Interns expand accessible recreation in Montana state parks

Over 12 weeks, interns Ainsley Slocum and Kileigh Bartole visited 13 Montana state parks to assess accessible recreation opportunities and identify barriers visitors may experience. Their work focused not only on ADA standards, but also on how people of varying abilities actually experience parks, trails, campgrounds, visitor centers and interpretive spaces.

"Kileigh and Ainsley's work highlighted something we've long known to be important," said Amber Lopatine, FWP parks and outdoor recreation planner. "Accessibility is about more than meeting standards – it's about creating outdoor spaces where everyone feels welcome and empowered to explore."

The internship helped lay the groundwork for FWP’s new Accessible Recreation webpages, which provide information about accessible outdoor recreation opportunities available at FWP-managed sites across Montana. The webpages help visitors better understand available amenities and accessibility features before arriving at a site.

The project also identified many simple improvements that can make an immediate difference, including adjusting and widening access aisles, improving trail transitions and lowering interpretive displays. Findings and recommendations from the assessments were shared with staff to help guide both immediate improvements and future accessibility projects across the state park system.

While there is still more work ahead, the internship helped establish a foundation for future accessibility improvements across Montana State Parks and reinforced FWP’s ongoing commitment to making outdoor recreation opportunities more accessible for all visitors.

To learn more about accessible recreation opportunities across Montana, visit the FWP Accessible Recreation webpage at fwp.mt.gov/activities/accessible-recreation.