Accessible Trail Coming Soon to Pierce Cedar Creek Institute

Here at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, we strive to positively impact our environment and influence our community to do the same. We are excited to announce the beginning stages of a new Accessible Trail coming to the Institute in the fall of 2025. With so many members using our trails and natural beauty here at Cedar Creek, we want to ensure everyone has this opportunity regardless of mobility or limiting factors. This trail will allow nature enthusiasts and members alike to have a chance to navigate the terrain in a safe and easy-to-use capacity. Rather than disappointing those who want to go but cannot because of challenging trails and our capability to accommodate a mobility problem, we aim to provide a quality and impactful opportunity for these hikers without barriers. This terrain will be an essential resource impacting everyone in Barry County. 

The trail will comprise limestone screenings, a sturdy base course, soil, and a non-woven geotechnical fabric. This makeup allows for a sturdy enough environment that those with wheelchairs and other mobility devices can enjoy and utilize Pierce Cedar Creek Institute’s green environment. The trail will pass through wooded and open prairies, allowing hikers to experience multiple environments. 

Of course, those with these devices are the only beneficiaries of this trail; guests of all ages, abilities, and group sizes can utilize this path. There are benches at the beginning and throughout the trail for easily accessible rest areas and an open rock garden with seating space for large groups and educational classes touring the land. The land at Pierce Cedar Creek is always an educational opportunity for our visitors, with signage posted about pollinators and their habitats, making this new area a place to learn and explore together. Finally, there will be a sound station that will help teach students the importance of nature and bring the sounds of the land up close and personal while amplifying the chirps of birds, trees, and different animals environment. 

The idea of a barrier-free opportunity for community members to enjoy has been a concept here at the institute since 2021. However, planning for the trail began in 2023 when a grant was received from the National Parks – Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Areas. This trail will connect an existing trail with a new trailhead on the existing property. The existing trail will be the starting point for the construction at a low elevation and short, manageable distance in a wooded area to keep the trail immersive but functional.

“Accessibility allows us to tap into everyone’s potential,” – Debra Ruh, Accessibility Advocate.