If you love the great outdoors but worry about accessibility, there’s good news! Many national parks have made it easier for everyone to explore and enjoy nature.
One way to enjoy the national parks with limited mobility is to enjoy scenic drives. You can enjoy the stunning scenery in many national parks from a shuttle, from your vehicle or at many of the viewpoints along the way.
However, it’s also nice to get out of your vehicle and surround yourself by nature. Fortunately, you can find parks with accessible trails that cater to all ages and abilities, ensuring that no one misses out on the beauty of our natural landscapes. These trails designed for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility, including families with strollers, and older adults.
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Trail Accessibility Features
To ensure trails are accessible for all visitors, they often include:
- Paved Paths: Smooth surfaces reduce bumps and make walking easier.
- Rest Areas: Benches or viewing points allow for breaks along the way, accommodating those who may tire quickly.
- Clear Signage: Signs provide important information about trail conditions and accessibility.
Some parks even offer adaptive equipment to ensure everyone can enjoy the beauty of nature. Before your trip, check park websites for trail accessibility options.
Legal Framework and Guidelines
Laws and guidelines also play a vital role in making trails accessible. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sets standards that guide the construction of accessible paths. These ensure that national parks meet specific criteria for access.
Key guidelines include:
- Width requirements: Trails should be wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs and walkers.
- Slope limitations: Gentle slopes help prevent strain while navigating.
- Surface materials: Durable, stable materials are essential for safety.
In addition, in 1968, Congress passed the Architectural Barriers Act, which requires federal entities to make their facilities accessible. The Rehabilitation Act in 1974 requires them to make their programs and services accessible. As a result, every park has some accessible facilities and features, such as paved trails, tactile exhibits, or assistive listening systems.
In 2018, the National Park Service (NPS) issued a policy memorandum regarding the use of service animals by persons with disabilities in national parks, aligning the NPS policy with the standards established by the Department of Justice and the Americans with Disabilities Act. This states that “only dogs are classified as service animals, and they must perform a specific task that assists a person with a disability. Emotional support or comfort animals are not service animals.”
Top National Parks with Accessible Trails
1. Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is famous for its challenging ‘iron’ rung’ hikes, but many parts of the park are accessible. This includes the free Island Explorer shuttle, a beach buggy at Echo Beach, and a wheelchair accessible carriage on the historic carriage roads.
Accessible trails include:
- Compass Harbor
- Wonderland Trail
- Ocean Path
- Cadillac Summit and Loop Trail
- Jesup Path
- Hemlock Road
- Ship Harbor Trail (the first loop)
- Schooner Head Path (along Schooner Head Road)
- short trails surrounding Jordan Pond House
- Carriage Roads and Schoodic bike paths including Marshall Brook Fire Road, Valley Cove Road, Man O’War Brook, Hio Road, and motor roads closed during the winter.
2. Arches National Park
You can explore much of the park and see many famous arches and rock formations via the paved scenic road. Although only a few trails have paved sections, several others are considered barrier free but may contain minor obstacles, steeper grades, or temporary washouts, and may require assistance.
Accessible trails include:
- Balanced Rock Trail (the first section is paved)
- Double Arch Trail (with assistance)
- Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint trail
- Landscape Arch Trail (to near the end, with assistance)
3. Bryce Canyon National Park
The shuttle in the park is wheelchair accessible and many of the most iconic viewpoints can be easily seen, including along the scenic drive.
Accessible trails include:
- The Rim Trail between Sunset Point and Sunrise Point
- The Bristlecone Loop at Rainbow Point has a hard surface and could be used with assistance, but several grades do not meet standards
4. Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park has one of the most famous scenic drives in the country – the Going to the Sun Road. There is a wheelchair accessible free shuttle service in the busy summer season. The boat tour on Lake McDonald is also accessible.
Accessible trails include:
- Apgar Bike Path
- McDonald Falls Overlook
- Lake McDonald Trail
- Upper McDonald Creek Trail
- Trail of the Cedars Nature Trail
- Red Rock Point
- The Loop
- Road Camp Overlook
- Oberlin Bend Trail
- Logan Pass
- Grizzly Point Overlook
- Goat Lick Overlook
- Running Eagle Falls Nature Trail
- Swiftcurrent Nature Trail
5. Grand Canyon National Park
The national park has many accessible features. All shuttles are wheelchair accessible and a Scenic Drive Accessibility Permit allows entry for visitors with mobility issues access to on Hermit Road and Yaki Point Road, which are closed to public traffic. Mather Point has wheelchair-accessible views of Grand Canyon and Phantom Ranch.
Accessible trails include:
- Trail of Time (between Verkamp’s Visitor Center and Yavapai Geology Museum)
- Rim Trail (between Monument Creek Vista and Hermit’s rest)
6. Grand Teton National Park
The park has a great scenic drive and many accessibility features.
Accessible trails include:
- Lake Creek overlook in Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve
- Jenny Lake Shore Trails
- Multi-Use Pathway: a 16-mile paved pathway connecting Jackson to the South Jenny Lake area
- Jackson Lake shore at Colter Bay
- Jackson Lake Dam (with assistance)
- Menor’s Ferry Historic District (not ADA compliant, but possible with assistance)
- String Lake Shore Trail: compact dirt trail
7. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
There are a lot of great drives in the park, including the Cades Cove loop drive.
Accessible trails include:
- Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail
- Paths through the Mountain Farm Museum: hard-packed gravel and accessible with assistance)
- Mingus Mill, with assistance
- John Oliver Cabin
8. Joshua Tree National Park
There are a lot of accessibility accommodations in the park including several wheelchair-accessible restrooms.
Accessible trails include:
- Bajada Nature Trail (with assistance because some sections have deep sand)
- Cap Rock Nature Trail (with assistance)
- Oasis of Mara Trail in Twentynine Palms
- Lower Keys View Overlook
9. Mesa Verde National Park
While it’s impossible to climb down into the cliff dwellings, which are in alcoves in the side of the cliffs below the top of the mesa, there are still some accessible options in the park, including several roadside overlooks.
Accessible trails/ viewpoints include:
- Cliff Palace can be viewed from an accessible paved overlook at Sun Temple on the Mesa Top Loop
- Spruce Tree House can be viewed from the covered back porch of a historic building to the right of the Museum
- Badger House Community (accessible with assistance)
- Long House Loop
10. Olympic National Park
While not all sections of the park are accessible, many are.
Accessible trails include:
- Rialto Beach Overlook
- Madison Falls Trail
- Mini Rain Forest Trail (Hoh Rain Forest)
- Hurricane Hill Trail: first 2,700 feet only
- Big Meadow Trail: (Except for 9% gradient for last 100 feet to east intersection)
- Spruce Burl Trail (Compacted gravel)
- Beach 4 Overlook
- Big Cedar Trail (gravel)
- Marymere Falls Trail (to Barnes Creek overlook)
- Moments in Time Nature Trail (flat with hard-packed surface but some uneven surfaces from tree roots and other obstacles)
- Spruce Railroad Trail
- The Living Forest Trail (Compacted gravel; has some sections less than 20 feet up to 12%)
- Kestner Homestead Trail (Compacted gravel)
- Maple Glade Rain Forest Trail (Compacted gravel)
- Salmon Cascades (compacted gravel, short but one 12-foot uphill to the viewing platform 7-11% gradient)
- Big Cedar Trail (Compacted gravel)
11. Rocky Mountain National Park
The park has a rugged three-wheeled, all-terrain wheelchair available for use.
Accessible trails include:
- Bear Lake
- Coyote Valley Trail
- Lily Lake
- Sprague Lake
12. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Wheelchairs can be borrowed for free at Giant Forest Museum, Lodgepole Visitor Center, or Kings Canyon Visitor Center.
Accessible trails include:
- Hospital Rock Picnic Area
- The base of Tunnel Rock
- Parts of the General Sherman Tree trail (separate accessible area parking and trailhead)
- Big Trees Trail
- Beetle Rock Vista (though there is a slope)
- Panoramic Point Overlook (though one section has 8.5% gradient)
- Roaring River Falls (paved though it has a 10% running slope)
- Muir Rock (hardpacked dirt surface)
- Kings Canyon Tactile Model
13. Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah has the beautiful Skyline Drive with 75 overlooks along its 105-mile length. Most of the trail are not accessible, but there is one:
Accessible trails include:
14. Yellowstone National Park
In addition to scenic drives, Yellowstone has plenty of boardwalks to protect the delicate – and often dangerous – environment. Many of them are wheelchair accessible.
Accessible trails include:
- West Thumb Geyser Basin boardwalk (though wheelchairs on the lower loop may need assistance)
- Tower Fall trail
- Upper Geyser Basin has accessible walkways from all parking areas to Old Faithful Geyser, and from the visitor center to other hydrothermal features. The paved path is also accessible from the Old Faithful Inn to the Lower General Store, and across the road into the geyser basin.
- Black Sand Basin (though the sidewalks leading to the boardwalk have slopes of 9% and 12%.
- Biscuit Basin boardwalks are accessible (though there is no curb cut at the parking lot).
- Midway Geyser Basin (Grand Prismatic Spring) has an accessible boardwalk.
- The short trail to Norris Museum.
- Emerald Pool, Steamboat and Echinus geysers in the Norris Geyser area are accessible with assistance.
- Mammoth Hot Springs Lower Terraces: Some sections of boardwalk are accessible.
- Mammoth Hot Springs Upper Terraces: In addition to the drive, there’s an accessible boardwalk trail to Canary Spring.
- Terrace Spring (though there’s a steep grade in the middle of the loop so wheelchair users may require assistance).
- Two Ribbons Trail has a boardwalk along the Madison River
- Natural Bridge with assistance (but is not paved)
- Mud Volcano lower loop
- North Rim Trail has accessible sections
- Brink of the Upper Falls
- South Rim has several accessible walkways to viewpoints
15. Yosemite National Park
Yosemite features several miles of paved, two-lane trails for bicyclists and pedestrians winding through forests and along the Merced River in Yosemite Valley. Almost all of these trails are an accessible grade; however, Superintendent’s Bridge (opposite the historic Yosemite Chapel) has steps, and a section near Housekeeping Camp is steep. Free shuttle buses operate in several areas of the park. and they are all accessible.
Accessible trails include:
- Lower Yosemite Falls
- Happy Isles Nature Trail
- Mirror lake (first section)
- Bridalveil Fall viewpoint
- Glacier Point Lookout (paved but too steep in some sections to be accessible; may be possible with assistance)
- Big Trees Loop Trail (Mariposa grove)
- Grizzly Giant Trail
16. Zion National Park
Although you’re not going to be hiking to Angel’s Landing or the narrows, much of the park is very accessible. The shuttle is wheelchair accessible, as are the Visitor Center and the Zion Human History Museum.
Accessible trails include:
- Pa’rus Trail
- Riverside Walk
Finding More Accessible National Parks
In addition to this list, you can search more national parks using this interactive map It includes all 430 units in the NPS system. You can click on a unit/ park, and it takes you to a webpage that describes the accessibility for that place.
Access Pass
One great thing that the NPS offers is the Access Pass. The Access Pass is a free, lifetime pass, available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States that have been medically determined to have a permanent disability (does not have to be a 100% disability). It’s not unique to national parks – it provides admittance to more than 2,000 recreation sites managed by five Federal agencies.
Learn more or acquire an Access Pass now.
Enjoy your national parks trip! Do you have any other accessible trails you’d like to recommend? I’d love to hear about them. Join my private Facebook group National Parks Collectors and comment and let me know (you can also pick up extra planning tips, share your photos and stories with other national park lovers and more).
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About the Author
James Ian is a national park, camping and hiking expert.
He has dedicated his life to travel, visiting more than 80 countries, all 7 continents and most of the national parks in the United States. With over 35 years experience in the travel industry, James has worked on cruise ships, at resorts and hotels, and as a travel planner who’s helped hundreds of people plan successful trips to US national parks.
Based on his experience visiting our national parks multiple times, in-depth research and expertise as a travel planner, James has published detailed itineraries for most of the major national parks in the US. These itineraries, as well as in-depth park guides, comprehensive camping and hiking gear reviews and buying guides, and helpful packing lists and gift guides will help you have your own incredible trip to US national parks without stress and hassle.
As a national park expert, James has contributed to many publications, including USA Today, Time Business News, Savoteur, Best Trip, and Wired.
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