Announcement facts from the National Park Service press release dated October 8, 2026 (nps.gov) and Zion's official all-terrain wheelchair page; chair specifications from the manufacturer's official site (extrememotus.com), all verified 2026-10-18. US-specific.
What the announcement covers
The National Park Service confirmed on October 8, 2026 that five national parks across southern Utah — Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Arches — are now home to a new type of wheelchair built for off-pavement adventure. Each park has at least one chair available for visitors, provided free of charge through partnerships including the Zion Forever Project, Friends of Arches and Canyonlands Parks, the Outdoor Access Project and private donors, plus funding from the individual park units.
The chairs have three large, soft wheels and a frame weighing about 50 pounds. They are designed to roll over sand, rocks and even steps or ledges on a trail. They are non-motorized: an operator pushes the passenger. Dual disc brakes allow sharper turns, quick stops and locking the chair in place so the passenger can take in the view. The model in use at Zion is the Utah-built Extreme Motus, a three-wheeled chair with low-pressure balloon tires that the manufacturer lists at $4,500, 55 pounds and caregiver-pushed — the same class of chair the NPS describes.
How borrowing works at Zion
Zion's official visitor page spells out the checkout routine, and it is worth reading before you go. The chair is available at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center on a first-come, first-served basis — no reservations. Both the user and the assistant must fill out a waiver, and either one must present an ID and proof of insurance. A ranger then gives a brief training session and walks through a features checklist with both people before the chair can go out.
The loan is single-day only: the chair must be returned before the visitor center closes on the same day it is checked out, and the park cannot store your personal wheelchair during the loan. One practical wrinkle: the all-terrain chair is too long to fit on the Zion Canyon Shuttle, so the assisting ranger will also issue an accessibility pass for the canyon, letting you drive and park on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive in designated spaces during shuttle season. Other parks run their own checkout desks, so contact the park you plan to visit for its hours, eligible trails and any reservation option.
What to sort out before you go
Free does not mean unlimited. Every park in the program has a limited supply, and the NPS asks visitors to contact the individual park before the trip for current information on chair availability, eligible trails and other accessibility services. Some trails will still be off-limits because of grade, surface or the chair's dimensions, so pick your trail with a ranger rather than assuming the chair goes everywhere.
Bring the paperwork: ID and proof of insurance are required at Zion, and similar requirements may apply elsewhere. Plan for a companion — these chairs need an operator, so this is a shared outing, not solo travel. And remember the loan does not waive park entrance fees. For wheelchair users who visit federal lands regularly, the free America the Beautiful Access Pass for people with permanent disabilities is worth arranging separately — it covers entrance fees, while the all-terrain chair covers the trail.
