PAW was organized as Physically-challenged Access to the Woods on June 23, 1988 as a partnership between the Vail-Eagle Valley Rotary and the White River National Forest. PAW's first project was at the USFS Yeoman Campground south of Eagle, Colorado. A fishing deck and interpretive trail were built on site. The second project was in partnership with the Vail-Eagle Valley Rotary. This was the construction of Julia's Deck with a view of the Mount of Holy Cross on Shrine Pass. At this same time PAW and the Forest Service introducted Paw, the mountain lion, who used a wheelchair. Smoky, the Bear and Paw, the mountain lion visited many schools in the area to tell the story of how Paw, the King of the Forest, was hurt.
The Secretary of State approved our Articles of Incorporation for a Colorado Nonprofit on August 20, 1990. PAW moved from Eagle, CO to Empire, CO in June 1990. In May 2000, PAW moved to Grand County where it is today.
Over the years, PAW has worked closely with the Forest Service, Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado State Parks, and other federal and state agencies to address accessibility issues on public lands. PAW also has provided training classes and materials for government agencies in 17 states.
Our name was changed to Partners for Access to the Woods on October 16, 1996 for two reasons, first to show that persons of all disabilities would be represented by PAW, and second, that everything PAW accomplishes is through the help of our partners.
PAW was selected to be a member of the Access Board's Regulatory-Negotiation Committee whose purpose was to write the Americans with Disabilities Act for Outdoor Developed Recreation Sites. See the Empire PAW Site.
Our partnership agreements:
MOU between the Vail/Eagle Valley Rotary and the White River National Forest on February 1, 1989 This would be the document that first create PAW
MOU between the US Forest Service and PAW: November 3, 1989
MOA between the National Park Service and PAW; February 26, 1990
MOU between the Bureau of Reclamation and PAW: September 11, 1990
MOU between the US Fish & Wildlife Service and PAW: December 18, 1990
MOU between Colorado State Parks, Colorado Division of Wildlife and PAW signed at the State Capitol on March 17, 1992
MOU between Colorado Easter Seals and PAW: October 6, 1997
MOU for the creation of the Berthoud Pass Research Corridor for Universal Design signed on April 17, 2000
MOU: Memorandum of Understanding
MOA: Memorandum of Agreement
Photos : The top is of volunteers working on the Gary E. Cargill Research Trail at Easter Seals' Rocky Mountain Village at Empire Junction.
The bottom is of the Yeoman Campground's PAW Trail outside of Eagle, Colorado
