ADAPTIVE SPORTS & UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY
Adventure for everyone
We believe adventure is for everyone, regardless of one's abilities. With use of adaptive sports equipment we're able to provide access to all of our activities to people with varying disabilities. We offer adaptive equipment and accommodations during any reservation or visit at the sports park as needed.
Access to Recreation
We can help anyone access recreation in Muskegon State Park in any season. Our facility has accessibility features like widened pathways and ramps at our Lodge to ensure people who use wheel chairs can get around with ease. Majority of our trails, including our luge track and zip line, have a packed dolomite surface making it easy for wheel chairs to roll over.
Thanks to a donation to Muskegon State Park from Kali's Cure for Paralysis Foundation, Inc., we can provide an all-terrain track chair that allows people to hike and explore in the snow, sand or trails. Our modified UTV has a pull-down ramp and wheel chair tie-downs and can be used to transport people in wheel chairs to the top of our luge and zip line dune.
We welcome any visitor who would like special assistance to contact us to develop a plan that meets individual needs to access recreation at our facility.
Adaptive Sports
Through the use of special equipment and various adaptations we are able provide access to anyone who wants to try any of our activities. We work with participants and discuss the best ways to adapt based on individual needs.
Take a look at how we've adapted our activities
Adaptive Luge
Our adaptive luge program can allow a person without lower body mobility to steer a sled using reigns. We've also worked with visitors with visual or hearing impairments to adapt using additional or modified communication. This can be done on ice or on our wheel luge track.
Adaptive Zip Line
We can use an "easy seat" to allow a participant without lower body mobility to be supported while zipping down the line. We use our modified UTV to transport participants to the top of the dune. Up top, for people who are not able to climb the stairs, we can hoist the participant to the top platform using our "RALF" pulley system.
Adaptive Hiking
The all-terrain track chair can be used anywhere in the State Park, including beach sand and snow. The chair was donated to the DNR and can be reserved to use in the park any time. The Sports Park hiking trails are groomed and marked for accessibility. Trails are lighted on select nights in the fall and throughout the winter.
Adaptive Ice Sled
Our adaptive ice sled allows a person without lower body mobility to sit and skate on our ice rink and trail using spiked sticks to move around the ice.
Adaptive Cross Country Skiing
Our sit ski allows people without lower body mobility to participate in cross country skiing on our trails. The sit ski allows you to glide by double poling with upper body movement only. The ski also has support and strapping for the participant's legs to rest securely.
Background
In 2009 we partnered with the Michigan DNR to develop our accessible hiking trail system, the Lost Lake lookout platform and our accessible wheel luge track through a $700,000 grant from the Kellogg Foundation's Access to Recreation program. In 2019 we were awarded a $300,000 grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund which allowed us to develop our adaptive zip line and canopy tour.
Our team is committed to continually learning and expanding our experience in universal accessibility and adaptive sports. We have hired industry professionals to train our staff in how to communicate with guests and how to use equipment and adapt our activities. Of course, there's no such thing as a "one size fits all" approach to adaptive sports. Our process is to have open communication with anyone who wants to recreate so we can work together to figure out how to make it happen.
Team Building for Groups
Plan a mental health day for employees or do some bonding with your Scouts or athletes. We'll help you plan a full itinerary of adventure activies that will bring your team together.
Start Planning
Give an Adventure Sports Gift
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