According to Outdoor Foundation reports, more than 42 million Americans have gone camping at least once in their life. It’s also an activity that many more Americans are expected to engage in as time goes on. Although that sounds wonderful on the surface, there are still pressing issues that the camping industry must address in order to move forward. One of them involves making campgrounds and outdoor recreational areas accessible to everyone.
The Americans with Disabilities Act and Architectural Barriers Act require campgrounds and outdoor recreational facilities to make their properties accessible to disabled individuals. Examples of camping and recreational areas that need to provide disabled access include:
- Campground swimming pools and spas (indoor and outdoor)
- Campground bathhouses and restroom facilities
- Campground stores and recreation rooms
- RV, tent, boat-in and equestrian campsites
- Marinas, boat docks and fishing piers
- Playgrounds and picnic areas
- Nature trails and boardwalks
- Camping cabins and lodges
- Parking lots
Unfortunately, there are still many campgrounds and outdoor recreational areas in America that are not in compliance with those laws. As proven by June 2013 headlines, some of the non-compliant campgrounds are state run. Other facilities are under the management of such entities as private individuals, companies and local governments. Americans that encounter such facilities are encouraged to take action straightaway.
The best course of action to take is to contact Access Advocates. We have made it our life’s work to advocate on behalf of American’s with disabilities who are faced with such situations. Our services are available at no cost to the disabled individual making the complaint.
Once notified of a non-compliant campground or recreational area’s existence, we’ll get to work on bringing about a resolution. Our resolution process involves such things as conducting an audit and bringing the matter to the attention of a federal judge. For more information about how we can help with ADA compliance issues, call 1-702-649-7575 or visit the Access Advocates website.
Photo courtesy Flickr user Honza Soukup