Audubon Center and Sanctuary at Francis Beidler Forest Parking and Directions

Parking & Entrance: The visitor center is accessed via a one-mile-long gravel driveway. Our parking lot is a one-way loop, and it includes 50+ gravel parking spots for small vehicles and 6 parking spots for buses and RVs. We have two handicap parking spots located in from front of the center. A slightly elevated concrete path leads from these two spaces to a ramp that then leads up to the center’s entrance. There are two entrance doors into the center; at present, neither open automatically.

Picnic Tables: We have a number of picnic tables scattered throughout our parking lot. Most are accessed via dirt paths off of our gravel parking area and width of these trails varies greatly. The back porch of the visitor center has bench seating that is easier to access, but no tables.

Visitor Center: There’s plenty of room in the center to move around as staff ensure to leave avenues open between furniture and gift shop displays when possible. There are a few transition areas on the ground that are approximately 1/2 inch tall. These are located at our front and back entrances, as well as one in the middle of the visitor center where tile transitions to vinyl flooring. 

Restrooms: We have one ADA accessible stall in both of our bathrooms. There are no restrooms available out on the boardwalk or along our grassland/woodland trail.

Equipment: We have an electric wheelchair, an electric scooter, and a push wheelchair. All you have to do is ask if they are available when you arrive, or call ahead of time and see if we can reserve one on the day you’d like to come. These three items are available on a first come, first serve basis.

Boardwalk

Our 1.75-mile boardwalk is ADA accessible. It's width is five feet wide or wider for the entire length. It is on average elevated a 1 to 6 feet above the ground and is mostly level, except for the front and back ramps.

The handrail is 2.8 feet high from the deck. There are three mid-rails along most of the boardwalk, but we maintain an 8 inch gap between the last mid-rail and the handrail. Interpretive signage found along the boardwalk can be viewed from above or below the handrail.

There are two large covered shelters and six additional smaller covered rest shelters with seating along the boardwalk. No rest shelter is more than 1000' (or 1/5 of a mile) from another.

Staff regularly check the boardwalk and remove downed sticks, leaves, and other debris. While the decking is flat, there may be a few boards that are raised slightly higher than others, especially where the boardwalk turns.

Places to Rest

We want your time on the boardwalk to be enjoyable and comfortable. Along the 1.75-mile elevated boardwalk, you'll find numerous spots to pause, enjoy the view, and take a break. Rest areas include benches and rain shelters, as well as benches outside of the visitor center on the back deck before. 

Rest locations: #3, #4 (Meeting Tree), #6, #7, #9, #11 (plus the offshoot to the lake), #12, #15, #17, and #20. 

Grassland/Woodland Trail

This trail is not ADA accessible. It involves a combination of dirt paths that may be uneven depending on the season. It is occasionally disced for prescribed burns, which means that the path is basically shredded to reduce plant growth in order to create a barrier that fire cannot cross outside of the intended burn area. The other half of the trail consists of a winding path through the woods that is usually 2 to 3 feet wide with roots and other elements along it. There are also numerous bridges (which you don’t have to use to do most of the trail) that require a step up and down to cross.