In June 2023, Natural Tunnel State Park became the first in Virginia to install an EnChroma-adapted viewfinder for colorblind guests, giving them the chance to experience the park’s stunning views like never before.

Now, Virginia State Parks is celebrating another milestone: becoming the first state park system in the nation to install a viewfinder at each of its 43 locations.

Keep reading to learn more about this significant achievement and to hear what some of our colorblind visitors have to say about the viewfinders.

Chief Ranger Ethan Howes

EnChroma-adapted viewfinders

One in 12 men (8%) and one in 200 women (0.5%) are colorblind. In the US alone, 13 million people are colorblind and 350 million worldwide. With over 8 million people visiting Virginia State Parks annually, approximately 341,000 are colorblind.

The viewfinders, made by SeeCoast Manufacturing, are equipped with special lenses from EnChroma designed to help those with red-green Color Vision Deficiency (CVD) experience an expanded range of visible color. 

While people with normal color vision see over one million shades of color, those with red-green CVD are estimated to see about 10% of hues and shades. To them, colors containing red and green can appear dull, washed out and indistinguishable. 

Virginia State Parks joins over 400 organizations worldwide in supporting colorblind guests by installing the SeeCoast viewfinders with EnChroma lenses or loaning EnChroma glasses. This includes nearly 100 state and national parks across 25 states.

The patented lenses are engineered with special optical filters that help people with red-green color blindness see an expanded range of visible color. EnChroma glasses are for people with deuteranomalous and protanomalous CVD. They are not a cure for color blindness, work for approximately eight of 10 red-green colorblind people, and results and reaction times vary.

EnChroma and Virginia State Parks

The installation of EnChroma-adapted viewfinders at Virginia State Parks began in 2023 with Natural Tunnel State Park, an initiative that was led by Chief Ranger Ethan Howes, who is colorblind. The remaining 42 locations received their viewfinders in 2024.  

The purchase of the additional viewfinders was funded by donations received through the Round-Up for Parks Program, allowing visitors to donate to Virginia State Parks when making a purchase online or at a park. Since 2018, visitors have donated nearly $300,000, which has been invested in improving offerings and activities.   

Guest experience

To celebrate the EnChroma viewfinder installation across Virginia State Parks, we invited six colorblind guests to Pocahontas State Park on July 26 to experience the park’s beautiful scenery in vibrant color for the first time. Here’s what they said:

Zach E., Hampton, Virginia

“I guess there’s a lot out there that I don’t see. How strange. Now I am wondering what a lot of the different colors look like. It just looks so cool.”

Zach E.

Keith W., New Kent, Virginia

“Y’all see this every day, huh? Everything’s not the same green. The colors are more vibrant.”

Keith W.

Robert P., Fredericksburg, Virginia

“That’s incredible. It’s so different. The colors just pop out more.”

Robert P.

Joey S., Powhatan, Virginia

"I can definitely see a bigger difference in the colors of the reds by using that, that's for sure." 

Joey S.

Jillian S., Henrico, Virginia

“Those are all colors I see relatively well normally, but they’re sharper. They’re more distinct, and I’m seeing more variation in the greens. That’s really kind of cool. It’s exciting.”

Jillian S.

Tyler H., Henrico, Virginia

“Through the finder, I can definitely tell that there’s a lot more variation. I am looking forward to being able to experience that a little more thoroughly.”

Tyler H.

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For more information about the location of the viewfinders, please contact the park you plan on visiting.