Ideas for Accessible Parks and Trails in Grand Rapids

WalletHub named Grand Rapids, Michigan the #2 Best City in America for People with Disabilities in 2017, and we’re proud to say the city has become even more accessible since then – thanks in part to the ongoing efforts of Disability Advocates of Kent County (DAKC), whose services include advising local businesses on ways to become more inclusive to more people.

DAKC was instrumental in Grand Rapids achieving Destination Verified status as an accessible city through Wheel the World, an online travel booking platform dedicated to enhancing global travel accessibility. DAKC worked with Wheel the World and Experience Grand Rapids to survey the accessibility features and suggest accessibility improvements at 50 local hotels, restaurants and attractions. DAKC is now in the process of collecting detailed accessibility information for another 300+ local businesses. Experience Grand Rapids will post the results online later in 2025.

We asked DAKC to recommend five local parks/trails that people of all abilities can explore with confidence:

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Named America’s Best Sculpture Park by readers of USA Today in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and ranked among the most visited art museums worldwide, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is one of the best reasons to visit Grand Rapids – especially because FMG works hard to ensure that everyone can enjoy its offerings.

Both indoor and outdoor spaces are barrier-free and accessible, with ramps and paved pathways to accommodate wheelchairs throughout the 158-acre campus. Visitors can explore the venue on their own or take an accessible tram tour of the outdoor grounds. (Printed copies of tour scripts are available upon request.) A list of touchable sculptures for individuals who are blind or have low vision is available at the ticketing center.

American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation can be scheduled for any tour, program or event with a minimum of two weeks’ advance notice, and there are quieter spaces for anyone seeking sensory relief. All restrooms are accessible, and companion-assist restrooms are available. Accessible parking spaces are located near the main entrance.

Even more accessibility features are documented on FMG’s Wheel the World page.

John Ball Zoo

With 2,000+ animals and more animal-touching exhibits than any other zoo in Michigan, John Ball Zoo is a favorite stop for Grand Rapids visitors. All main paths along animal enclosures are wide and accessible for wheelchair users, making it a fun place for a different kind of trail adventure.

The Zoo has been collaborating with DAKC for more than a decade on strategies to become more accessible to more visitors, from making it easier for wheelchair users to negotiate elevation changes to adding tactile elements that help everyone, especially those with visual impairments, engage with animal exhibits.

The Zoo offers sensory kits and designated quiet areas to help those with sensory needs. Zoo staff members are also trained to understand and implement accessibility best practices.

You can find detailed accessibility information for John Ball Zoo at Wheel the World.

Sixth Street Park/Canal Park

Sixth Street Park and Canal Park are two adjacent city parks in downtown Grand Rapids linked by a paved trail. Both offer scenic river views and picnic areas as well as outdoor exercise equipment and parking. Canal Park also offers a playground. They’re both great places to relax, have a picnic and people watch.

Canal Park will become even more enjoyable for all over the next two years, as the city has broken ground on a project to widen the trail running along the river, replace the current playground with a universally accessible play space, and install an accessible canoe and kayak launch.

There are several restaurants across the street from the parks, and you can follow the Grand River Edges Trail linking the two parks south along the Grand River to reach the city’s hotel district, which is filled with hundreds more unique restaurants, shops and entertainment venues. The parks are also stops on the free DASH bus, which circulates downtown and offers wheelchair lifts and securement systems for mobility devices.

Heartside Park

Heartside Park is an urban park about 1.5 miles south of Sixth Street and Canal Parks. The park has a splash pad set on a wide expanse of level concrete, and many of the water features are accessible. There’s also a playground, basketball court, picnic tables and open greenspace.

Park paths are wide and level, and connect to city sidewalks, which have curb ramps. The public restrooms have accessible stalls. Note that the park is adjacent to the US-131 expressway, so traffic noise may impact sensory processing.

Heartside Park is adjacent to the Grand Rapids Downtown Market, a local-foods emporium housing 19 artisan food vendors and restaurants under one roof.  It’s a fully wheelchair-accessible destination for an ice cream (or taco, doughnut, sub sandwich, popcorn, etc.) after your park adventure. 

Huff Park

Huff Park is a great place for a (relatively) short trail that’s close to the city but feels immersed in nature. It’s in the city’s Creston neighborhood, about a 10-minute drive from downtown GR.

There’s a mile-long accessible trail loop at Huff Park that consists of both a paved path and a lengthy boardwalk. There’s an overlook where you can enjoy the view and watch for birds. You may see other woodland creatures along the trail, as well, which winds through woods and wetlands. Some natural-surface trails occasionally branch off from the main trail.

Huff Park also has a playground, ball diamond, restrooms and picnic areas.

For more information on accessible Grand Rapids, check out DAKC’s recommendations for accessible local attractions and accessible restaurants.

You may also be interested in our articles on accessible hotels, accessible transportation and accessible performing arts venues, as well as our guides to visiting Grand Rapids for wheelchair users, hard-of-hearing travelers and those with sensory needs.