Accessible Activities in Colorado for Travelers With Disabilities

National Parks

Many of Colorado's 13 national parks and national monuments provide wheelchair-accessible touring information:

• Special sand wheelchairs for exploring the famous dunes, camping and picnic areas in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (Advance reservations available)
• Trails in Rocky Mountain National Park, including the famous Bear Lake and Sprague Lake
• Campsites, picnic areas, ranger talks and scenic overlooks in Colorado National Monument, including the breathtaking Book Cliffs View and Devils Kitchen Picnic Area
• Campgrounds, scenic overlooks and historical sites in Mesa Verde National Park, including a Cliff Palace overlook and Mesa Top Loop Road
• Visitor centers, campsites and scenic overlooks in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, including Tomichi Point Overlook and Sunset View Overlook
• Outdoor exhibit area and trail in Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, including the Ponderosa Loop Trail (Check weather conditions — the trail can get snowy and muddy in winter and spring)
• Visitor center, trail, campsite and picnic areas in Hovenweep National Monument, including the Square Tower Group Trail (from the visitor center to the first overlook)
• Trails, campgrounds, picnic areas and exhibits at Dinosaur National Monument, including overlooks along famously beautiful Harpers Corner Scenic Drive, the Plug Hat Trail and short, paved trails at Iron Springs and Echo Park overlooks

State Parks

Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which manages 42 state parks as well as wildlife programs and areas, has outlined accessible fishing locations, a big-game mobility-impaired hunting-license program and more; check out their Park Finder map, which locates parks with accessible camping, fishing, hunting, picnic sites, restrooms, showers, swimming, trails and visitor centers. In addition, the Columbine Pass from Colorado Parks & Wildlife,  provides reduced park-entrance fees to Colorado residents with disabilities. Three Colorado state parks — Staunton, Barr Lake and Ridgway — offer all-terrain ActionTrack Chairs for exploring trails, and Ridgway State Park also has floating wheelchairs that can be used at its swim beaches. Note: Due to demand, it's a good idea to call in advance to reserve chairs. 

Adaptive Sports Adventures

A number of centers and associations throughout Colorado have developed adaptive activities through the use of skillfully trained instructors and state-of-the-art equipment. From hiking trails and rock climbing, to skiing and snowshoe tours, Colorado offers a variety of year-round activities for disabled persons seeking indoor and outdoor adventures. See a sampling of summer and winter activities offered for disabled persons.

Learn about adaptive summer sports in Colorado.

Explore adaptive skiing, snowboarding, ice climbing and more.

Wilderness on Wheels

Wilderness On Wheels Foundation's mission is to stimulate the development of access for disabled persons to natural outdoor environments. WOW accomplished this through the construction of a 1-mile, 8-foot wide boardwalk starting at 9,100 feet to the top of a 12,300 foot mountain 60 miles west of Denver near Grant. They are open Memorial Day to mid-October, and it's free to hike the boardwalk at Wilderness on Wheels; there are are also fishing and camping at the site, as well as overnight cabins. 

Other Accessible-Travel Resources in Colorado

• TrailLink has a great list of wheelchair-accessible trails to aid in exploring Colorado's beauty.
• The Colorado Springs Visitor Center showcases accessible museums and other attractions.
• The Denver Convention & Visitors Bureau keeps a list of wheelchair-accessible services and tours.

If you know of others that should be on this list, let us know!