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All-terrain wheelchair rentals are available at Zion and Arches national parks in Utah, according to the source report. The chairs can help some visitors travel on rougher terrain, but they are unpowered, require someone to push, and are offered subject to availability and park-specific requirements.
Zion and Arches national parks in Utah are offering rentals of all-terrain wheelchairs, providing some visitors with disabilities another way to travel beyond paved areas. The chairs are available first-come, first-served and require identification, proof of insurance and a short training session from a park ranger, according to the source report.
Zion National Park began offering the rentals in August, according to a post on the park’s official Instagram account cited by The Drive. The report also said the chairs were available at Arches National Park, near Moab, according to that park’s website. It did not give a specific launch date for Arches.
The chairs are made by Utah-based Extreme Motus. The company lists a 47-inch wheelbase and a total length of 72 inches; two quick-release pins let the chair fold to 30 inches. The chair weighs 55 pounds without a passenger. The company says versions rated for passengers up to 250 pounds are available.
The rental terms described in the report include showing identification for the user or an assistant, providing proof of insurance and completing a brief ranger-led training session. Access is not guaranteed: the chairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The report does not specify how many chairs each park has or whether reservations can be made.
More Options for Rough Trails
National parks are meant for public enjoyment, but many trails and natural areas have limited mobility infrastructure. A chair designed for uneven ground may let some visitors reach places that are difficult to access with a conventional wheelchair. The rentals also offer a way to use specialized equipment without requiring each visitor to purchase a chair for occasional trips.
That access comes with limits. The Extreme Motus chairs described in the report are unpowered and lack push rims, so a companion or aide will likely need to push. Moving a 55-pound chair and its passenger over rugged trails can require substantial physical effort. The option may help some groups, but it does not make every trail accessible or work for every wheelchair user.
The report puts the chairs’ retail price at about $4,500. That cost can make personal ownership difficult, particularly for visitors who need a different chair for daily use or cannot rely on insurance coverage or subsidies. Park rentals may help address that gap, though the number of available chairs and the actual level of demand are not stated.
all-terrain wheelchair for outdoor trails
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Parks Add Specialized Mobility Equipment
The National Park Service has to balance access with the terrain and infrastructure of individual parks. Many natural areas have uneven surfaces and trails that are not designed for wheeled travel. The source report describes the rentals at Zion and Arches as one effort to address mobility barriers, not as a change that makes the parks’ trail networks universally accessible.
All-terrain mobility equipment is not limited to national parks. The report notes that Michigan began offering powered track chairs at some state parks in 2021. It also cites a nonprofit providing off-road outings in New York State. Those examples involve different equipment and settings; they do not establish how widely such programs are offered or how the Utah rentals compare.
Extreme Motus says its chair can float in shallow water, but that is a manufacturer claim reported by The Drive, not a guarantee that the chair can safely cross water in park conditions. Visitors should follow park staff instructions and should not infer that the equipment is suitable for every route or surface.
“The chair can float in “shallow water.””
— Extreme Motus
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Availability and Trail Fit Vary
The source report does not say how many chairs are available at Zion or Arches, whether the parks have added or removed units since the report, or whether visitors can check stock before arriving. It also does not provide rental hours, costs, age limits or details about how the proof-of-insurance requirement is applied. Visitors should confirm current rules directly with each park before planning a trip.
It is also unclear which trails are suitable for these chairs and whether park staff recommend particular routes. The chair is unpowered, and the report notes that someone else will likely need to push it. A visitor’s ability to use it may depend on the terrain, the passenger’s needs and the availability of a companion or aide. The report does not establish that the chairs meet every visitor’s access needs.
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Check With Parks Before Visiting
Visitors considering a rental should contact Zion or Arches for current availability, eligibility requirements, costs, operating hours and route guidance. Because the reported system is first-come, first-served, confirming details in advance may help avoid arriving without access to a chair, though the report does not say whether parks can hold one.
The source material does not announce a schedule for adding rentals at other national parks. Any expansion, changes to the Utah programs or new reservation options remain unconfirmed. For now, the documented development is limited to reported availability at Zion and Arches.
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Key Questions
Which national parks are reported to offer the chairs?
The source report says rentals began at Zion National Park in Utah and that chairs were also available at Arches National Park near Moab.
Can visitors reserve an all-terrain wheelchair?
The report says the chairs are available first-come, first-served. It does not say whether reservations or holds are possible, so visitors should ask the park directly.
What does a visitor need to rent one?
The reported requirements are identification for the user or an assistant, proof of insurance and a brief training session with a park ranger. Contact the park to confirm current rules.
Do the chairs move under their own power?
No. The chairs described in the report are unpowered and do not have push rims, so a companion or aide will likely need to push. The source does not say that every user will be able to operate one independently.
Are more national parks adding the rentals?
The source material confirms reported availability at Zion and Arches but gives no expansion schedule for other national parks.
Source: rss
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