Motorized all-terrain wheelchairs offer rustic trail accessibility at two Door County sites

DOOR COUNTY - Those with mobility issues are finding it possible and easier to get outside and explore some of Door County's rustic nature trails at two locations this summer, the latest in a string of outdoor accessibility improvements around the Peninsula.

That's thanks to the Action Trackchair, an electric all-terrain wheelchair now available to use selected days at The Ridges Sanctuary, a 1,600-acre nature preserve in Baileys Harbor, and Peninsula State Park. And, use of the chair is free at both sites.

Two chairs were donated, one each to The Ridges and Pen Park, by Kinect M1, a Green Bay-based organization that works to build better communities through increased opportunities for all people. The Ridges received its Trackchair in April after a one-day test run last November, while the park got its chair last week, making it the first Wisconsin state park or state forest to have one.

“It’s incredible to see people experience it for the first time,” Adam Peronto, executive project director at Kinect M1, said in a news release. “It opens doors for people who have never been on a trail before, or down a beach, or deep in the woods.”

Both sites have increased their accessibility options in recent years, and other parks, preserves and nature groups across Door County have made efforts to offer more chances for people of all abilities to go out and play.

That includes more than just hiking and enjoying the scenery, with both Pen Park and the city of Sturgeon Bay's Otumba Park opening all-inclusive, fully accessible playgrounds within the past year and the opening this summer of the county's first mini golf course that's wheelchair accessible for all 18 holes, the eco-themed Evergreen Miniature Golf in Fish Creek.

All of which Ridges program director Anna Foster finds exciting for the county.

"It's really great," she said about the increasing accessibility. "I'm really excited to have two Trackchairs on the Peninsula."

How does the chair work?

At its core, the Action Trackchair is a battery-powered wheelchair that rolls on tank-like tracks instead of wheels, enabling it to go over rocks and tree roots and through ruts, sand, loose dirt and deeper puddles, all of which could be obstacles to users of regular wheelchairs and those with general mobility issues who might not be comfortable trying to maintain their balance.

The rider uses a joystick to control and propel the chair, like a standard power wheelchair. If the user struggles with or is unable to use the joystick safely, a remote is available for a hike accompanying them. There isn't a suspension system as on a car or truck, so the ride could be a bit bumpy. Its top speed on a smooth, level surface is a walking pace and it boasts a zero turning radius so it can maneuver in tight spaces.

The battery charge is good for three to four hours depending on how the chair is used, although The Ridges and Pen Park are loaning it in two-hour blocks to make sure the charge doesn't run dry while it's out on a trail.

Accessibility and Trackchair at The Ridges

The Ridges opened its Hidden Brook Boardwalk in 2016. It's a third-mile-long, 8-foot-wide wooden walkway that's compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and winds its way through wetlands, woods and grassy areas from the nature center to another boardwalk that runs in a straight line between the Upper and Lower Range Lights, the still-operational navigation aids on the property. That walk had been in place for years but was rebuilt in 2022 to also become ADA compliant.

The end of the boardwalk also marked the jumping-off point to start in on The Ridges' rustic trails, which generally meant the end of the hike for those with mobility issues. Now, with the Trackchair, they can venture out onto the 1.2-mile Family Discovery Trail, the currently designated trail for the chair.

"It's just great for people who wouldn't be able to go out on our rustic trails to be able to get out there and explore The Ridges," Foster told the Advocate. "We're really committed to further accessibility at The Ridges. This is just one more step for us. Everyone should be able to enjoy the beauty and ecology here."

The sanctuary joined with Kinect M1 to hold two Trackchair Open Access Days last November for community members who could not otherwise experience the Family Discovery Trail as kind of a trial run for the chair and them.

Foster said since getting the chair, the sanctuary has hosted local organizations whose members or clients can make use of it to explore trails there they couldn't before, such as Sunshine House, which serves people with special needs and ability issues, and Scandia Village senior and assisted living facility in Sister Bay.

"We've had children up to people in their 80s and 90s using it," she said. "Everyone who's experienced them has just been incredulous. There's been a lot of inspirational moments and moments of joy. Some people have been hesitant to use it, but once they do, they love it."

Individuals are able to use the chair at The Ridges from 10 a.m. to noon Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Reservations are requested at least a week in advance, and the chair can be used only on the designated Family Discovery Trail across State 57 from the Nature Center. As of now, it's scheduled to be available through Oct. 30; the discovery trail also serves as a snowmobile trail in winter. Reservations also are taken for groups.

The Cook-Albert Fuller Nature Center at The Ridges is at 8166 State 57, Baileys Harbor. While use of the chair is free, regular Ridges trail fees apply ($5 for ages 18 and older, free for Ridges members). For reservations or more information, call 920-839-2802 or visit ridgessanctuary.org and click on "Trackchair" under the Visit Us tab.

Accessibility and Trackchair at Peninsula State Park

In the past two years Peninsula has made moves to improve accessibility to park features.

These include the 850-foot-long Canopy Walk ramp to the top of iconic Eagle Tower that opened in 2021 as part of the tower's rebuild, offering all the same views from on high overlooking the bay of Green Bay. There's also the all-inclusive, fully accessible playground that opened at Nicolet Beach last September.

The Trackchair is the next move.

Park superintendent Eric Hyde said Kinect M1 reached out and asked about the procedure and conditions to donate the chair to the state. He told the Advocate the Friends of Peninsula State Park volunteer support group stepped up by offering to handle reservations and maintenance of the chair.

After getting the Trackchair, park staff made test drives to figure out on which trails it would work and be safe. Hyde said the chair probably can handle at least some of the terrain on the trails where it's not allowed, but the possibility of it tipping or losing traction raises safety concerns.

"There's just a few trails it doesn't work on, like Eagle Trail, where it's too steep," Hyde said. Nicolet Bay Trail also is off-limits, as are the mountain bike trails.

However, the chair can be used on other popular Peninsula trails like Minehaha, Sentinel, Trail Trampers' Delight and most of Skyline, as well as the graveled Sunset Bike Route.

More accessibility is coming to the park, as Hyde said they're looking to create two more accessible trails in the next year or two. One will be an interpretive trail that goes by Eagle Bluff Lighthouse and the second will run out by the existing Skyline Trail. Both will have packed crushed gravel surfaces and are expected to open in 2024 or '25.

"We're blessed up here in Door County to have such beautiful areas," Hyde said. "We're always looking at how to improve accessibility."

The Trackchair at Peninsula State Park is available for two hours at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays through October, although Hyde said it's possible they'll keep it available throughout the winter. He also hopes the park can make it available on more days next year.

Use of the chair is free but a Wisconsin State Park vehicle sticker or regular admission fees are required to enter the park. Reservations are required and can be made through the Friends of Peninsula State Park website. The chair is kept at the White Cedar Nature Center at the park's main entrance in Fish Creek, but Hyde said it can be transported by staff to another location for those who wish to start on a trail deeper inside the park.

For reservations, visit peninsulafriends.org and click on "Reserve our Trackchair" under the Visit tab. For more information on the park, call 920-868-3258 or visit dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/peninsula.

Contact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or cclough@doorcountyadvocate.com.

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This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: All-terrain wheelchairs offer rustic trail accessibility in Door County