Physical / Mobility

Many areas at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site are accessible to visitors with physical or mobility concerns. The information below is grouped by location, and includes information on visiting the reconstructed Fort Vancouver, Visitor Center, and Pearson Air Museum, located in Vancouver, Washington. Information is also included for visiting the McLoughlin House Unit of Fort Vancouver NHS, located in Oregon City, Oregon.

 

Need a little help?

Wheelchairs are available at the Contact Station inside the reconstructed Fort Vancouver, at Pearson Air Museum, and at the visitor center for visitors to borrow, free of charge. No advance reservations; just ask a ranger at any of those three locations.

 

 

Fort Vancouver

• Parking: Accessible parking is located in the lot adjacent to the fort.
• Entrance: During opening hours, the gates at the Reconstructed Fort Stockade are open. A wide, paved path leads visitors past the Contact Station and into the stockade.
• Routes: Parking lot surface is composed of gravel. Paths leading to Fort Vancouver and through the Garden in front of it are firm, stable surfaces made of decomposed granite. There are some uneven patches. All paths inside of and leading to the Reconstructed Fort Stockade are paved. The Chief Factors House on the north side of the Fort has a curving staircase leading to the front door, and this is the sole entrance to the Chief Factors House building.

 

NPS Photo.

• Programs: Ranger-led programs bring visitors along paved paths and into accessible buildings.
• Restrooms: Accessible restrooms are available inside the fort.
• Pay Phone: No pay phone is available.
• Benches: Benches are placed along the paths throughout the fort.
• Exhibits: Tactile or otherwise interactive exhibits are structured to be accessible from a wheelchair.

 

NPS Photo.

Visitor Center

• Parking: Accessible parking is located near the Visitor Center entrance.
• Entrance: Automatic door entry.
• Routes: Paved from parking lot with a slight uphill incline. A crushed basalt trail leads from the Visitor Center to the nearby Japanese Memorial.
• Restrooms: Accessible restrooms are available inside the Visitor Center.
• Pay Phone: No pay phone is available.
• Benches: A concrete plaza with seat walls and benches is located outside the Visitor Center entrance. Southeast of the Visitor Center down a moderately sloped concrete walk is a picnic area that includes picnic tables, a playground, and the Visitor Center Annex.
• Exhibits: Tactile or otherwise interactive exhibits are structured to be accessible form a wheelchair.
• Water: Dual height drinking fountains are available outside and inside the Visitor Center. A water bottle refilling station is also available.

 

Pearson Air Museum

• Parking: Accessible parking is available in the Pearson Air Museum parking lot.
• Entrance: Automatic door entry.
• Routes: Paved from parking lot. There are steps from the parking lot level to the main entrance, or a curving ramp with a downhill slope. Inside the museum, an elevator bring visitors from the main gallery level to the mezzanine level.
• Restrooms: Accessible restrooms are available inside Pearson Air Museum.
• Pay Phone: No pay phone is available.
• Benches: Benches are available outside the entrance to the museum. Seating is available in the museum's lobby.
• Exhibits: Tactile or otherwise interactive exhibits are structured to be accessible from a wheelchair.
• Water: Dual height drinking fountains are available in the museum, near the restrooms. A water bottle refilling station is also available.

McLoughlin House

• Parking: Parking is available along Center Street in front of the McLoughlin and Barclay Houses.
• Routes: A sloped walkway provides accessible entrance to the Barclay House. Steps lead to the house's entry. The McLoughlin House is currently inaccessible to visitors using wheelchairs, but in-progress rehabilitation projects are working to make the house more accessible to all visitors.
• Restroom: The McLoughlin House Unit restroom is not accessible to visitors in wheelchairs, but in-progress rehabilitation projects are working to make this site more accessible to all visitors.
• Questions: If you plan to visit the McLoughlin House and have questions about accessibility, please call us at [phone].