Across the U.S., state and national parks are making nature more accessible. How? By allowing visitors with limited mobility to rent all-terrain wheelchairs. These battery-powered wheelchairs have treads instead of wheels. This enables riders to move easily over uneven or rough ground, like rocky trails, which typical wheelchairs can’t access.
“This helps bridge the gap between wilderness and accessibility,” says Aimee Copeland. She’s the director of the Aimee Copeland Foundation. Her organization has partnered with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to offer all-terrain wheelchairs free of charge at 11 state parks and historic sites. Similar programs have been rolled out in Colorado, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.