Forest Service Installation Guides
Information reproduced from the USDA Accessibility Guidebook for Outdoor Recreation and Trails.
US Forest Service Logo
As an agency, the United States Forest Service is located within the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The General Services Agency (GSA) is the standard-setting agency for Forest Service facilities.
Several source documents apply to installations that are managed by the Forest Service. These guides include:
Outdoor Developed Areas Accessibility Guidelines (ODAAG) contains accessibility guidelines for outdoor developed recreation areas and trails that are federally funded.
Forest Service Outdoor Recreation Accessibility Guidelines (FSORAG) contains guidelines that are an equal or higher standard than ODAAG for outdoor recreation facilities on the National Forest System.
Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines (FSTAG) contains guidelines that are an equal or higher standard than ODAAG for outdoor trails on the National Forest System.
Architectural Barriers Act (ABA), also known as Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards (ABAAS) is the accessibility guide to facilities that are within GSA jurisdiction.
Rehabilitation Act, Section 504, covers access to programs within the USFS.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title V, Section 508(c) applies to Federal wilderness areas. Section 508 reaffirms the 1964 Wilderness Act and clarifies that agencies aren’t required to change the character of wilderness areas to provide accessibility. Section 508(c) also defines a wheelchair and states that wheelchairs meeting that definition may be used in Federal wilderness areas.
These are individual documents that integrate universal design, agency terminology, and agency processes. These guidelines are legally enforceable on National Forest System lands.
These guidelines and laws require equal opportunity; they don’t require exceptional opportunity. For example, roads, trails, or other areas on national forests and grasslands that are not designated for motorized vehicle use under a forest travel management plan are closed to all motorized vehicles, including those used by people with disabilities.
Of the list above, the three primary documents are the ABAAS, FSORAG, and FSTAG. The following lists shows examples of different facilities and elements that are covered by ABAAS, FSORAG, and FSTAG.
ABAAS: Buildings, Boating, and Fishing
• Administrative offices
• Residences
• Crew quarters
• Visitor centers
• Entrance stations
• Parking lots
• Restrooms with and without water
• Work stations
• Doors
• Operating controls (door handles, faucet controls, thermostats, etc.)
• Drinking fountains
• Boating facilities
• Docks
• Fishing piers and platforms
FSORAG: Recreation Site Features
• Fire rings
• Picnic tables
• Grills
• Woodstoves
• Benches
• Cooking surfaces
• Pedestal grills
• Fireplaces
• Beach access
• Outdoor recreation access routes
• Camping units (eating and cooking areas, parking spurs, tent pads)
• Campground utility connections
• Water hydrants
• Outdoor rinsing showers
• Pit toilets in remote areas
• Trash and recycling containers
• Viewing areas and overlooks
• Telescopes and periscopes
FSTAG: Hiker and Pedestrian Trails
Trails that are new or altered and
• have a Federal Trail Data Standard (FTDS) Designed Use of Hiker/Pedestrian, and
• connect either directly to a trailhead, or
• connect directly to a trail that substantially complies with FSTAG.
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