One in four U.S. adults has some form of disability, yet only 39% of Americans see national parks as accessible travel options for all abilities. Technology can help break down these barriers for park-goers with disabilities.
Kelly Dawson, who has cerebral palsy, can’t walk for long periods but still adventures through America’s national parks. She’s admired the Grand Canyon’s sweeping vistas, taken short walks among the massive cacti at Saguaro National Park, and explored the Everglades by airboat, which was easy for her to board.
“The difference between what a disabled person wants to see and what a non-disabled person wants to see is very small; it’s just how we go about it,” Dawson, a writer and disability advocate based in Los Angeles, told USA TODAY.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four U.S. adults has some form of disability. For these individuals, exploring the nation’s stunning natural landscapes via its more than 400 national parks can seem daunting and inaccessible.
A recent Outdoor Recreation Consumer Study by technology consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton found that only 39% of the 3,000 surveyed Americans view national parks as accessible travel options for any level of ability or disability.
