Accessibility at Our Wildlife Sanctuaries

All Persons Trail at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary

To best meet the needs of all our visitors, and to invite everyone to connect with the natural world, Mass Audubon is working to make our wildlife sanctuaries with nature centers universally accessible. This includes ADA-compliant Nature Centers and universally accessible All Persons Trails.

Accessible Nature Centers

Our 20 nature centers, many of which were older private estates, have been renovated with ADA-compliant parking and entrances, admission areas, educational activity spaces, exhibits, galleries, and restrooms.

Sensory Trail sign about a pond

All Persons Trail at Broad Meadow Brook

Wildlife Sanctuary Policies

Powered Mobility Devices 133.38 kB

Service Animal Statement 96.06 kB

All Persons Trails

What began in 2008 with the construction of a pilot “sensory trail” at Stony Brook in Norfolk has evolved into Mass Audubon’s Accessible Interpretive Trails Project, funded by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

To date, Mass Audubon has developed and installed 12 ADA All Persons Trails at wildlife sanctuaries across the state. These trails are designed and constructed first to physically meet or exceed Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, and then to incorporate universally designed interpretive features including educational stops, wildlife viewing boardwalks and platforms, picnic and play areas, and navigation resources including audio directions, guide ropes, curbing, and handrails.

All Persons Trails are typically 0.5-0.75 miles in length and include:

Smooth, gentle grades for improved access by foot, stroller, or wheelchair
Sensory-rich audio tours (available by cell phone and/or audio players)
Braille texts and tactile maps
Tour booklets and maps designed for high readability for visually impaired and sighted visitors
Improved signage (also Braille) along trails
Wider boardwalks with bumpers as needed
Post-and-rope guiding systems
Interpretive content focusing on the natural and cultural history of each site
Accessible outdoor wildlife observation structures, specialized gardens, seating, play areas, and picnic areas

Sanctuaries With Accessible Features

Greater Boston					North Shore
Blue Hills, Milton					Ipswich River, Topsfield
BNC, Mattapan					Joppa Flats, Newburyport
Broadmoor, Natick					Cape Cod and Islands
Drumlin Farm, Lincoln					Felix Neck, Edgartown
Habitat, Belmont					Wellfleet Bay, South Wellfleet
MABA, Canton					Berkshires
Moose Hill, Sharon					Pleasant Valley, Lenox
Stony Brook, Norfolk					Central Massachusetts
South of Boston					Broad Meadow Brook, Worcester
Allens Pond, Dartmouth					Wachusett Meadow, Princeton
Attleboro Springs, Attleboro					Connecticut River Valley
Daniel Webster, Marshfield					Arcadia, Easthampton & Northampton
North River, Marshfield
Oak Knoll, Attleboro