Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Anne Lowe’s name.

Breckenridge has undertaken two projects this summer in an effort to make local trailheads more accessible for those in wheelchairs or who experience other mobility issues.

The town is taking steps to make outdoor areas more accessible, including targeting some well-loved trails with the intent of opening up more recreation opportunities to everyone. 

Reiling Dredge, the first location on the list, encapsulates the area’s mining history. 

Stabilized in 2018 for preservation by the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance, the trail brings travelers to a gold dredge that dug up the riverbed in search of gold. As of this summer, it can now be enjoyed by even more people.

The town’s open space department has completed the preliminary stages of retrofitting the Reiling Dredge trailhead on French Gulch Road for wheelchair accessibility. 

Maintenance done on the trail involved putting down material to compact the trail in order to put it at safe grade for wheelchairs. Town staff confirmed the trail is ready to use and is safe for wheelchairs, though final touches on the project are still on the way. 

Two parking spots that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act will be put in the lot across the street alongside a short trail to access Reiling Dredge. The last steps of the project include putting bump outs on a footbridge widen it. The goal is to provide enough room for someone in a wheelchair to be able to turn around on the bridge. 

It is anticipated that the work on Reiling Dredge will wrap by the end of the summer. Yet, with the grading portion of construction complete, residents are already antsy to use the trail.

While she was not directly involved with the project, Breckenridge Town Council member Carol Saade said she cannot wait for the work to be complete. 

“As someone who has a parent that’s in a wheelchair, this was really important to me,” Saade said. “The trails are a massive part of enjoying our natural gems and being able to share that with folks that are in a wheelchair is a priority as Breckenridge focuses on recreation opportunities.” 

She said she plans to take her mother on the trail soon. Community input played a role in propelling the project.

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Staff working on the project noted that the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center, a nonprofit that provides outdoor recreational experiences for people with disabilities and special needs, helped inform the project greatly. 

Based on the input given by Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center, work is underway on a second project to expand wheelchair accessibility. This one is at Sawmill Reservoir, near the land the town leases to the education center.

Open space and trails manager Anne Lowe noted the town plans to add two ADA-compliant parking spots to the existing trailhead there as well as additional improvements to the parking lot. Additionally, a new wheelchair-accessible trail will be constructed that connect the center’s Scott Griffith Lodge with the Sawmill Reservoir. 

“This will give more accessible access for people with mobility issues to get a little bit closer to where they want to go, a little faster, and with a little bit less effort,” said Sonya Norris, executive director of Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center. 

Norris noted that these trails all for everyone, not just people with special mobility needs. She said the fact that even more people can more easily explore a bit further than they usually would be able to is important. 

Lowe noted that the second project is tentatively expected to be finished in spring 2024. The town also plans on updating signage in these areas to provide additional trail accessibility information.