Let's be frank here. Camping in the outdoors and travelling daily to an event in a wooded setting with a disability is challenging. Nevertheless, there are members of the Zumwalt Campground community that come every year with their unique ways of navigating the world. If you have a disability there are some things you should know about Zumwalt Campground.
terrain
Zumwalt Campground is held in a semi-developed park within a larger natural area on the shore of Fern Ridge Reservoir. The only hard surfaces are a central road that runs through the park and a parking lot. The terrain is flat, with many trees and mowed grass. However grassy areas are irregular and bumpy. There are trails in wooded areas and around the grassy part of the park. Traversing the park in
restrooms
There are wheel chair accessible portable toilets in the parking lot (hard surface) and on the west side of the meadow. If you want to be sure to get camping close by, or if you have some special need that the event organizers should know about, reach out via email ([email protected]) and them know you're coming.
service animals
Pets and emotional support animals are not allowed at Zumwalt Campground (see the page on animals). However your trained service animal is welcome (and it's the law). You may be asked if your animal is necessary due to a disability and what skills the animal is trained to do. Zumwalt Campground is a busy place, and there will be many people around who will be excited to interact with your animal. Be ready to gently set expectations and boundaries for what is acceptable to for you and your animal.
transportation
One of the key amenities of Zumwalt Campground is the free shuttle into the Oregon Country Fair. The shuttle service is contracted through the local school bus company and big orange buses are what we ride into the Fair. This is great, unless you need a wheelchair for mobility. Because of the intermittent need, the City of Veneta does not contract for a bus with a wheel chair lift. This means that if you are strictly confined to a wheel chair for mobility, you will need to purchase a parking pass and drive to the Fair site. There, you will have alter-able parking inside the Cabal Gate and just outside of Dragon Plaza. If you have some ability to walk, there is plenty of help available to get a folded chair on a bus.