Visitors with limited mobility will have a chance to explore trails in Redwood National Park next month using specialized all-terrain track chairs during a free accessibility event.
The July 11 event comes as the National Park Service continues improving accessibility throughout the park by rebuilding some trails and modifying others.
"As more people with limited mobility are getting out and exploring these areas, the National Park Service has been in the process of rebuilding new trails that are accessible, while also rehabilitating some of the older trails that needed to be widened or flattened," said Mark Abetz, director of events and community engagement for the Redwood Parks Conservancy.
The event, called "Excursion into the Redwoods," is a partnership among the Redwood Parks Conservancy, the National Park Service and David's Chair Outdoor Mobility Systems.
David's Chair, a nonprofit organization, provides electric all-terrain track chairs at no cost to people with mobility challenges. The battery-powered chairs use rubber tracks instead of wheels, allowing them to travel over uneven forest trails and other terrain that traditional wheelchairs often cannot navigate.
Jeff Kallevig, northwest operations manager for David's Chair, said the chairs have a zero-turn radius and allow users to explore the outdoors independently alongside family and friends.
The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 11 at Elk Meadow Day Use Area, about 3 miles north of Orick, California. Participants can reserve one-hour time slots to use the chairs.
Organizers say the event is intended to give more people the opportunity to experience the park's old-growth forests while highlighting ongoing efforts to make public lands more accessible.
Guests
- Mark Abetz, director of events and community engagement, Redwood Parks Conservancy
- Jeff Kallevig, northwest operations manager, David's Chair Outdoor Mobility Systems
