|
The National Park Service strives to make Fort Matanzas National Monument accessible. The fort itself is centuries old and accessibility is not always ideal. Through on-going self-assessment, we are identifying and eliminating barriers to accessibility.
Download the Park AppThe NPS Fort Matanzas National Monument App on Android and iOS includes up-to-date accessibility information. All of the entrances and park exhibits are audio described and videos are captioned. The app includes alternative text for images, combined with your device’s built-in accessibility features. Download it for free before you arrive. Cellular service can be poor in remote areas of the park.
By doing this, most of the app content will be available for use in the park (the exceptions being alerts, calendar updates, and real-time updates—accessing those items before leaving service will at least keep that information in the app). Even without cellular service, the app will be able to share your location on the map and bring up all site content. Access PassThere is no entrance fee at Fort Matanzas National Monument, but if you are interested in visiting other National Parks, then consider The America the Beautiful - The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Series. It includes the Access Pass: a free, lifetime admission and discount pass for U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities. Access Passes are available for a $10 handling fee online and for free at the other NPS site in St. Augustine, the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument's ticket booth/entrance station.
Audio/Visual AssistanceSign Language Interpreters are available for ranger programs with three weeks notice. Please e-mail us with your request or call the main park line at (904) 471-0116. Films shown in the fort's theater room and on the app contain captions. The park's app has audio descriptions of the self-guided tour and park exhibits. The park brochure and the nature trail guide are available in Braille upon request as is a captioned version of the park’s 8-minute orientation film. 
NPS Service AnimalsQualified service animals assisting people with disabilities are allowed in the Visitor Center, on the boat, and at the fort. They must be leashed. A service animal is defined as a one that performs some of the functions and tasks that the individual with a disability cannot perform such as carrying a pack for persons with mobility impairments, assisting persons with balance, or alerting medically-dependent persons of specific conditions such as oncoming seizures. Companion dogs that are used only to provide comfort or emotional support (“therapy animals”), or other pets are not allowed into the Visitor Center, boat, or fort. Learn about the Bark Ranger program. Wheelchairs and MobilityHandicapped parking is available in each of the parking areas. The boardwalk Nature Trail is mostly accessible with two short stretches of sand where the trail crosses a service road. The boardwalks to the ocean and river beaches, located ¼ mile south of the main park entrance, are accessible.The Visitor Center, restrooms, dock, and ferry boat are fully wheelchair accessible. The fort itself is not accessible; there is a shell path and a stairway of fifteen steps to get up into the fort. There is a bench at the fort at ground level for people who do not wish or are unable to climb the steps into the fort. To experince the virtual tour of gun deck and observation deck, click here.
|
Last updated: January 5, 2023