Accessible Camp Shelters at US Forest Services Facilities
Information reproduced from the USDA Accessibility Guidebook for Outdoor Recreation and Trails.
Camp shelters are small structures typically enclosed on three sides with a roof or overhang. They are often located on trails. The photo on the right shows a typical camp shelter that provides some protection from the weather. Camp shelters are not cabins. Cabins are typically fully enclosed and must comply with the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA), section 806, for transient lodging. Camp shelters at US Forest Services (USFS) facilities must comply with the Forest Service Outdoor Recreation Area Guidelines (FSORAG) except in two circumstances.
If a condition for an exception prohibits full compliance with a specific technical requirement in FSORAG, section 6.1, the camp shelter only has to comply with the specific requirement to the extent practicable.
When more than two camp shelters are grouped together in a camping unit, only 20 percent of them (but never less than two) are required to meet the requirements. For example, if five camp shelters are grouped, 20 percent is one shelter. Because of the minimum number required, however, this group must include at least two shelters that meet the requirements. However, in a group of 15 shelters, 20 percent is 3 shelters. At the least, three shelters must meet the requirements. Remember that the requirements are minimums, and the USFS commitment to universal design dictates that as many shelters as is practicable should meet the requirements.