Physical / Mobility Needs

 

Entrance to the Lindsay Warren Visitor center

Lindsay Warren Visitor Center

The visitor center for Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is located at:

1500 Fort Raleigh Road
Manteo, NC 27954

In the visitor center area there is:

• A paved asphalt parking lot.
• A visitor drop-off area in the in front of the visitor center.
• A restroom building to the left of the Visitor Center building.
• Visitor Center.
• Shaded, but unpaved picnic area.
• Access to the Waterside Theater.
• Access to the Hariot Trail, Freedom Trail, and reconstructed earthwork.
• Paved paths connecting all of these places.
• A free wheelchair for checkout.

Parking and Drop-Off Area

The parking lot at the visitor center has:

• 2 van-accessible spaces
• 1 space accessible to standard vehicles
• 39 toal spaces

Visitors with mobility concerns can be dropped off and picked up in front of the visitor center. The pathway from the drop-off point to the visitor center is:

• 20 feet wide
• 192 feet long if using the ramp to the left of the doors or 153 feet long if using the four steps directly in front of the doors
• Paved with smooth concrete

 

Restrooms

Restrooms are located next to the Visitor Center in a separate building. When leaving the parking lot, the restroom building is to the left of the Visitor Center.

The restrooms are:

• Accessible by two paved concerete ramps with metal handrails. There is a one-inch bump between the concrete slabs about halfway up the ramp.
• Split into Men and Women. Manual doors open inwards to the restrooms. There is no family restroom.
• Each restroom has one large stall intended for wheelchair users. Additionally, the Women's restroom has two small stalls, while the Men's restroom has one small stall and a standing urinal.
• The smallest turning radius in the Men’s room is three feet.
• The smallest turning radius in the Women’s room is three feet.

Water Filling Station

• A standing water bottle filling station is located on a concrete pad just outside the visitor center near the ramp entrance.

 

Visitor Center Interior

Access

• There is a cement ramp with metal railings on the left side of the porch.
• The ramp is 6 feet wide and 27 feet long with a gradual level rise.
• There are painted metal handrails on either side of the ramp.

Information Desk

• Upon entering the building, an information desk is immediately to the left.
• At the side of the information desk is a lowered section, where visitors can ask questions to park staff.

Exhibits

• The visitor center features exhibits where visitors can learn about the history of the area.
• There is room to navigate around the exhibits in a wheelchair.
• Additional exhibit signs outside the visitor center are located along paved routes.
• The park film has fold-down stadium style seating with areas for wheelchairs and motorized scooters at the front and rear of the auditorium.

Bookstore

• The visitor center contains a bookstore and gift shop run by Outer Banks Forever, a non-profit park partner.
• There is room to navigate around the bookstore.

 

Trails

A flat concrete path leads four hundred feet behind the visitor center to a reconstructed earthen fort and a part of the 16^th century English settlement that has been discovered. The path continues two hundred feet and up a moderate slope to enter the Waterside Theater, home of The Lost Colony outdoor drama.

The Thomas Hariot Trail begins near the reconstructed earthen fort. It is a third of a mile loop through maritime forest to the shore of Albemarle Sound. The trail is a minimum of five feet wide, is unpaved with many roots, and includes short, steep slopes.

The Freedom Trail begins near the visitor center and is a one and a quarter mile (one-way) path through mixed pine forests to the shore of Croatan Sound. The trail is a minimum of five feet wide, is unpaved, contains two road crossings, has a few slight slopes, and can be muddy in places.

 

The Lost Colony Theatrical Production

The Waterside Theater, home of the Lost Colony Production in summer, is accessible via paved concrete paths and ramps. Seating is in folding stadium-style seats. Seats do not have padding. Wheelchair and motorized scooter areas are available. Please contact the Roanoke Island Historical Association for more accessibility information on the Lost Colony.