Zion Gets First All-Terrain Wheelchair for Disabled Hikers

Visitors with disabilities can now experience Zion National Park's stunning canyon trails thanks to a breakthrough donation that makes it the first U.S. national park with its own all-terrain wheelchair.

The specialized wheelchair arrived in July through a nonprofit called 2Live4, which raised donated funds to purchase the equipment from Extreme Motus. The two-year journey to bring this mobility option to Zion marks a historic moment for accessibility in America's national parks.

Ryan Grassley, who co-founded Extreme Motus, spent seven years developing the chair while taking his friend Sam, who has cerebral palsy, to explore Utah's national park sites. That friendship turned into a mission to help others experience the outdoors without barriers.

The moment of delivery proved the wheelchair's impact immediately. As Grassley and his team demonstrated the chair to park rangers outside the visitor center, a family walked by with a child who used a wheelchair.

"The mom was like, 'What is happening right now?'" Grassley recalled. When they explained the free wheelchair program, the mother started crying on the spot.

Kenny Jardine, chief business development officer at Extreme Motus, emphasized how long the community worked to make this happen. The partnership between the manufacturer, nonprofit donors, and park service took nearly two years to coordinate and deliver.

The Ripple Effect

Zion joins a growing movement to make outdoor spaces accessible to everyone. Tennessee already provides all-terrain wheelchairs at 22 state parks, showing how one innovation can spread hope across the country.

The chair operates on a first-come, first-served basis since only one is currently available. Park visitors can use it completely free of charge to explore trails that were previously impossible to navigate in a standard wheelchair.

For families like the one Grassley met at the visitor center, this single piece of equipment transforms what a national park visit can mean. Children and adults with mobility challenges can now create memories on the same trails their friends and family enjoy.

The success at Zion could inspire other national parks to follow, opening America's most treasured landscapes to millions more visitors.