Dovetail Trail Consulting

Dovetail Trail Consulting Education and consulting to be inclusive to adaptive biking, climbing, water access, hiking and all recreational opportunities!

Integrating breath, movement, and consciousness to self and the world around.

05/02/2026

One thing people don’t always think about…

When you’re a wheelchair user or riding an adaptive mountain bike, you don’t just hop off and walk a feature to scope it out. There’s no standing at the top, no pacing it out, no second guessing from the side.

You have to commit.

That first look usually happens while you’re already in it. Slow rolling, feeling every inch, figuring it out in real time. Speed, line choice, braking, all of it matters and all of it is happening at once.

On this steep rock slab, I’m fully on the brakes. Just trying to understand it. Where’s the traction? How does it want to pull me? What’s it going to take to ride this clean?

That first pass isn’t about sending it. It’s about learning it.

Then you go back, adjust, and ride it for real.

Relying on your equipment isn’t optional out here. It’s everything.

And when it all comes together… that’s the payoff.

04/21/2026

The Pine Barrens in southern New Jersey are something else. Sandy soils, pitch pines, and quiet cedar swamps create a landscape that feels wide open and tucked away at the same time. You can go miles out here and still feel like you have barely scratched the surface.

We spent time moving through this system to get a deeper look at how these trails connect and how people experience them.

Along the way, we measured and assessed more than 70 miles of trail across four state parks in the southern region, and the New Jersey team cleared a lot of barriers making these trails better for everyone.

George the service dog may have had more fun than everyone.

Big shout out to the state of New Jersey for focusing on making the outdoors better for people with disabilities.

There is a lot more to come from this place.

04/16/2026

A perfect example of a trail section that just needs a little love; something everyone would appreciate.

This work isn’t just about people with disabilities. Most of what we find and recommend makes the experience better for just about everyone out there.

Better trails. Better access. Better for all.

Let’s talk about your trail system 🤝

Big shout out to the New Jersey State Parks crew for sacrificing dry clothes to make this possible. You all are next level!

04/14/2026

We came across a barrier on the trail this week that was built to keep out motorized use, things like ATVs and dirt bikes. But here’s the problem… it also blocked access for wheelchair users and other mobility devices.

That’s not how this works.

You can’t design a solution that excludes people who are legally allowed to be there just because you’re trying to stop people who aren’t.

Non-motorized trails are still open to people using mobility devices. That includes mobility devices that are battery powered. That’s not a workaround, that’s the law. And more importantly, it’s about civil rights and access to public lands.

What we see all the time is this:
It’s not the trail itself that creates the barrier… it’s the structures we build. Gates. Chicanes. Bollards. “Solutions” that unintentionally (or sometimes unknowingly) shut people out.

There are better ways to manage use without blocking access. It just takes a little intention, a little education, and a willingness to think about all users.

Reach out if you want to learn more. We are here to help.

03/12/2026

Just imagine if it’s something you don’t personally experience.

03/09/2026

For context… it took us 4.5 hours of trusting the process and advocating for ourselves to get our wheelchairs and front-wheel drives back. We barely made our connecting flight and were the last to board because of it.

This is exactly why many people with disabilities are afraid to travel. And travel is often the first step to an adventure.

When you lose someone’s luggage, it’s inconvenient.
When you lose someone’s wheelchair, you take away their independence and create serious health risks like pressure sores. And if a mobility device isn’t found, it can take months to replace.

The barriers people with disabilities face every day are real but they’re solvable. It just takes open minds and a willingness to implement better systems.

Side note and a tip: if you ever find yourself in this situation, be kind and patient with the people trying to help. They usually didn’t create the problem, but they’re the ones who can help solve it. Kindness goes a long way.

02/04/2026

Trails tell a story long before you reach the destination. Through our involvement in the Reimagining Taggart Lake project, Dovetail Trail Consulting had the opportunity to help rethink how people move through, arrive at, and experience this landscape. When trails are designed with intention, more people get to be part of the moment. And this one includes people with disabilities.

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PO Box 3836
Jackson, WY
83001

Telephone

970-690-2389

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