Tennessee State Parks are widening the landscape of accessibility with the installment of additional colorblind viewfinders. According to an announcement by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, these special lens-equipped viewfinders are now available at 12 locations, including the newly added T.O. Fuller State Park in Memphis and Roan Mountain State Park in Roan Mountain. The timing coincides with the start of International Colorblindness Awareness Month, a period dedicated to raising understanding and accommodating those with visual impairments.
The initiative makes it possible for visitors with red-green colorblindness to see the vast array of colors that many of us take for granted. Soon, Pickett CCC Memorial State Park will join the roster on September 25, when volunteers come together to install a new device as a part of First Lady Maria Lee’s Tennessee Serves program. “All visitors deserve the same experience of enjoying the natural beauty of our state parks,” said Greer Tidwell, deputy commissioner for Conservation. T.O. Fuller State Park provides additional accessible services, including all-terrain wheelchairs, an adult-sized changing table, and an accessible half-mile trail, while Roan Mountain State Park offers wheelchair-friendly amenities and ADA-accessible cabins and campsites, as noted by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
These colorblind viewfinders are designed with specialized lenses that specifically alleviate red-green colorblindness. The one at T.O. Fuller State Park, for instance, lets people witness the park's indigenous grasslands and floodplains in their vibrant true colors, offering a possibly transformative experience for colorblind visitors. According to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Roan Mountain State Park's viewfinder stands at the Chestnut Ridge Overlook, providing a broad view of the park’s rugged terrain.
The list of parks equipped with this technology continues to grow. The viewfinder at T.O. Fuller was purchased by the Tennessee State Parks Conservancy, while Roan Mountain's device was financed by the park itself. Other parks featuring similar viewfinders include Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park and Chickasaw State Park, among numerous others throughout the state. Each park adds its own unique accessible features, aiming to provide an inclusive environment for visitors with diverse needs. Parking for the viewfinder is available at the Shelby Bluff Center in T.O. Fuller State Park, and at Roan Mountain, visitors can access the Chestnut Ridge Overlook viewfinder for panoramic views.
