Accessibility improved on Lake Mead trails
Ed Price from the Accessible Trails Foundation on the Historic Railroad Trail
By Christie Vanover Lake Mead National Recreation Area
ake Mead National Recreation Area’s two National Recreation Trails, the Historic Railroad Trail and River Mountains Loop Trail, received funding for surface and drainage improvements to ensure that the trails are in good condition for years to come.
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In this desert environment, trails, especially high-use trails like these are subject to a lot of use and abuse from the daunting desert environment. The improvements will result in reduced maintenance costs and extend the overall life of the trails.
The Historic Railroad Trail was graded and received a new layer of decomposed granite and upgraded drainage that will improve the visitor experience. Accessibility of the
18 SPRING 2018
AmericanTrails.org
trail was also improved by adding compacted surfacing and extending the surface material to cover the rest areas. “The Historic Railroad Trail was designated as a
National Recreation Trail a few years ago, and it needed to be made more accessible,” said Carl Bush, Lake Mead civil engineer and project manager. “The existing trail surface was loose, and there was old railroad ballast debris from when the tracks were removed. We realized that strollers and wheelchairs struggled with the surface, and there were drainage issues.” Ed Price from the Accessible Trails Foundation was
impressed with the improvements. “I did the 2.1 miles from the trailhead to the Bureau of Reclamation boundary and appearance. It is beautiful,” he said.
“I was especially pleased with the consistent evenness
rolling through the nearly dark places,” he added. “In the spirit of universal design, the trail will be more comfortable for hikers and families because there are no protruding rock tripping hazards or loose coarse gravel.”
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