Beyond Management and Sustainability: Visitor Experiences of Physical Accessibility in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA

Visitors with physical disabilities to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park commonly report significant accessibility challenges, particularly narrow restroom doorways and the lack of accessible trails. The study, sponsored by the National Center on Accessibility, is notable for being the first to focus solely on the perceptions and expectations of individuals with physical disabilities in a single national park. It highlights critical gaps in infrastructure, such as insufficient grab bars and curb cuts, which hinder accessibility. Future research should expand this approach to include diverse disabilities—such as hearing or visual impairments—and compare experiences across different types of US National Park Service units (national parks, historical sites, parkways, and monuments) at multiple levels (state, regional, national). This would provide a broader understanding of accessibility needs and improve management strategies.

Chen, R. J. (2013). Beyond Management and Sustainability: Visitor Experiences of Physical Accessibility in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. Journal of Management and Sustainability, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.5539/jms.v3n2p145