the disabled hiker’s guide to northern california

The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Northern California covers the northern region of California from approximately Santa Cruz/Monterey to the Oregon state line. This guide includes:

• Drive-up Adventures: Places that can be reached via car or accessible transportation that offer sweeping views or beautiful surroundings without having to go out on trail. Where trails that meet the guidelines are also available, they will be referenced and a trail guide provided.
• Wheelchair-Accessible Trails: Descriptions of verified wheelchair accessible trails. Trails will be reviewed for adherence to accessibility guidelines and inaccessible features will be noted (this is a fairly common occurrence). Descriptions of trail surface, grade, and detailed directions will also be provided. Wheelchair users need more information than simply listing whether a trail is ＂wheelchair accessible＂ or not.
• Hiking Trails: Listings will include trails with varying difficulty levels. The majority of trails will be in locations associated with developed recreations areas. There will also be options for backcountry or wilderness area hikes as well as lesser-known trails.

Syren Nagakyrie (they/them) is the founder of Disabled Hikers, an organization by disabled people for disabled people. Syren writes trail guides, leads group hikes, and offers presentations throughout the Pacific Northwest and farther afield. Syren has consulted with many parks and organizations to improve access and inclusion for disabled people. They were selected as a Rooted in Rights Storyteller for 2019, a competitive program sponsored by Rooted in Rights and Disability Rights Washington. Syren is a lifelong social activist and advocate. As a freelance writer, Syren has been published in multiple anthologies, magazines, and blogs. They developed a love for nature in childhood but did not start exploring outdoor recreation until their mid-twenties; they faced exclusion and lack of accessibility in outdoor spaces, but Syren could not be held back from enjoying the wonders of nature. Through years of trial and error, Syren discovered what makes the outdoors accessible for them, and believes strongly in the importance of connection to place as an antidote to the isolation so many disabled people experience. They live in Forks, Washington.