All-Terrain Wheelchairs Arrive in Parks

All-terrain wheelchairs are helping users to get off the grid in some of the country's most beautiful places.  Further, by loaning these wheelchairs to people with disabilities who want a wilderness experience, public land managers across the U.S. are beginning to look at accessibility as an important part of park improvements and additions, rather than as a separate and easily removable line item in the budget.

The use of all-terrain wheelchairs in parks is also changing how trails are labeled, because these devices have the power to travel deep into the backcountry. Rather than marking some paths as “accessible,” because they meet a set of standards, land managers are listing trail information (like grade, surface pack, length, and stair count) and letting visitors decide what works best for them.

For more information, see the article, "'Sustainable and Accessible': All-Terrain Wheelchairs Arrive in Parks".