Read on for the 4/21/25 write-up about my newest book from the Lower Columbia Nature Network (LCNN)! You can also find the post here. The LCNN is a great resource – be sure to check out their website and sign up for their newsletter!

“Everyone deserves access to nature, and I wanted to remove a barrier for as many people as possible.”

— Jessica Becker

Jessica Becker is a local homeschooling mom, experienced hiker, outdoor educator, and hike leader. Jessica has published five hiking guides for kids for the Oregon and Washington areas, and she has now published the only low barrier and wheels-friendly trail guide for the Vancouver, Washington area.

Strolling and Wheeling Around Vancouver, WA includes 30 low-barrier, accessible, wheels-friendly trails located in Clark County, Washington. Each trail has been scouted multiple times, and the author provides the most comprehensive trail description you will find anywhere. Each trail description provides information on distance, trail surface and accessibility, restrooms, toddler- and kid-specific risks, safety considerations, interesting things about the trail, specific ways to engage with that particular trail, and more. With this
guide, the author uses her decades of experience to help you have the safest and most enjoyable trail
outing with families of all ages and mobilities.

We asked Jessica what led her to writing this book. Here’s what she shared.

I wrote this book for many reasons:

• I’ve been researching local trails for a decade now, and I have never come across a resource that
  accurately and completely assesses trails from a kid-friendly, wheels-friendly, or low barrier
  perspective. Incomplete or inaccurate sources not only creates safety issues, but also comfort
  issues.
• I hike regularly with friends and family with limited mobility, and I have also had moments when I
  was considered to have low mobility. I need nature connection with loved ones, so knowing where I
  can walk safely and comfortably is so important.
• Over the years, I’ve led a lot of hikes where strollers or bikes were a preferred method of travel for
  kids (including for my daughter!). There are more stroller-friendly trails out there than most parents
  realize, so I wanted a guide to show them where they could get out into nature.
• I don’t have any personal experience with mobility devices like wheelchairs, but I wanted to include
  them in this book. While many organizations are including accessibility in their trail descriptions, I
  found through my research that the information was still lacking or downright inaccurate. Everyone
  deserves access to nature, and I wanted to remove a barrier for as many people as possible.
  
  Books can be purchased at Vintage Books in Vancouver or on Amazon. 
  If anyone has questions or ideas for Jessica, including a desire to collaborate on a project, please contact her at littlefeethiking.com.