Carve across snowy peaks and uncover colorful alpine meadows with Vail’s accessible experiences. Whether you use a wheelchair, have a visual or auditory impairment or require accommodations for cognitive or sensory needs, Vail offers accessible transportation, lodging, events and activities so everyone can enjoy some mountain-town fun.
- Accessible Transportation
- Accessible Hotels
- Accessible Events
- Accessible Winter Adventures
- Accessible Summer Adventures
Accessible Transportation in Vail
Exploring the Tyrolean-inspired architecture, locally owned boutiques and gourmet restaurants is made easier for everyone with the Town of Vail’s free bus service. Vail’s buses can whisk you throughout the villages at no cost, while Eagle County’s ECO buses travel to surrounding towns for a small fare. And they’re all ADA compliant with lift accessibility for those who use a wheelchair. In need of additional assistance or are unable to ride the regular bus route? You can request free paratransit service; just download the application form, complete the form and email it to Joyce A. Rihanek at [email protected].
Vail Wheelchair Rentals
Vail’s car-free villages, with wide, smooth roads, make traveling by wheelchair much easier — and the Vail Pharmacy located in the lobby of Vail Health Hospital is great place to pick one up. For more convenience, get in touch with Travel Vail Baby, who can deliver and pick up wheelchairs from nearly any location in Vail and surrounding towns.
Accessible Hotels in Vail
From luxury hotels to family-owned historic accommodations to ski-in, ski-out lodges, there are so many cozy places to rest your head while you’re in Vail. Below, see some hotel highlights with accessible resources for visitors.
Tivoli Lodge Vail
The Tivoli Lodge in Vail Village offers an accessible public entrance with a ramp and free valet for guests with disabilities. Sit back and relax in the ADA-compliant hot tub on the patio, complete with a lift for easy access. The accessible guestrooms feature amenities like Braille room numbers, roll-in showers and visual alarms. For a fun night out, head down the road to MICHELIN-recommended Sweet Basil, a wheelchair-accessible fine-dining establishment that serves up delicacies like creamy whipped feta, Korean pork-belly sandwiches and Connecticut-style lobster rolls.
Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail
Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail features accessible guest rooms with wide, wheelchair-accessible doors and hallways, as well as lowered peepholes, light switches, drawers and closet racks. The accessible bathrooms feature smooth marble finishes, roll-in showers with grab bars, handheld faucets, attached fold-out seats and an easy roll-in sink area. TTY/TDD phones (a telecommunications device for people who are deaf) and strobe lights are available upon request. When your tum starts rumbling, decadent dining can be found right on-premises. The Four Seasons restaurant, Flame, serves up some of the best steaks in town.
The Hythe Vail
At The Hythe Vail, wheelchair users can glide effortlessly through the stunning property surrounded by snowcapped peaks utilizing elevators and self-operating lifts. In the summer, when you’re ready to take a dip, enjoy a smooth entry into the bright-blue sloped swimming pool. Service animals are welcome and valet parking is available for vehicles customized for wheelchair users. Inside, wheelchair-accessible guest rooms include touches like bathroom grab rails and shower seats, while hearing accessible rooms come with kits including TTY/TDD phones.
Accessible Events in Vail
Throughout the year, Vail’s signature events draw foodies, athletes, music lovers and everyone in between to celebrate. Some accessible events to check out include Taste of Vail, a spring wine and food festival that draws top chefs and winemakers from around the world. The SpringFree Bluegrass Festival is a completely free event filled with folky rambles and food trucks. It’s wheelchair accessible as well, taking place in the step-free town centers and reachable via Vail’s bus system. In summer, the GoPro Mountain Games features non-adaptive and adaptive athletes as they compete for the gold on the rushing rivers, rocky trails and grassy fields.
For auxiliary aid or services for effective communication like a sign-language interpreter, Braille documents or other means for effective communication for those with speech, hearing or vision impairments during a Vail event, contact the office of ADA Coordinator, Krista Miller, at [email protected].
Accessible Winter Adventures in Vail
Whether it’s your first time trying adaptive winter sports or you’re a seasoned adaptive athlete looking for the best routes to ski or ride, Vail is the place to go when the snow starts falling.
Adaptive Ski Lessons
The Vail Adaptive Program provides fun-filled adaptive ski lessons and experiences for people of all different ages, abilities and skill levels. Each experience is tailored to your unique needs and abilities with the appropriate instructors and gear for the day, including mono skis, hearing headsets and three-track equipment. Adaptive skiers can also integrate into ski-school group lessons with a trained Adaptive Assistant. Or reserve a one-on-one instructor for a personalized day on the hill. Before you know it, you’ll be racing down the powdery slopes.
Experienced-Adaptive-Skier Resources
Already a seasoned adaptive skier? The Vail Adaptive Program offers some adaptive equipment rentals for those who can attest to their confidence and familiarity in their use. For those who know the ropes of adaptive skiing but want assistance with tasks like loading and unloading mono skis on lifts, you can easily book an Independent Assistant to ski alongside you for the day.
Ski Deals & Offers
Planning a multiday ski trip to Vail? Consider the Epic Adaptive Pass with five-day or full-season access to Vail Mountain. And for people in need of financial assistance, Access Unbound is a local nonprofit that offers scholarships that can cover some (or all!) of the cost of your adaptive lessons.
Accessible Summer Adventures in Vail
From paved trails lined with wispy Indian paintbrush blossoms on Vail Mountain to rushing rapids on rafting trips with Timberline Tours, there are plenty of accessible summer activities in Vail.
Vail Mountain
Soar up the summer slopes in the wheelchair-accessible Eagle Bahn Gondola (#19), where you’ll uncover wildflower-spotted views of the Vail Valley and delicious on-mountain dining at the Mid-Vail. Once you’ve had your fill of Cubano-style grilled cheese and house made potato chips, explore Walking Mountain Science Center’s Nature Discovery Center, reachable via the Eagle Bahn, where sensory-friendly activity kits and guided nature hikes allow kids to explore and learn about the alpine ecosystems and wildlife in Vail.
Ford Park
Ford Park, including the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater and Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, is accessible for wheelchair users and a great place to take in beautiful botanicals or jam out to live music. Individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing can request an American Sign Language interpreter or reserve a listening device with advance notice. For people who are visually impaired, an I-MAG screen is available during events, displaying magnified live video and important messages.
Wheelchair-Friendly Trails
Hop on the wheelchair-accessible Eagle Bahn Gondola to explore the accessible Eagles Nest Loop trail. The scenic, 0.5-mile paved path opens to panoramic views of Mount of the Holy Cross, the aspen-covered Holy Cross Wilderness and the towering peaks of the Gore Range. Another accessible gem is Eagle Valley Trail, where 50-plus miles of paved path winds along Vail’s rushing rivers, through green forests and the charming villages.
More Vail Wheelchair-Friendly Trails
More Vail Trip Tips
- Get the perfect Vail gift at the Golden Bear jewelry store
- Check out these LGBTQ+-friendly spots throughout Vail
- Discover tips for a sustainable winter vacation in Vail
- Here’s a local’s guide to Vail Farmers’ Market & Art Show
- Take a bite out of this Q&A from MICHELIN-recommended Sweet Basin
Hero image courtesy of Eric Dunn.