In this post, we want to share some of the absolutely awesome destinations our riders have been able to enjoy with their all-terrain wheelchairs from GRIT.
Taking advantage of state and national parks, local trails, or any road-less-traveled you can find is what GRIT Freedom Chair is all about! Below, check out five destinations to inspire your next trip idea (even if it’s right down the road), or to just enjoy some scenery that the inside of a house may not be able to offer! And of course, if you’re ready to talk to GRIT about getting your own off-road wheelchair, give us a call or email us and we’ll chat!
1. Matt (Zion National Park)
Our first featured rider, Matt, ventured out to one of the nation’s more spectacular destinations, Zion National Park.
Located in Utah, Zion National Park is home to an eclectic mix of plants and animals, as well as staggering geographical features. Immense sandstone cliffs line canyon walls with rich red color, as Matt shows us.
Zion also has multiple accessible hiking trails like the Riverside Walk and Par’rus Trail that give you miles to ride while taking in the sights. Matt adds that the national park is “super accessible if you have a handicapped parking placard.”
National parks are great locations for riding all-terrain wheelchairs and are often very accommodating. For more information about Zion (Utah’s first national park) and how to safely visit, check out NPS.gov.
If you haven’t already checked out The Ultimate Guide to Accessible Hikes in America, download it today! While accessible hikes are popping up every day, all over the world, this guide might help you find one nearby.
Did you know? Matt is not only a hiker and Spartan athlete, he is a Paralympian! Here is his Team USA page. We’re rooting for you, Matt!
2. Vicky (Oak Ridge Park)
When the weather is nice in Tennessee, Vicky likes to get out and enjoy the park near her, Oak Ridge Park.
Vicky says that parks such as Oak Ridge are great places to find beautiful trails and are a good way to transition yourself back into riding after being cooped up. Just look at some the views Vicky has shared:
As well as being filled with beautiful lakes, flowers, and forested trails, Oak Ridge Park is a historical site. During WWII, it was home to the Manhattan Project and the 75,000 people who worked there to develop a nuclear payload. So if science museums or national laboratories interest you, look no further.
Find out more about Oak Ridge Park and other parks near you through the National Park Service.
Vicki has owned a GRIT Freedom Chair for many years. She can often be seen racing 5Ks and more with her good friend, Melissa, in support of Ainsley’s Angels. In 2020, Vicky and Melissa joined GRIT at Oak Ridge Park to show others what a great accessible trail can look like. We rolled the trail and talked with the trail builders about the decisions they made to design the trail. Thank you, Vicki, Melissa, and Oak Ridge Park for making this such a fantastic destination for a daytime getaway!
3. John (Nature Trails)
Our next rider, John, takes advantage of the nature trails near him for lovely rides and eye-catching photos.
He shows us that you don’t need to visit a national park to enjoy nature and your time outside. If you try looking close to home, you might be surprised and delighted by what you find.
From his GRIT Freedom Chair, John is able to capture mesmerizing pictures of the scenery and wildlife. Over the years, John has used his chair for fitness, exploration, photography, race-training, and more. We thank you, John, for your service in the US Military, for these gorgeous photos, and for being such a huge support system to other riders in the Beyond the Pavement Facebook Group.
4. Rob (Belgium)
Rob lives in Belgium with his wife. The wheels beneath their GRIT Freedom Chair seem to always be on the trail, and we are so lucky to share in some of their adventures! We are in awe of the views and the perfect all-terrain wheelchair terrain that snakes across Belgium’s countryside.
In the pictures shown here, you can see Rob and Lies enjoying an autumn outing in Connecterra, which is a national park in Belgium.
If you’re itching to travel and aren’t in Belgium yourself, get prepared by knowing how to fly with your GRIT Freedom Chair. Find additional information in our GRIT Support Center.
5. Mike (Florida)
Finally, we look southward to Florida, where GRIT Freedom Chair rider Mike shows off one way to enjoy the tropical climate.
With the awesome opportunity provided by Bird Dog Boats, he was able to go fishing away from the shore. For information on adaptive boating, visit Bird Dog Boats.
Mike unfortunately passed away, but continues to be an inspiration to GRIT Freedom Chair riders young and old. He was scrappy, humble, and an all-around wonderful advocate for accessibility, community, and getting the heck outside. For these reasons and more, we thank you, Mike!
If you’re lucky enough to live in a warm climate or by the sea, fishing in an all-terrain wheelchair could be right for you. If not, hopefully something on this list will inspire your next adventure, whether local or distant!
Where is your favorite travel destination?
Whether it is right down the road or a few thousand miles away, we’d love to hear where you go to enjoy the outdoors. The GRIT team is always working on the resources we offer about accessible hiking and travel, and insight from riders is invaluable. In fact, GRIT speaks every year at conferences with trail managers, accessible travel organizations, state and national parks, and more, to help make the outdoors a bit more fun for a lot more people.
To share your favorite trail, get involved with improving outdoor accessibility, and to hear more about what others are doing in their off-road wheelchairs, join the conversation at Beyond the Pavement.