Episode #5: This is Your Moment: Experience Raystown without Limits!

In this episode of Beyond the Water’s Edge, co-hosts Matt and Hanah dive into what makes the Raystown Lake Region welcoming for all!  From accessible trails to inclusive local businesses, they highlight how every visitor - regardless of mobility - can get out, explore, and truly experience it all.  Because at Raystown, it’s more than a visit… it’s your moment!

Transcript

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The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. This podcast reflects knowledge and understanding at the time of the recording. The opinions expressed are solely those of the hosts and featured guests.

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From relaxation to adventure. From nature's wonders to engineering marvels. From the unexpected past to the icon of today. This is Racetown Revealed, Beyond the Water's Edge, presented by the Huntington County Visitors Bureau. Let's dive in.

SPEAKER_00 0:37

Welcome to another episode of Racetown Revealed. I'm your host, Matt Price, and today we're talking about a theme that is central to everything we do in the Racetown Lake Region. This is your moment.

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And I'm Hannah, Operations and Data Manager for the Huntington County Visitors Bureau. Matt, when we say this is your moment, we mean everyone. We want to ensure that guests with mobility challenges or sensory differences don't just visit but truly experience the best of what we have to offer.

SPEAKER_00 1:02

Exactly. Today we're pulling back the curtain on the sites, trails, and local businesses that are leaning in to make our region accessible and welcoming. So let's start with historical attractions. So a lot of times people think of historical attractions as being inaccessible because historically buildings didn't have to be accessible. So what are some of the attractions in our area doing to kind of lean in and help people with mobility issues or other sensory issues to uh kind of experience the great history that we have in the area?

SPEAKER_01 1:33

So the East Barrow Top Railroad is a really great example of this. You might think that this 19th century railroad would be a challenge, but they've been really proactive. They have passenger cars specifically equipped with a wheelchair lift and dedicated space inside. They also have their shop tour. So for those who find the historical rail yard and shop complex difficult to navigate on foot, they provide tours via an adapted golf cart. It's history in motion for everyone.

SPEAKER_00 2:01

Yeah. And then right across the street from the East Broadtop Railroad, and kind of using some of the same rails is the Rock Hill Trolley Museum. So if you're riding the trains at the East Broad Top, the trolley museum has a level platform for entering some of their historic trolley cars. And the East Broadtop, if you let them know that you're riding the trolley as well, the East Broadtop will drop you off on their platform so that you can access the trolleys with kind of a seamless entry for you. So it's kind of a good coordination there between two attractions that are right across the street from each other. So what other historical attractions do we have in the area that kind of work out that cater to uh people with disabilities? I know the Swaggard Auto Museum uh can accommodate that. Um it's a great place to see uh about forty or so uh historic automobiles, including some really unique ones like a Tucker prototype, uh Herbie the Love Bug from the movies, um, and several great examples of uh history uh in historic automobiles. Um and then there's Lincoln Caverns, which is kind of a combination of history and natural attraction. So how does Lincoln Caverns accommodate?

SPEAKER_01 3:07

Yeah, so when you think of a Lincoln Caverns, you think of a cave. Caves have a lot of stairs, you have to go down and into the earth. Um but with advanced notice, their team can assist wheelchair users into the caverns via the historic entrance. Um historically the cave would enter right along where Route 22 um passes by. They no longer use that regularly due to safety concerns, um, but they are able to accommodate that if you give them notice and you can get a pretty sizable chunk of the cave tour in that way.

SPEAKER_00 3:41

Yeah, so it's uh it's a great way for people with mobility issues to be able to access an underground attraction that in most places in the world would be inaccessible to them. So uh kudos to Lincoln Caverns for that accommodation. So let's move on to the great outdoors. Of course, uh Racetown Lake and the Racetown Lake region, that's what we're known for. So we're known for trails, we're known for water access, we're known for the lake. In addition to your role with us, Hannah, you're also the president of the Friends of Racetown Lake. So talk about some of the things that are made accessible at Racetown Lake.

SPEAKER_01 4:12

Yeah, so um as the Visitors Bureau, we we do get a lot of questions about trails sitting in in our desk at the Racetown Lake Visitor Center. Um the Lower Trail and the Huntington and Broadtop Rail Trail are both two fantastic options. Um they're rails to trails projects, meaning that those nice level crushed limestone surfaces. Um a portion of the Lower Trail is in fact paved as you come through Williamsburg. And Huntington and Broadtop Trail also recently had added a blacktop section that runs through Warriors Path State Park down in Saxton.

SPEAKER_00 4:46

Yeah. So we also have, like at the lake, we have the Greenside Pathway at seven points. This is kind of a cool thing, um, not just for like mobility issues, but also if you have some s joint stress, um, because the Greenside Pathway is a two-mile loop that's paved with recycled tires. Now I will warn you, if you are in a wheelchair or some parts, this the entire two-mile loop doesn't meet the ADA grade requirements. So ADA grade is uh is six percent or less. Um so there are some steeper sections of that, but in within that two-mile loop, there's probably two sections that are um about three-quarters of a mile long, one down along the lake and the other one up on top near the visitor center, and that connects to several recreation areas that make it a nice experience for uh people with mobility issues. I guess let's talk about our office. Let's talk about the Racetown Lake Visitor Center.

SPEAKER_01 5:36

Yeah, so um Matt and I work in the Racetown Lake Visitor Center, and one of the best views of Racetown Lake is from our back deck. The building itself is fully wheelchair accessible, and the back deck has some stunning views. Um it's arguably my favorite view of the lake. Um in addition to that, the Ryanauer and Hans overlooks are also accessible. Now, to get to Hans, there's about a 300-yard um gravel path. Um but if you are able to make it back there, it is probably the most photographed view of the lake.

SPEAKER_00 6:12

And it's crushed limestone gravel, much like a rail trail, so it's easy for pushing a wheelchair along. So all right. So we've been out, we've been adventuring, we we've gone underground, we've been to historical attractions. Now it's time to eat. So w what are some great places in the Huntingdon area and in the Raystown Lake region where people with mobility issues or other sensory issues can go and find uh a bite to eat?

SPEAKER_01 6:37

Yeah, so if you want to stay um at the lake, the marina cafe at Lake Racetown Resort is a great example. Um so they have both indoor and outdoor seating. If it is good weather, I highly recommend sitting out on their patio. It overlooks their marina. Their food is delicious, the staff is wonderful. Um if you are looking to spend more time in Huntingdon, Standing Stone Coffee Company has indoor and outdoor seating as well. Standing Stone Coffee Company roasts all of their beans in-house. And they have like soups, uh salads, sandwiches, baked goods. It's really good for uh light lunch, light dinner, that sort of thing.

SPEAKER_00 7:14

Yep. And if you if you're thirsty at the end of your day and you'd like a uh locally brewed beer, Juniana Brewing Company is also accessible. Um they've got a ramp going into the brewery and their tasting room and the restrooms are also built to be ADA compliant. So um lots of great options there. Um and what about to cool off? So uh I know sometimes beaches can be tough to navigate, and that's that unfortunately is true of our race on lake beaches, because there's a concrete kind of underneath the swimming surface, um, but there's also a curb, so it's tough to get over that curb. But there is a great swimming option in Huntington.

SPEAKER_01 7:54

Right. So Isat Community Pool in Huntington, um, they have a splash park and a zero entry pool, which is great for people of all ages, um, regardless of mobility, um, who may struggle with traditional pool ladders.

SPEAKER_00 8:10

See, there there are also two other attractions in the area that provide great places to cool off. There's the Wild River Water Park at Lake Racetown Resort. Um, and again, they have a splash park uh which is all on a concrete pad, easy to easy to wheel in and wheel out. Um and then one of our favorites in the in the region is Del Grosso's Amusement Park.

SPEAKER_01 8:28

Yes, so Del Grosso's Amusement Park, you won't be able to do everything that they have to offer, but they will make accommodations. They have the water wheelchairs for the splash park, and there are uh certain number of amusement rides that are also um ADA accessible.

unknown 8:47

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 8:48

So going back to dining for a minute, so even if a restaurant isn't necessarily accessible, don't be afraid to call ahead and ask, because most of the time, especially in in the Huntingdon area, most of the time the staff will go out of their way to make sure that you are accommodated. So Boxers Cafe, for instance, um, they've been known to, because they're a historic building, there's a step up to get into the building, um, but they have been known to send their staff out to help lift a wheelchair into the building, into the restaurant. Um, so call ahead, because uh even if they're not built to be accessible, I think most of the places their staff will go out of the way to make sure that you're welcome and have a good experience. So uh whether it's a train ride, a cave tour, or quiet coffee on a deck overlooking the water, we want you to feel at home here.

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This region belongs to all of us. If you're planning a trip and have specific questions about accessibility, don't hesitate to reach out to us at the Huntington County Visitors Bureau. We're here to help you find your moment. You can also check out Accessible Adventures on the Plan Your Trip section of racetown.org.

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So many thanks for listening to Racetown Revealed. Now, this is your moment to find accessible adventures on your own.

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This has been a deep dive into Raisetown Revealed beyond the water's edge, presented by the Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau.

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Explore more at raistown.org.