We all love the National Parks, right? What’s not to love?
But, as amazing and beautiful as so many of those parks are not all of them are exactly accessible, in fact, many can be downright difficult to navigate if you suffer from mobility issues.
Now, if you don’t have the urge for some back country trekking, don’t worry there are actually quite a few National Parks that are way more accessible than you ever imagined.
In fact, you might be surprised there are a number of parks that take accessibility very seriously. The NPS currently has a plan in place to improve parks making them more accessible to all visitors by 2020.
Here, we can take a look at some of the most accessible National Parks across the country.
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone is one of the most famous National Parks. Home to “Old Faithful” it attracts millions of visitors each year. And while it’s not (yet) 100% Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant yet, there are a number of sites that are very accessible. They include the Mammoth Hot Springs, Old Faithful, Grant Village and Bridge Bay just to end a few.
Acadia National Park
The beautiful Maine coast is calling to all visitors at Acadia National Park. Acadia has a number of different things to do throughout the park that appeal to people of all levels of accessibility. Activities include ranger led boat tours, Wildwood stables, Echo Lake, and Jessup Path. There are also a number of accessible picnic and camping grounds.
Zion National Park
Zion is hands down one of the most amazing parks in the entire National Park System, and it’s also one of the most accessible parks as well, which is pretty awesome. The Zion Canyon visitors center and the Watchman Campground are fully ADA compliant. And, for those who want to get out and experience Zion, Pa’rus Trail and the Riverside Walk beautifully paved trails.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National park
Tucked into the hills and valleys of Northern California, the giant redwoods of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park welcome visitors of all levels of accessibility. Even though there aren’t many paved roads for cars throughout the park, there are a number of trails that are easy to navigate including the Muir Rock Trail, General Sherman Tree Trail, and Tunnel Rock.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Covering a vast array of mountainous land and clear blue lakes in Northern Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park has created a number of accessible trails, visitor centers and campsites along the scenic of its most famous peaks. Some of the more popular accessible activities include Coyote Valley Trail, Lilly Lake, and the Holzwarth Historic Site.
These are just a snapshot of some of the most accessible National Parks. As you can see, the National Park System has been working diligently to ensure that visitors of all mobility and ability levels are able to enjoy the wonder and the beauty of these amazing natural landscapes.
Now, it’s up to you to get out there and enjoy them! Which park is your favorite?
