Winter is the best season for some of California’s wildest experiences: sit-skiing in the Sierra, watching two-ton elephant seals defend their beaches, spotting gray whales on their way to Mexico, and rolling onto the lowest ground in North America. Several of the best viewpoints for these are paved, boardwalked, or served by adaptive programs built for wheelchair users.
Below are five trips, what the access actually looks like on the ground, what they cost, and when to book. Every detail comes from the park or program itself and was checked in October 2026. Conditions change, so we flag anything that was unsettled when we checked. Call before you drive.
Five winter trips at a glance
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1
Sit-ski the mountainsMammoth, Big Bear, or Tahoe
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2
Elephant seal seasonPiedras Blancas or Año Nuevo
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3
Gray whales from shoreCabrillo NM, San Diego
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4
Lowest point in North AmericaBadwater Basin, Death Valley
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5
Desert sunsetLower Keys View, Joshua Tree
Before you go: two passes that pay for themselves
Four of these five trips run through a national park, a national monument, or a California state park. Two disability passes cover most of the entry fees.
- America the Beautiful Access Pass (federal). Free, good for life, for U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a permanent disability that severely limits one or more major life activities. It does not have to be a 100% disability. Bring photo ID plus one of: a signed letter from a licensed physician, a federal agency document such as an SSA or VA award letter showing disability benefits, or a state agency document such as from Vocational Rehabilitation. Get it in person at a park entrance, as a digital pass on Recreation.gov, or by mail through the USGS Store (allow up to three weeks).
- California State Parks Disabled Discount Pass. Costs $3.50 and gives 50% off vehicle day-use, family camping, and boat-use fees at over 100 state park units. It is for people with permanent disabilities and is valid for five years. Apply online through ReserveCalifornia, by mail, or in person.
The two passes do not overlap. The federal Access Pass covers national parks and monuments such as Cabrillo, Death Valley, and Joshua Tree. The state Disabled Discount Pass covers California State Parks units such as Año Nuevo. If you plan to do more than one trip on this list, get both.
- Cost
- Free, lifetime
- Covers
- National parks & monuments (Cabrillo, Death Valley, Joshua Tree)
- Who
- U.S. citizens or residents with a permanent disability
- Proof
- Photo ID + doctor's letter, SSA/VA award letter, or state agency document
- Get it
- Park entrance, Recreation.gov (digital), or USGS Store by mail
- Cost
- $3.50, valid 5 years
- Covers
- 50% off day-use, camping & boat fees at 100+ state park units (Año Nuevo)
- Who
- People with permanent disabilities
- Proof
- See State Parks application requirements
- Get it
- ReserveCalifornia online, by mail, or in person
Mark your calendar: 2026–27 booking dates
Popular dates go fast. Dates are from each program's own site, checked October 2026.
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Now
Access MammothBook by phone at least 24 hrs ahead (48 hrs for rentals, tickets, weekday lessons). 760-934-0791
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Oct 11
Achieve Tahoe — regular rateOpened 2 p.m. Sign up at achievetahoe.org or (530) 581-4161
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Oct 15
Achieve Tahoe — holiday rateOpens 6 p.m. for Dec 19–Jan 3, Jan 16–18, Feb 13–21
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Oct 20
Año Nuevo Equal AccessPhone only, 8 a.m.–6 p.m.: 1-800-444-4445
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Nov 3
USARC Big BearOpens 9 a.m., phone only: (909) 584-0269
1. Learn to sit-ski in the Sierra or the San Bernardino Mountains
Adaptive ski programs pair you one-on-one with a trained instructor and supply the equipment, including mono-skis and bi-skis for skiing seated. No experience is needed. Three nonprofit programs serve most of California:
Access Mammoth (formerly Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra), Mammoth Lakes
- Adaptive alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding at Mammoth Mountain. Lessons run December through April.
- Listed price: $205 per 2.5-hour lesson, including equipment, instruction, and any needed lift or Adventure Center tickets. Morning (9:30 a.m.–noon) or afternoon (1–3:30 p.m.).
- Scholarships are available — the program says to just ask. Lessons and camps are free for injured, ill, and wounded service members and veterans through a VA adaptive sports grant.
- To book: complete the online registration form and the Move United liability release, then call 760-934-0791 (8 a.m.–4 p.m. daily). They do not take reservations by email. You need at least 24 hours’ notice, and 48 hours for rentals, tickets, or weekday lessons. Cancelling costs $50.
Access Mammoth's winter page was last updated in April 2026 and still says reservations open "October 1, 2025." The $205 price may be last season's. Confirm the 2026–27 price when you call.
United States Adaptive Recreation Center (USARC), Big Bear Lake
- Private one-on-one lessons at Bear Mountain, December through March. Sit-ski options include the bi-ski and mono-ski; stand-up options use outriggers and sliders.
- $120 half day (9:30 a.m.–noon or 1–3:30 p.m.) or $170 full day. Both include instruction, lift ticket, skis, boots, poles, helmet, and adaptive equipment.
- Reservations open November 3 at 9 a.m., by phone only: (909) 584-0269. USARC warns that availability is limited and demand is high.
Achieve Tahoe, Alpine Meadows (Palisades Tahoe)
- Adaptive skiing and snowboarding for people with cognitive, sensory, and physical disabilities, based at Alpine Meadows.
- Achieve Tahoe posted that 2026–27 reservations open October 11, 2026 at 2 p.m. for regular-rate lessons and October 15 at 6 p.m. for holiday-rate dates (Dec. 19–Jan. 3, Jan. 16–18, and Feb. 13–21). It also said booking and cancellation policies are changing this season. Sign up at achievetahoe.org or call (530) 581-4161.
- We could not verify 2026–27 lesson prices. Ask when you book.
A bi-ski has two skis under the seat and can be used with an instructor helping control speed and turns — a common starting point. A mono-ski has one ski and lets you ski independently with hand-held outriggers, but USARC notes it takes a fair amount of shoulder and arm strength and upper-body mobility. The instructor assesses you first and matches the equipment to your body.
Adaptive ski programs compared
| Program | Where | Season | Price (as listed) | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access Mammoth | Mammoth Mountain | Dec–Apr | $205 / 2.5-hr lesson (confirm for 2026–27); scholarships | Phone 760-934-0791 after online forms; 24 hrs min. |
| USARC | Bear Mountain, Big Bear Lake | Dec–Mar | $120 half day · $170 full day, lift ticket & gear included | Phone only from Nov 3, 9 a.m.: (909) 584-0269 |
| Achieve Tahoe | Alpine Meadows (Palisades Tahoe) | Winter season | Not verified — ask when booking | achievetahoe.org or (530) 581-4161 |
2. Watch elephant seals fight, give birth, and nurse pups
From December through March, northern elephant seals crowd onto California beaches to give birth and mate. Two places let wheelchair users get close to the action.
Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery, San Simeon (free, no reservations)
- The viewing area sits about 4 miles north of Hearst Castle on Highway 1. Search maps for “Elephant Seal Vista Point.”
- The trails and observation platforms are steps from the parking area, wheelchair accessible, and have bench seating. The walkways at each end of the lot are part of the California Coastal Trail.
- Viewing is free, open every day, and needs no reservation. Volunteer docents from Friends of the Elephant Seal are often on hand to answer questions.
Año Nuevo State Park Equal Access Tours, near Pescadero
- Año Nuevo is one of the largest mainland breeding colonies for northern elephant seals. Seeing them normally means a 3-to-4-mile round-trip walk over dunes.
- The Equal Access Tour is a 2-hour, docent-led tour for people who need mobility assistance and cannot walk the 3-mile route. An ADA wheelchair-accessible van takes you to a quarter-mile boardwalk that ends at an observation deck over the seals.
- Each person who qualifies may bring up to 3 guests. Each guest needs a ticket.
- For December–March 2026–27, Equal Access reservations are phone only through ReserveCalifornia at 1-800-444-4445, starting Tuesday, October 20, 2026, 8 a.m.–6 p.m.
- Vehicle day-use is $10. The park accepts the Disabled Discount Pass. Umbrellas are not allowed on tours, and tours run rain or shine.
Two things to confirm before you book Año Nuevo. First, in February 2026, seven weaned pups at Año Nuevo tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) — the first cases in California marine mammals. State Parks closed seal viewing and cancelled tours for the rest of that season. Piedras Blancas stayed open, according to local reporting. The park is taking 2026–27 reservations, but check its alerts page before you go. Second, the park's own pages disagree on lead time: the accessibility page says to book at least five days ahead, and the Equal Access page says seven. Book early and the conflict won't matter.
Wherever you watch, stay at least 25 feet from any elephant seal. If you see a sick, injured, or dead marine mammal, do not approach it — call the NOAA stranding hotline at (866) 767-6114.
3. Spot migrating gray whales from Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego
Each winter, Pacific gray whales pass Point Loma on their way from Arctic feeding grounds to the lagoons of Baja California. The Kelp Forest and Whale Overlook at Cabrillo National Monument is a shaded, wheelchair-accessible viewpoint built for watching them.
- Getting there: Gently sloping concrete sidewalks and ramps connect the main parking lot, Visitor Center, Cabrillo Statue, lighthouse grounds, and Kelp Overlook. The overlook is reached by a short concrete loop just south of the Old Point Loma Lighthouse grounds.
- Ask for the parking pass. A ranger can give you a pass to park behind the lighthouse. Without it, you take a sloping concrete path uphill — about a five-minute walk.
- At the overlook: Two wheelchair-accessible, coin-operated pedestal binoculars. A wheelchair is available to borrow at the Visitor Center, which also has two large accessible restrooms.
- What doesn’t work: The Old Point Loma Lighthouse is reachable only by stairs. The tidepool area and Coastal Trail use a narrow dirt path with occasional steps.
- What to look for: a spout up to 15 feet high, visible for about five seconds, and the 12-foot tail flukes before a deep dive. NPS describes the season as December through February or March.
- Get your free Access Pass at the entrance fee station. Questions: 619-523-4285.
Sightings aren't guaranteed. NOAA's July 2026 estimate put the eastern North Pacific gray whale population at about 17,750, up from roughly 12,890 a year earlier — but NOAA itself says the jump likely exceeds what the population can produce, and calf counts in 2025 were the lowest on record. Plan for a beautiful coastal day, and treat whales as the bonus.
4. Roll onto the lowest point in North America: Badwater Basin, Death Valley
Death Valley is a summer furnace, but the National Park Service says the best time to hike there is November through March. Badwater Basin, 282 feet below sea level, is one of the park’s most accessible landmarks.
- An ADA-accessible ramp leads down to a wooden boardwalk at the edge of the Badwater pool. A second ramp at the end of the boardwalk leads onto the salt flats, where NPS describes the surface as firm and wide.
- Watch for large holes where the boardwalk ends and the salt flats begin. The flats can be thick and muddy after rain, and areas off the worn paths can be chunky.
- The lot has 3 accessible parking spaces and 2 accessible vault toilets. Badwater is about 17 miles (30 minutes) south of Furnace Creek.
- Salt Creek Boardwalk, a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk where you can see the rare Salt Creek pupfish, reopened in February 2026 after flood damage.
- Pick up an Access Pass at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center or Stovepipe Wells Ranger Station. Park information: 760-786-3200.
Death Valley's self-pay fee kiosks are not accessible — get your pass at a visitor center or ranger station instead. Cell service is spotty and Wi-Fi is limited mostly to Furnace Creek Visitor Center and Stovepipe Wells, and the park specifically warns visitors who rely on Wi-Fi-enabled medical devices. Plan backups for anything that needs a signal.
NPS announced Salt Creek Boardwalk's reopening on February 11, 2026, but the park's viewpoints-and-hikes accessibility page, last updated May 2026, still lists Salt Creek as closed. Call 760-786-3200 to confirm before you drive out.
5. Watch the sun set over the desert from Keys View, Joshua Tree
Keys View sits on the crest of the Little San Bernardino Mountains in Joshua Tree National Park, looking down into the Coachella Valley. On a very clear day you can see Signal Mountain in Mexico, about 90 miles south.
- Go to Lower Keys View. NPS says the Upper Keys View path is steep and recommends Lower Keys View for visitors with mobility concerns. It is a 0.1-mile paved path with minimal elevation gain and 2 van-accessible parking spaces.
- The only restroom is a vault toilet near the Upper Keys View lot. It has grab bars, but there is a 2-inch change in level between its concrete pad and the ground around it.
- Cap Rock Nature Trail, at Park Boulevard and Keys View Road, is a 0.4-mile loop on hard-packed sand, about 36 inches wide, with 2 accessible parking spaces. NPS warns the sand can be loose and deeper in places depending on weather, and a few overhanging boulders may be barriers.
- Keys View is high desert. Winter evenings are cold, so bring layers. Park information: 760-367-5500.
Joshua Tree's paved, fully accessible Oasis of Mara trail at park headquarters closed on September 8, 2025, after monsoon flooding undercut the path. NPS gave no reopening date, and we found no reopening notice as of October 2026. Check the park's alerts page before planning around it.
Does IHSS cover a caregiver on these trips?
Many readers travel with an IHSS provider, so it is worth being clear about what the program pays for.
IHSS accompaniment hours are limited to travel to health-related appointments and alternative resource sites (W&I Code §12300(b); MPP §30-757.15, as explained in CDSS ACL 17-42). Recreational trips are not on that list, and county IHSS materials tell recipients that IHSS cannot pay for social outings. Whether a provider can log time for authorized personal-care tasks they perform while you are away from home is a separate question we could not find clear state guidance on. Ask your county IHSS social worker before you travel rather than assuming hours will be paid.
Plan your trip
Before you drive: who to call
- Access Mammoth adaptive lessons 760-934-0791
- USARC (Big Bear) adaptive lessons (909) 584-0269
- Achieve Tahoe (530) 581-4161
- Año Nuevo Equal Access reservations (ReserveCalifornia) 1-800-444-4445
- Cabrillo National Monument 619-523-4285
- Death Valley National Park 760-786-3200
- Joshua Tree National Park 760-367-5500
- California State Parks Accessibility Division (916) 445-8949 or access@parks.ca.gov
- NOAA marine mammal stranding hotline (866) 767-6114
Sources
Sources
- California State Parks — Disabled Discount Pass — $3.50 cost, 50% discount, eligibility, five-year validity, how to apply.
- National Park Service — America the Beautiful Access Pass — Free lifetime pass, eligibility, documentation, digital and mail options (page updated Aug. 11, 2026).
- Access Mammoth — Adaptive Winter Programs — Lesson price, times, what's included, scholarships, booking rules, phone (page updated Apr. 1, 2026).
- U.S. Adaptive Recreation Center — Winter Program — Season, equipment, half- and full-day prices, Nov. 3 reservation opening, phone (page updated Oct. 2, 2026).
- Achieve Tahoe — home page — 2026–27 reservation opening dates and holiday-rate dates (from the program's own post displayed on its site), location, phone.
- Friends of the Elephant Seal — Plan Your Visit / Locations — Piedras Blancas viewing area location, wheelchair-accessible trails and platforms, bench seating.
- California State Parks — Año Nuevo State Park — Breeding season, 2026–27 reservation dates, Equal Access phone-only booking, day-use fee, passes accepted, 25-foot rule.
- California State Parks — Accessible Features at Año Nuevo SP — Equal Access boardwalk, van, five-day booking lead time, Accessibility Division contact.
- California State Parks — Equal Access Tours — Who qualifies, three-guest limit, tour length, seven-day lead time, what to bring.
- California State Parks — HPAI in Northern Elephant Seals (Feb. 25, 2026) — Avian influenza cases at Año Nuevo, closure and tour cancellation, NOAA stranding hotline.
- Estero Bay News — Avian Flu Not Found in Area Elephant Seals (Mar. 13, 2026) — Secondary source: Piedras Blancas viewing area remained open during the Año Nuevo outbreak.
- National Park Service — Cabrillo NM Mobility Services — Accessible paths, lighthouse parking pass, loaner wheelchair, binoculars, restrooms, limits (page updated July 7, 2025).
- National Park Service — Kelp Forest and Whale Overlook — Overlook access route, gray whale migration, spout and fluke details.
- NOAA Fisheries — West Coast Gray Whale Estimate (July 2026) — 2025/26 population estimate, NOAA's caveat, record-low 2025 calf count.
- National Park Service — Badwater Basin — Elevation, ramp and boardwalk, surface, distance from Furnace Creek (page updated Jan. 7, 2026).
- National Park Service — Death Valley Viewpoints and Hikes Accessibility — Badwater parking, toilets, holes and mud on the flats; Salt Creek listed as closed (page updated May 13, 2026).
- National Park Service — Death Valley Accessibility — Inaccessible fee kiosks, pass pickup locations, cell and Wi-Fi limits, medical device warning, phone.
- National Park Service — Death Valley Hiking — Best hiking season November through March.
- National Park Service — Salt Creek Boardwalk Reopens (Feb. 11, 2026) — Reopening of the wheelchair-accessible boardwalk.
- National Park Service — Keys View — Upper vs. Lower Keys View, path surface and length, parking, vault toilet barrier, Signal Mountain.
- National Park Service — Cap Rock — Trail length, width, surface, barriers, parking.
- National Park Service — Oasis of Mara Trail Closes (Sept. 8, 2025) — Closure of the paved trail after flood damage; Joshua Tree phone.
- CDSS — ACL 17-42, Accompaniment in IHSS (June 23, 2017) — W&I §12300(b) and MPP §30-757.15 limits on accompaniment to health-related appointments and alternative resource sites.
- Solano County — IHSS Intake Packet — County example stating IHSS cannot pay for taking recipients on social outings.
Each park or program's own website is the authority for its access details, prices, and booking rules. Where two official pages disagree, we say so above. CDSS is the authority on IHSS; where county materials and the statute differ, the statute governs.
About this article
IHSS Connect publishes this article for general information and education. It is not legal advice. IHSS Connect is not affiliated with the National Park Service, California State Parks, the California Department of Social Services, any county agency, or any program named here, and receives nothing from them for this article.
Access details, prices, closures, and booking dates change — sometimes mid-season. Only the park or program can confirm current conditions, and only your county IHSS office can decide what IHSS will authorize for you.
- California State Parks Accessibility Division: (916) 445-8949 · access@parks.ca.gov
- CDSS Public Inquiry and Response: 1-800-952-5253
- Free and low-cost legal help: LawHelpCA.org
Details reflect the 2026–27 winter season. Verified October 2026.
