09/13/2026
Today, we’re correcting a headline! 📝
It looks like a few instagram news sources took a story and ran with it, extrapolating their own headlines and sharing incorrect information.
Recently, we have been receiving many messages sharing a post that said Zion is the first national park to offer all-terrain wheelchairs for public use. We’re excited to say that they’re NOT the first national park to have adaptive equipment but rather that they’re joining a growing list of national parks with specialized equipment for people with disabilities and mobility challenges.
Why is this important?✨
It is estimated that over 5 million people use wheel chairs in the US and many others use assisted mobility devices like walkers and scooters.
People who use wheelchairs and mobility devices are are often excluded from outdoor activities, not because their disability prevents them from getting out, but because outdoor spaces are not often built with their needs in mind. Most trails are not accessible without adaptive equipment which is expensive to buy, challenging to store when not in use, and often not available locally to rent.
We're excited that yet another national park has adaptive equipment available for visitors!
Below is a list of Parks with Specialized Adaptive Equipment:
- Acadia NP (ME): Offers beach wheelchairs for coastal access.
- Cape Hatteras NP (NC): Offers a beach wheelchair.
- Cumberland Island National Seashore (GA): Offers both beach wheelchairs and track chairs for off-road terrain.
- Cuyahoga Valley NP (OH): Offers a GRIT Freedom Chair to visitors to explore the park independently or with the help of volunteers.
- Great Sand Dunes NP (CO): Offers free specialized balloon-tire sand wheelchairs to help visitors navigate the deep sand of the dunes.
- Great Smoky Mountains NP (TN/NC): Features all-terrain manual wheelchairs for rugged trail use.
- Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (MI): Provides specialized sand wheelchairs to access the sandy shoreline.
- Zion NP (UT): Offers an Extreme Motus wheelchair to guests
NOTE: ZPS never said they were the first, just online news sources. We love you !
