Accessibility

The National Park Service is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities have equal opportunity to benefit from our facilities, programs, services, and activities whether they are indoors or outdoors. The definition of whether or not a place is “accessible” varies widely from one person to another. To better navigate individual differences, many people with disabilities, their families, and friends, find planning ahead to visit a national park to be critically important. Our hope is to help provide useful information to help guide your experience within our park.

This page includes information on accessible features throughout the park, as well as descirptions and conditions for all park experiences to help you plan your visit. If you have questions about conditions not addressed here, we want to hear from you. Park Rangers are available daily by phone or email. Please contact us with your questions and suggestions.

 

General Information

The National Park Service welcomes people with disabilities. Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site is located in the town of Hyde Park, New York, a semi-rural area approximately 5 miles north of Poughkeepsie along Route 9G. Despite the park's nearly 200 acres, the historic core is contained within a compact area accessed by mostly ground, and a network of flagstone paved paths or roads and paths of compact earth connecting the parking lot, the Stone Cottage and Swimming Pool, Val-Kill Cottage, the Playhouse, the Cutting Garden, and trailheads. Other features of interest within the historic core, including the Tennis Court, Doll House, and outdoor Fireplace are situated among seasonally maintained turf. The park map will orient you to the general location of park features, connecting pathways, and trails.

The park brochure is available in print and braille formats. Audio description and text-only formats are currently under development.

A seasonal tram is usually available May through October to shuttle visitors from the main parking lot to the historic core. Our Shuttles are equipped with a wheelchair lift and can accommodate one wheelchair.

Motorized electric scooters used as mobility devices are welcome on the property, but are not permitted inside the buildings at Val-Kill. Please contact us about the use of other mobility devices at the park.

The links below include descriptions with a graduated range for accessibility for all outdoor areas and buildings within the historic core of Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site. A graduated scale of access ratings—Good, Adequate, and Limited—is utilized to inform individuals with disabilities about barrier assessment information when visiting the park.

Each of the links below provide information about specific facilities, programs, and services which may help you better plan your visit. If a particular service or issue is not mentioned below, such as alternate formats for print materials, audio description, assistive listening, captions, or physical access to particular facilities, programs or services, please contact us.

 

National Park Access Pass

The Access Pass, part of the America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Series, is available free for US citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities. Applicants must provide documentation of permanent disability and residency or citizenship. The pass may be obtained in person at the park's visitor center or through the mail using an application form. Visit the National Park Access Pass webpage for more information on benefits and how to obtain a pass online.

 

MORE INFORMATION

• Physical / Mobility
• Deaf / Hearing Loss
• Blind / Low Vision
• Service Animals

Access Ratings Explained

The accessibility pages provide assessment ratings for accessibility for outdoor areas and buildings within the historic core of Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site. A graduated scale of access ratings—Good, Adequate and Limited—is utilized to inform individuals with disabilities about barrier assessment information when visiting the Park. The access ratings incorporate the following scale:

GOOD—Outdoor pathways, grounds, building entrances, and interiors are largely accessible to persons with mobility, visual and Deaf and Hard of Hearing disabilities.

ADEQUATE—Outdoor pathways, grounds, building entrances, and interiors are not accessible due to minor barriers. For example, pathway surface material may be in disrepair, or building interiors may lack adequate accommodations for persons who are Deaf.

LIMITED—Outdoor pathways, grounds, building entrances, and interiors are inaccessible due to significant barriers.