Classification of Hiking Difficulty Levels of Accessible Natural Trails

Alessandro Mantuano and Fabio Bruno ()
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Alessandro Mantuano: Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering (DIMEG), University of Calabria, P. Bucci, 46C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy
Fabio Bruno: Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering (DIMEG), University of Calabria, P. Bucci, 46C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-34

Abstract: The accessibility of nature trails for people with motor disabilities and impairments stands as a significant challenge for inclusive tourism. In the present study, we would like to present a review of research, approaches, and solutions to enable people with motor impairments to enjoy nature trails independently or with assistance. The study is conducted from the perspective of public bodies that aim to reduce the accessibility barriers for People with Disabilities (PwDs) by adapting and improving the conditions of the trails and by providing clear and comprehensive information about the difficulties that hikers may encounter on a trail while using a specific aid. The paper initially presents the wide variety of aids for outdoor mobility, including both those to be used independently (i.e., self-propelled wheelchairs that can be equipped with additional small wheels, off-road wheels and/or auxiliary drives) and those that require assistance (e.g., single-wheeled wheelchairs). Then, we shift focus onto the difficulty classification of trails for PwDs, analysing papers and guidelines that tried to define objective evaluation criteria such as the slope, the trail surface, and the length of the sloping sections. Starting from these studies, the paper proposes a synthesis of the different classifications that consider, for the first time, all the aids available on the market, thus filling the gaps of the single studies. In the last sections, we present some national and international guidelines with tailored and practical solutions to improve the accessibility of nature trails and some studies about the inclusive planning that directly involves PwDs, as well as on the need for a better training of tourism service providers. The present work aims to stimulate a debate on the barriers and opportunities related to the accessibility of hiking trails, contributing to making nature a truly accessible experience for all.

Keywords: accessible hiking; motor disability; motor impairment; self-propelled wheelchair; mobility aids; inclusive design; trail classification; inclusive tourism; barrier-free trails (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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