In honor of Disability Pride Month, we’re shining a spotlight on one of the most important features of The Parklands: access. We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to explore, engage, and enjoy the outdoors—regardless of age or ability.

Whether you’re navigating the world with a wheelchair, walker, or cane, recovering from surgery, pushing a stroller, or simply seeking a smoother path—The Parklands offers welcoming paths and spaces designed with mobility in mind.

As one of the largest nonprofit urban park systems in the country, The Parklands spans over 4,000 acres and includes more than 80 miles of trails, including access to 19 miles of the Louisville Loop. There are also multiple playgrounds and spraygrounds, fishing spots, scenic overlooks. But beyond size and beauty, what sets this park apart is our ongoing commitment to inclusive design—making sure that all visitors, regardless of mobility needs, can engage with these amenities in safe, meaningful ways.

From the beginning, physical accessibility has been a core design principle in creating The Parklands. Over the years, and with the support of partners like the DREAM Foundation of Kentucky, Kosair Charities, and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, we’ve continued to expand and improve the ways visitors with physical limitations can enjoy all four parks. Below are just a few examples of how we’re working to ensure the outdoors is accessible for all who want to explore it.

Inclusive Playgrounds and Spraygrounds

Both of our playground and sprayground areas—Creekside Playground in Beckley Creek Park and Cliffside Playground in Broad Run Park—include ADA-accessible features to ensure all children can join in the fun.

Each site offers separate play zones for younger and older children, accessible restrooms, wheelchair-friendly picnic tables, and nearby parking. Both sites also feature ADA swing chairs designed to fully support a child’s body weight, offering a safe and fun option for children with mobility challenges. Nearby seating and shaded areas give parents, grandparents, and caregivers a comfortable place to enjoy their visit. Cliffside Playground in Broad Run Park has even more accessibility features, including a hard surface under sections of the playground area and a paved path through the mulched areas for easier access, so children using mobility devices can participate fully in playtime. These additions ensure all kids can stay in the heart of the action.

Fishing Piers for All Anglers

Fishing is a beloved pastime at The Parklands, and we’ve made sure it’s one that everyone can enjoy. In Beckley Creek Park, the ADA-accessible pier at Green Heron Lake offers close parking, picnic tables, and a peaceful lakeside setting perfect for anglers with limited mobility.

In Turkey Run Park, visitors can cast a line from an accessible pier at Boulder Pond—a quieter spot tucked away just a short distance from the parking area. Both locations are regularly stocked with catfish and trout through the FINs program, offering a relaxing place to reel in a great catch.

Paved Trails for a Smooth Adventure

Whether you’re looking for a short loop or a longer scenic stretch, you’ll find welcoming options throughout The Parklands. Each of our four parks includes paved trails that were thoughtfully designed to support a wide range of mobility needs. These routes are ideal for walkers, runners, wheelchair users, and families with strollers providing opportunities for everyone to get outside and stay active in a way that feels comfortable and accessible.

For a full list of our trails by park, including mileage and surface type, click here.

• In Beckley Creek Park, the Egg Lawn Signature Trail offers a flat, 0.7-mile paved loop with benches, shaded areas, and multiple parking access points. The Fisherman’s Trail near Miles Trailhead provides a shorter walk with views of Green Heron Lake and a nearby picnic area.
• Pope Lick Park features a 0.7-mile Fitness Circle loop around the sports fields with frequent benches and a smooth surface for easy navigation.
• Located between Pope Lick and Turkey Run parks, The Strand Trailhead offers convenient parking and a paved pathway that connects directly to the Louisville Loop. The Strand is the central puzzle piece of The Parklands and features scenic bridges and wooded views, offering a serene retreat. Explore one of the most peaceful areas of the parks, all from a paved path.
• In Turkey Run Park, the Sky Meadow Excursion Trail forms a circle around the Sky Meadow amenities (Sky Dome, Duck Pond, Boulder Pond, and the Paw Paw Trail) and links up to the Louisville Loop. This nearly 2-mile round-trip route is fully paved and mostly flat—ideal for a relaxing outing.
• Broad Run Park includes three accessible trails: the Highland Crossing Trail (0.87 miles through karst landscapes), the Greensward Trail (a sunny 0.7-mile loop near the playground), and the Lowland Plain Trail (0.81 miles of open space with easy access to other park paths).

And for those seeking a longer journey, 19 miles of the Louisville Loop run through The Parklands—which is fully paved. Some areas do have steeper grades, primarily in Turkey Run Park; some of the flattest stretches are located in Pope Lick Park and The Strand.

Accessible Venues for Every Occasion

All of our indoor and outdoor venues at The Parklands are ADA accessible, making them a great choice for inclusive gatherings of all kinds. From weddings and birthday parties to corporate retreats and community events, our team works closely with each client to ensure thoughtful accommodations and layouts that support easy access, smooth flow, and ample space.

Gheens Foundation Lodge and Hockensmith Barn feature flat, step-free entry and wide double doors from the front entrance throughout the interior, creating a seamless experience for guests of all abilities. Outdoor venues such as the PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Pavilion, Ogle Foundation Woodland Pavilion, and the Pignic Barn also include one or more wheelchair-accessible picnic tables to ensure everyone has a seat at the table.

From Our Visitors

Recharging and Recovering in Nature

LaVerne Cook, a longtime Parklands visitor and volunteer, has logged many hours exploring the parks—even when recovering from surgery. Check out LaVerne’s blog where she shared how accessible features like the Egg Lawn and playgrounds helped her stay active and connected while navigating those post-op mobility challenges: Physical Limitations? The Parklands is for you.

Making Memories Together

“As the parent of a child who uses a wheelchair, it can be challenging to find outdoor spaces that we can navigate easily—but The Parklands is one of those rare places that we don’t have to think much about it. Many of trails are paved and wide, and we’ve never had trouble getting around or exploring a new part of the park.

There are plenty of benches around the parks for rest breaks (which I’m especially grateful for; pushing a ten-year-old in a wheelchair can be hard work!), accessible parking is available at every major area, and even the playgrounds have features for kids with mobility needs.

Now that my mom is aging and can’t walk long distances, she often joins us too. The flat trail options and close parking make it possible for her to enjoy time outside with us.

My daughter gets to be outside, be active, and feel included. My mom gets to enjoy the outdoors with her granddaughter. We all get the joy of spending meaningful time together. That means everything to our family.”  – Jenn H.

As we celebrate Disability Pride Month, we honor the value, resilience, and contributions of people with disabilities—and we recommit to building a park system that serves all members of our community. We will continue to explore ways to enhance accessibility for all park visitors, including those with disabilities beyond mobility impairments.

While not every trail is fully accessible, The Parklands has been designed with care to accommodate physical limitations and provide welcoming spaces throughout the parks—because nature is for everyone. We hope that every parent looking for accessible playgrounds, angler wanting easy access to a quiet fishing spot, and park lover needing smooth trails to support recovery or mobility needs finds a welcoming space here to connect with the outdoors.

Plan your next adventure today at theparklands.org/find-an-activity.