Tennessee State Parks has improved state park signage, using technology to increase visitor accessibility and better describe park trails.
Alvin C. York Historic Park Manager Nate Dodson said most every park across the state has received these new signs, produced by the Access 2030 initiative. The project aims to increase accessibility to state parks for visitors with disabilities.
“Just improve state parks across the board for accessibility, you know,” Dodson said. “Getting folks that may not be able to, more normally, couldn’t get out and enjoy nature. There’s a way to do that now.”
Dodson said they use the collected data to create detailed, standardized signage for each park. Dodson said the signs detail this information for visitors so they can make more informed decisions before choosing a path.
Dodson said TDEC trail assessors collect data using a High-Efficiency Trail Assessment Process to measure the characteristics of each trail, such as grade, cross-slope, tread width, elevation levels and surface materials.
“It really really prepares people that might be going on a hike,” Dodson said. “If it’s a hike, a loop trail or if it’s a long, several days long, hike, it’s going to have that information and just prepare somebody for when they set out on their adventure.”
Dodson said the Upper Cumberland will benefit from this signage. Dodson said being included in this standardization gives the public something they can count on when they visit any state park. Dodson said the uniform signage will help the public understand the parks.
“We’ve got Pickett State Park and Standing Stone and Cordell Hall Birthplace, among others,” Dodson said. “This is a way to include us with other parks across the state and kind of give everybody that information that you’re going to be able to find from Reelfoot Lake in West Tennessee all the way to Roan Mountain.”
Dodson said families who come to the park will have easier access to the Alvin C. York Loop Trail, as the state allocated an all-terrain wheelchair to the park. Dodson said someone who might not have been able to walk the mile loop can now join their family in the all-terrain chair.
“A lot of times, this information that you may gain from the trail signage of, you know, what’s the grade, what’s the distance, that family can then take that information and decide if they want to do the trail or not,” Dodson said. “And also to list what’s allowed on the trail.”