All-Terrain Wheelchairs Are Coming To National Parks So Anyone Can Go Anywhere

TL;DR

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Zion and Arches national parks in Utah offer rentals of unpowered Extreme Motus all-terrain wheelchairs, according to park information cited by The Drive. The chairs may help some visitors reach rougher trails, but they require someone to push them, and rentals are first-come, first-served with training and documentation requirements.

Zion and Arches national parks in Utah are offering rentals of Extreme Motus all-terrain wheelchairs, giving some visitors with mobility disabilities another way to travel on rougher ground. The chairs are unpowered and available first-come, first-served, with park-specific requirements that include identification, proof of insurance and a ranger-led training session.

Zion National Park announced that rentals began in August, according to a post on the park’s official Instagram account cited by The Drive. Arches National Park’s website also listed the chairs as available at the time of the report. The source does not specify how many chairs are at either park, their rental cost, or whether the availability has changed since publication.

The chairs are made by Utah-based Extreme Motus. The Drive reports they weigh 55 pounds without a passenger and measure 72 inches long; two quick-release pins allow them to fold to 30 inches. The company describes a reclined seat and 47-inch wheelbase intended to aid stability. The manufacturer also says the chairs can float in shallow water, but that is a company claim, not a guarantee of safe use in any particular water or trail conditions.

At the parks described in the report, rentals are first-come, first-served. Users or an assistant must provide identification and proof of insurance and complete a brief training session with a park ranger. The report does not give booking instructions or clarify what forms of insurance satisfy the requirement, so visitors should check directly with each park before traveling.

Access Beyond Paved Park Routes

Many national park landscapes include trails and outdoor areas with limited mobility infrastructure. A rugged wheelchair available to borrow may give some visitors an option beyond paved paths, without requiring them to purchase specialized equipment for occasional trips. That could matter to wheelchair users who cannot use a standard chair on uneven ground, as well as to families, friends and aides accompanying them.

The rental model also avoids making individual visitors buy a chair that The Drive says retails for about $4,500. However, access is not the same as independent mobility: these chairs are not powered and lack push rims, so a companion or aide will likely have to push. The weight of the chair and passenger on rugged trails may make that difficult. Their usefulness will depend on each visitor’s abilities, the route and the assistance available.

How the Park Rentals Work

The National Park Service effort described in The Drive is a practical response to the challenge of navigating uneven terrain in parks, rather than a single nationwide rollout. The source identifies Zion and Arches as offering the Extreme Motus chairs; it does not say that every national park has them or that the two parks use identical rental procedures beyond the requirements reported.

Other approaches exist. The Drive notes that Michigan began making tracked power chairs available at some state parks in 2021, and describes nonprofit off-road programs in New York. Those examples provide context, but they are separate programs and do not establish that powered chairs are available at Zion or Arches. Different equipment can suit different users and settings.

“They’re available on a first-come, first-served basis only.”

— The Drive, describing the parks’ rental terms

Availability and Access Details

The report does not state how many chairs are held at Zion or Arches, whether visitors can reserve them, what they cost to rent, or whether the parks have restrictions on routes or conditions. It also does not explain which insurance documents qualify or whether an assistant must be present for the entire outing.

The chairs’ unpowered design creates a practical limit: users generally need another person to push, particularly on rugged trails. The source does not provide independent tests of the chairs’ stability, terrain limits or shallow-water claim. Visitors should confirm current availability and operating requirements with the park before relying on a rental.

Check With Parks Before Visiting

The next step for visitors is to contact Zion or Arches directly for current inventory, rental procedures, insurance requirements, training arrangements and routes where the chairs may be used. Because rentals are first-come, first-served, confirming the process ahead of a visit can help avoid arriving without access to a chair.

The report does not announce a timetable for adding equipment at more parks. Any expansion, along with changes to reservations or rental terms, remains unconfirmed. Park updates will be the clearest source for changes to the programs.

Key Questions

Which national parks offer the all-terrain wheelchair rentals?

The report identifies Zion and Arches in Utah. It does not say that the chairs are available across the National Park Service system.

Can visitors reserve a chair in advance?

The reported rentals are first-come, first-served. The source does not describe a reservation option, so visitors should ask the park about its current process.

Does the wheelchair move under its own power?

No. The Extreme Motus chair described in the report is unpowered and has no push rims, so a companion or aide will likely need to push it.

What do visitors need to rent one?

The report says the user or an assistant must provide identification and proof of insurance, and complete a brief training session with a park ranger. Contact the park to confirm acceptable documents and current rules.

Are these chairs suitable for every wheelchair user or trail?

No such guarantee is given. The chairs may help some visitors on rougher ground, but they are unpowered and require pushing. Suitability depends on the person, the route and available assistance; the report does not list approved trails or terrain limits.

Source: rss