Field Notes

Trails for all

5 min read / November 21, 2024

Building a universally accessible trail at Brewster Uplands

Berni Kuntzelmann saw an opportunity to help more people enjoy Brewster Uplands’ beautiful trails. So, he partnered with VLT and the Cambridge Trails Committee to make that dream a reality.

Berni Kuntzelmann, who has lived in Vermont since 1977, knows a thing or two about its trails. Within a few years of moving to Cambridge, the outdoor enthusiast began advocating for the creation of the Cambridge Greenway that abutted his restaurant. He also helped fund the project, donating a portion of the proceeds from each container of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream he sold.

“For many years, I donated many, many thousands of dollars toward the greenway project,” he said. “And I was very happy to see that development become the whole path system.”

But Berni’s experience on trails began to change after he was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, a disease that can affect mobility. It got harder and harder to hike and camp, until he wasn’t able to enjoy the outdoor activities he loved. In the early aughts, he purchased an iBOT® powered wheelchair that he says opened up his life again, allowing him to navigate bumpy trails and even stairs.

Even with a state-of-the-art chair, Berni acknowledges that a bumpy trail isn’t a great experience. And for those who use people-powered chairs or face other types of accessibility challenges, bumpy trails are often unusable. So when VLT asked Berni to test out Brewster Uplands’ mile-long Pond Loop trail, he gave his honest assessment: “I was able to do it, but it was a little jarring,” he said. “There were a lot of roots and holes.”

Brewster Uplands is a VLT-owned property in Cambridge that invites visitors from near and far to enjoy its seven miles of stunning trails. People can hike, walk dogs, mountain bike, or horse ride through forests and open expanses with breathtaking views of the property’s two working farms and Mt. Mansfield beyond. But many of the paths are hilly, with exposed roots and muddy stretches that don’t provide a comfortable or safe experience for people with limited vision or mobility.

Getting people outside is a family affair

In 2023, VLT and the Cambridge Trail Committee discussed the possibility of creating an accessible trail that would open up Brewster Uplands’ beauty to more visitors. They invited community members to a meeting to gather input on a plan to turn the Pond Loop trail into a universally accessible one. Berni and his son, Will, attended the meeting to learn more and provide feedback on the project.

Berni and Will spoke from personal experience as well as their professional experience establishing accessible infrastructure at Smugglers Notch RV Village, a business they co-own. They said the Pond Loop parking lot should include one or more accessible spaces, each with enough clearance for a van and wheelchair. And Berni felt the terrain should be smooth and level to accommodate the broadest range of users and mobility devices.

“Some challenges are visible and some aren’t, but we’re all challenged,” Berni said. “I feel we all need to work together and help each other when there are challenges.”

Partnering with Vermont’s (accessible) trail-blazers

VLT brought on the Vermont Center for Independent Living to ensure the trail was compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We also consulted Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports and the Vermont Trails and Greenways Council, which has developed a statewide Trail Accessibility Hub, to provide expertise on the trail’s design.

“Vermont has not built trails with equity in mind,” said Sharon Plumb, Program Manager for Vermont Trail and Greenways Council. She said she’s heard from residents around the state that we need to make more trails of all types — aquatic access, pedestrian, and mountain bike trails — more accessible to people with a wide variety of physical mobilities.

Sharon pointed out that accessibility is about more than just labeling a trail as universally accessible. “A trail description that says ‘easy’ with a wheelchair icon tells an intended user nothing about what the grade or surface is like, if there’s accessible parking or restrooms, or if the kiosk is at a height with maps and information that are easy to read,” she said.

VLT integrated feedback from Vermont Trails and Greenways Council and other partners over the spring and summer to improve the design of the accessible trail project. Once the design was set, we brought on Rabbit Tracks Trail Works to regrade the path and overlay it with compacted crushed stone for a comfortable, stable ride.

Celebrating success with a smooth ride

On October 15^th, Berni and Will returned to the now-universally accessible Pond Loop trail to celebrate its public opening. They were joined by VLT’s Annalise Carington, who oversaw the project, and Rabbit Track’s Greg Fatigate. It was a chilly, gray day, but the path was alive with color from the fall foliage fireworks on display.

The team negotiated the path with ease, passing several benches that have been set up as sit spots for rest or nature observation. At the end of the loop, an overlook provided a view of the pond and hills beyond. They watched as a flock of Canada geese took to the air, signaling the change of season.

Back at the trailhead, a group of attendees joined them for cider donuts and a ribbon cutting ceremony. The group included members of the Cambridge Trails Committee and Vermont Trails and Greenways Council.

“It was great fun getting together with all the people responsible for putting this together,” Berni said after the event. “It’s a very loving community.”

VLT is excited to spread the love and increased trail access to other Vermont communities, too. We built and maintain a universally accessible boardwalk at Bluffside Farm in Newport and are raising the funds to build an accessible trail at Pratt Refuge in Duxbury.

“These projects were really born out of local community engagement,” said Annalise. “We’re so grateful for Berni and Will’s engagement throughout the project at Brewster Uplands. We’re proud to be a part of the community here and look forward to getting more people outside to enjoy nature.”