that many are now able to experience additional areas thanks to advancements in technology, such as e-bikes, prosthetics with shock absorbers and four-wheel drive wheelchairs.

This is highlighted by a message that the BLM recently received from a veteran with disabilities: “I recently got the VA to provide me with larger tires for my wheelchair and tried getting out for the first time in years. I went to the [San] Pedro River trail and was shocked at how many places I could actually go. To say it was life changing may be an understatement.”

Barker adds that the BLM is always looking for innovative ways to make recreation sites more accessible to all visitors. When planning for constructing new recreation sites, or improving existing ones, BLM staff conduct extensive research to find the most advanced and modern ADA-compliant designs.

Building on the work already being done in the field, the new Blueprint for 21st Century Outdoor Recreation, which was released last summer, describes BLM's goal for access as "provide equitable access to our public lands and waters to ensure all people can connect, enjoy, and benefit from all they have to offer."

“We want all visitors to enjoy public lands to the fullest extent of their ability and even beyond their wildest dreams,” Barker said. “If we can help with that, we’re all in.”

Additional information about recreation opportunities within this area is available at the BLM Tucson Field Office's webpage.

For a map of accessible recreation opportunities on BLM-managed public lands, information about getting a free America the Beautiful Access pass, and other information about our accessibility program, visit the BLM Accessibility Program's webpage.