Paris Landing State Park Opens Tactile Trail

BUCHANAN (June 25) — Paris Landing State Park has opened a tactile trail for visitors who are blind or have low vision — the latest step in a commitment to accessibility at Tennessee State Parks.

The trail features a guide rope and a wooden, white cane-detectable rail along the loop. Visitors can enjoy the senses of touch, hearing and smell, with birds chirping and the smell of a native plant garden, plus oak and hickory trees. In wetter months, the flow of a small creek can be heard, moistening the earth and enhancing the natural scent of rocks and mosses.

“This trail is for all visitors,” said Christa Davidson, interpretive ranger at the park. “Some visitors may assume parts of the park won’t be accessible for everybody, so we want to assure them that the park is ready to serve them.”

The trail, a 0.1-mile loop with a natural surface, is slightly sloped, so it feels like a hiking experience but is not strenuous. It features interpretive panels along the way, and in the bottom right corner of each panel are tactile elements described by audio. The trail has a shaded, wooden deck with seating next to the creek, built by funds from the support group Friends of Paris Landing and obtained through a grant from Henry County Helping Hands.

The park won an Award of Excellence for the trail at this year’s Tennessee Association of Museums Conference in the Permanent Exhibit category. Davidson, park maintenance staff, volunteers, and members of Interpretive Programming and Education at Tennessee State Parks worked together to make the trail as accessible as possible. The trail will evolve as needs arise.

“All visitors should have the same experience at our state parks, and this is an exciting new feature at Paris Landing,” said Ryan Jolley, accessibility coordinator for Tennessee State Parks. “The park has numerous accessibility features, so we want everyone to enjoy it in every way.”

Other accessibility features at Paris Landing State Park include all-terrain wheelchairs, adult-sized changing tables and a colorblind viewfinder that is wheelchair-friendly. The visitor center, picnic areas and a fishing pier are all wheelchair-accessible amenities.