EXPLORING DISABILITY ACCESS IN THE RED RIVER GORGE REGION, EASTERN KENTUCKY: AN INITIAL STUDY

There’s a plethora of evidence that proves a person’s access to the outdoors directly positively influences mental and physical health, the same therefore applying to the disabled. Access for disabled people is extremely important for health reasons, and for the realization of valuable rangers, researchers, and other jobs regarding the eco-tourism industry. Despite the evidence and benefits, there is still a disparity in able-bodied and disabled access to outdoor tourist areas. This particular research project was conducted during an initial observational survey of Red River Gorge, a geological area in the Daniel Boone National Forest and surrounding areas. Red River Gorge and its surrounding commercial district is a popular tourist destination, and the places visited were several businesses, the park lodge, and one mile of the Sheltowee Trace trail. The observational data was catagorized as red, inaccessible for non-abled bodied individuals and wheelchairs, yellow, accessible for non-ablebodied individuals but not wheelchairs, and green, accessible for all. Continuous obstacles were observed on the trail through steep, unpaved path and natural and natural barriers, and the most common observed in businesses were raised door jams, narrow aisles and ramps, steep slopes, and lack of pavement. As a result of the observations, numerous conclusions towards solutions were gathered such as: renovating trails to become more accessible as each piece needs repair, having the original and accessible trails converge in problem areas, providing a wheelchair accessible skylift, and more descriptive signage. Ways this can be implemented include providing grants for small businesses to improve accessibility infastructure, collect government funding for the park renovation, and investing in a park-funded disability outreach program. The results conclude there is some effort in the disability access infastructure of the geological area and surrounding industry, but there are still many improvements to be made.