NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — More visitors will be able to enjoy waterways in three Tennessee State Parks thanks to the opening of accessible paddling launches.

People with disabilities or limited mobility can use accessible paddling launches at Reelfoot Lake State Park, Indian Mountain State Park and Warriors' Path State Park to more easily enter and exit kayaks, canoes or stand-up paddleboards.

According to a Wednesday announcement, these latest additions mean that eight state parks now have these accessible paddling launches. The other five include:

• Booker T. Washington State Park
• David Crockett State Park
• Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park
• Montgomery Bell State Park
• Seven Islands State Birding Park

“The accessible paddling launches are for every paddler, whether beginner or experienced,” Greer Tidwell, Deputy Commissioner for Conservation at the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, said in a press release. “It’s another way of making sure everyone can have the same enjoyable experience at a state park, and we’re excited to see the number of parks with different features in accessibility increase.”

The move comes months after Tennessee State Parks announced the hiring of the agency's first-ever accessibility coordinator, Ryan Jolley. It also comes after the agency announced that all-terrain wheelchairs would be available at parks across Tennessee

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-news/accessible-paddling-launches-3-tn-state-parks/