Cutting-edge advances in adaptive equipment (aka assistive technology) are transforming the outdoor experience for some people with mobility disabilities. All-terrain wheelchairs, motorized track chairs, and adaptive bikes—many developed by disabled innovators—are opening up rugged trails and remote landscapes that were once considered inaccessible.
Everyone deserves immersive and varied experiences, and as the director of Access California, a program of the Berkeley-based nonprofit BORP Adaptive Sports and Recreation, I’ve worked for more than four decades to make the outdoors more available to people with mobility challenges. But most accessible trails still stop short of less developed areas, limiting the experiences many people with disabilities desire.
Adaptive equipment could help change that, but the prohibitive price puts it out of reach for many who would benefit most. That’s where public land agencies come in. By providing equipment on-site, parks can open the door to a wider range of experiences. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, many of these devices are classified as an OPDMD (other power-driven mobility devices) and are legally allowed in pedestrian areas, with some exceptions. By embracing assistive technology, parks can expand the definition of accessibility.
The Bay Area has long led on disability rights, and parks across the country have taken the lead in offering adaptive equipment. In 2016, Marin County Parks began stepping up. After completing its Inclusive Access Plan—which highlighted adaptive equipment as a cost-effective strategy—Marin now has a blueprint for action.
In 2024, Richard Skaff, executive director of the nonprofit Designing Accessible Communities, hosted demonstration events at Rodeo Beach and Tennessee Valley, showcasing the Terrain Hopper, a four-wheel-drive electric off-road mobility vehicle. Land agency staff watched as participants confidently navigated the rugged trails with huge smiles on their faces. People were impressed by the Terrain Hopper’s safety, versatility, and the joy it enabled.
This summer, Marin County Parks will launch its OPDMD program in partnership with other regional land agencies. It will begin with two vehicles supporting monthly guided outings on public lands in Marin County—marking a major step toward inclusive access to the region’s landscapes.
Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) has long offered beach wheelchairs at sites like Stinson Beach, Muir Beach, Rodeo Beach, and East Beach at Crissy Field. These balloon-tired PVC chairs don’t go into the water but allow users to reach the sand. Although they require assistance and some strength to maneuver, they remain in high demand on summer weekends. Beach wheelchairs for use at other locations can also be borrowed with advance reservation, though they are bulky and require a large vehicle for transport.
At BORP Adaptive Sports and Recreation, we are partnering with youth educators at Santa Barbara’s NatureTrack to offer “Day on the Beach” events that feature the Freedom Trax, a small, motorized platform with wheelchair seating. Tractor treads allow users to traverse sand, grass, and some rugged trails independently. While their high center of gravity can be limiting, Freedom Trax units are more portable and affordable than many OPDMDs.
In mid-June, people will test-drive a Freedom Trax as part of “All Abilities Day” hosted by the Doug Siden Visitor Center at Crab Cove at Crown Memorial State Beach in Alameda. A beach wheelchair is available year-round at the visitor center but adding a Freedom Trax to the fleet is on the wish list.
For many who’ve tried these devices, the impact is profound. After using the Terrain Hopper, one wheelchair user said, “People say they want to go to heaven, but I found it here at the beach.” This equipment won’t work for everyone—but it should be part of a broader solution. It must complement, not replace, ongoing efforts to improve physical accessibility and, most important, challenge land agencies to think more imaginatively about inclusion. The moment calls for bold thinking—and these tools offer a powerful way forward.
Explore
Ways to get beyond the pavement
- The website Accessibility in Nature lists a variety of all-terrain adaptive equipment and the devices’ pros and cons.
- California Coastal Commission has a list of locations with beach wheelchairs for loan.
- You can make a beach wheelchair request at GGNRA.
- BORP Adaptive Sports & Recreation provides innovative community-led adaptive athletics, fitness, and recreation programs for youth and adults with mobility and vision disabilities.
- Access California is a program of BORP that serves as a clearinghouse for disabled accessible trail and park information across select regions of California.
