The 5 Most Wheelchair-Accessible National Parks
Explore accessible national parks like Bryce Canyon National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Badlands National Park, and more
The great outdoors isn’t just a treat for the eyes, it’s got all the wellness benefits, like stress reduction, improved sleep and bolstered immune function. Even better, our national parks are stepping up to ensure that everyone, including wheelchair users, can enjoy nature without barriers.
Aging In Place, a health resource for older adults, identified the most accessible national parks in the country, using a methodology that took into account wheelchair accessible trails within the park, as well as wheelchair-friendly restaurants both in and near the parks. According to their data, here is a countdown of the five most accessible national parks for wheelchairs:
5. Bryce Canyon National Park
In Utah, Bryce Canyon National Park dazzles visitors with jaw-dropping geological formations called hoodoos, which glow brilliantly at sunrise and sunset. Wheelchair visitors can soak up breathtaking vistas from Sunset Point along a paved section of the Rim Trail. Across the park, several overlooks are wheelchair accessible, including Bryce Point and Paria View. Take the free shuttle bus, which has a lift for wheelchairs, to explore this stunning national park. A seven-minute video on the park’s website shares what to know about planning an accessible visit to this park.
4. Mesa Verde National Park
Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park is committed to making the park a joy to visitors of all abilities thanks to accessible interpretive programs, scenic overlooks and paved trails. Get schooled on park history with an audio driving tour on the six-mile Mesa Top Loop Road, which has 10 stops for ancestral homes and cliff dwelling overlooks. In addition, all four of the park’s restaurants are fully accessible as is the on-site lodge and campground. The NPS mobile app details more on the accessibility of the park and has free audio tours available for download.
3. Yellowstone National Park
One of our most popular national parks is also one of the country’s most accessible. At Yellowstone National Park, wheelchair-friendly fishing platforms, roadside exhibits and visitor centers allow access for all to the park’s natural wonders. Even the park’s scenic cruise on Yellowstone Lake is open to park visitors with mobility challenges. Most walking paths and hiking trails at Yellowstone National Park, including the wildly popular Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail, have at least one accessible route. On the park’s free mobile app, use the “accessibility” filter within the park amenities tab to find wheelchair accessible park trails and facilities.
2. Grand Canyon National Park
An epic journey into one of the world’s most iconic natural wonders awaits at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, which rolls out the welcome mat for wheelchair-users with accessible hiking trails, shuttle buses, restaurants, and ranger programs. An eight-page Access Your Park guide outlines what’s accessible on both the North Rim and South Rim. On the South Rim, overlooks on Desert View Drive are wheelchair accessible. Mather Point, one of the most popular canyon views in the park, is easily reachable by way of a paved path and a ramp, ensuring all visitors can experience the grandeur of the red rock canyon.
1. Badlands National Park
South Dakota’s Badlands National Park, which is known for its rock formations, towering spires, rich fossil beds, and narrow canyons, took the top spot as the most accessible national park. A fan-favorite trail is the quarter-mile Fossil Exhibit Trail, a fully-accessible boardwalk that features tactile educational exhibits and replicas of fossils you may find in the park. The Window Trail, as well as a section of the Door Trail and Cliff Shelf Trail, are also wheelchair-friendly. Stay in the park at the Cedar Pass Lodge, which has a fully-accessible dining room for wheelchair users.