At 24 years old, Aimee Copeland lost both hands, one foot, and one full leg to a ziplining accident and the subsequent bacterial infection. Most folks would have given up their outdoor hobbies, but not Aimee. A decade later, she is the director of the Aimee Copeland Foundation, a nonprofit creating outdoor experiences for other folks with physical disabilities.

The Foundation hit a turning point when Action Trackchairs rolled out a line of battery-operated ATV wheelchairs. These mighty little vehicles can climb steep banks, navigate fallen trees, and even ford streams. Copeland has, of course, tested them all for the foundation. She said, “I love that these chairs allow me to safely explore with my friends who love camping…without putting the chair I rely on every day at risk.”

Action Manufacturing is based in Marshall, Minnesota. But the company now has dealerships selling trackchairs in all 50 states.

Sure, some parks have paved the way (literally) with ADA-compliant trails for wheelchair-bound folks to enjoy. You can find them in sections of the Grand Canyon and Yosemite Valley. But they are few and far between. The latest trackchairs are unlocking the rest of our parks for the 28 million Americans with some form of mobility issue. There’s only one problem, they can cost upwards of $20k a pop.

That’s where the nonprofits come in. There are now programs in states such as Minnesota and Georgia trying to place these chairs at various parks to loan out to outdoor enthusiasts who need them. The first National Park with these track chair is Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan.

Redwood park in California and Great Sand Dunes in Colorado already have sand-specific devices and other parks loan out standard wheelchairs. But trackchairs are compact enough to shift how things are done. Currently, the National Park Service says it is seeking local partners, nonprofits willing to handle reservations and train users in safely operating trackchairs.

Copeland admits that the chairs have faced opposition similar to gas-powered four-wheelers. “Stigma around all-terrain chairs due to misuse and misinformation is an issue.” But she argued that the latest models are “truly spectacular.” She adde,d “When operated properly, the chair’s impact is no more than footprints.” 

See the Action Trackchairs in use in the video below: