About 3 million Americans use wheelchairs. Many of them have never been able to explore the rugged trails in our country’s thousands of parks. But that’s starting to change. Last fall, Georgia and South Dakota began offering free use of all-terrain wheelchairs at some public parks. Colorado, Michigan, and Minnesota already had similar programs.
The 500-pound wheelchairs have powerful motors. Each chair has a dozen wheels that move on treads, the way wheels on tanks do. The chairs can roll over rocks and mud, through snow, and even up steep hills.
“We want to create an unforgettable outdoor experience for everyone,” Jamie McBride explained to The Washington Post. He works on parks programs in Minnesota. “People have told us this is life-changing.”