Changing the Landscape: Making the Outdoors Accessible for All
by Austin Nicassio of Accessible Off Road
State and National Parks are home to some of the most awe-inspiring trails and hikes in the world. Yet, despite their many offerings, millions of Americans are denied equal access to these natural wonders every year.
My wife and I have had the opportunity to hike some of these incredible trails. Back in 2020, we summited Angels Landing, an iconic hike in Zion National Park, and later that year embarked on a memorable hike along the Bright Angel Trail at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Those hikes, among many others, were moments of pure joy – experiences that felt like they would last forever. But unbeknownst to me, a year later, I would be bedridden, yearning to experience the outdoors once again.
In early 2022, a virus attacked my body in ways I never imagined possible, ravaging my muscles and brain. This viral infection left me debilitated, struggling to even hold conversations and, at times, walk across the room. Although my brain function has improved, I am left with a mobility disability. During difficult days, my mind often wanders back to the outdoors. I long to hike again, to feel the power of nature, and experience those trails that had once brought me so much joy.
It is devastating to acknowledge, but my experience is not unique. According to the CDC, 12.2% of American adults live with mobility challenges. Which means over 40 million Americans cannot experience the many wonders of hiking in our State and National Parks.
Trails, even at the most popular parks, are not accessible to the mobility disabled community. These parks are off limits to our community because we rely on mobility devices to carry and propel our bodies through the world. Standard mobility devices – those that are covered by insurance – are not equipped to handle the rugged terrains that define our parks. They fail to navigate uneven paths, gravel, sand, snow, or steep grades. Limiting our community to experiencing paved walkways, trams, and gift shops. While I’m grateful for the accessible infrastructure that exists, it’s clear we can – and must — do better.
Fortunately, there are mobility devices built to handle the demanding landscapes and trails of our State and National Parks. Creating never-before-seen experiences for the mobility disabled community.
The problem is that these off-road wheelchairs come with a prohibitively hefty price tag, often costing upwards of $20,000 per chair. Additionally, they are often cumbersome to transport, further limiting access.
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This is where we come in. Accessible Off-Road’s mission is simple: to provide free access to off-road mobility devices at our State and National Parks. Through partnerships with our park organizations, we plan to offer these specialized chairs for free rental, eliminating financial and logistics barriers that also act as a prohibitor. The parks will store and staff these chairs, and we will fund them.
But this won’t be easy. At over $20,000 per chair, we have a lot of work to do. We have already seen some major wins, and we’re just getting started. We need your help to make this dream a reality. Together, we can ensure no one is left behind when it comes to experiencing the natural beauty our parks have to offer.
To stay updated on our progress, subscribe to our email list at accessibleoffroad.org and follow us on Instagram and Facebook. If you are inspired by our mission, please consider making a donation. Every bit helps.
We’re on a mission to change outdoor accessibility forever, and you’re coming with us!
To learn more about Accessible Off Road, click here
See how Wild Tribute donations contributed to All Terrain Wheelchairs within the Georgia State Park system, click here.
