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Accessibility in Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks

Accessibility in Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks

Written By Ashley Lyn Olson

Two people in wheelchairs explore an accessible trail in Zion National Park.

Zion National Park | Andrew Burr

Utah's Mighty 5^® national parks boast breathtaking landscapes and unparalleled natural beauty. And thanks to ongoing improvements throughout each of the parks, hiking trails, scenic roads and facilities are increasingly accessible for visitors of all ability levels.

If you're planning a trip to one of Utah's national parks and someone in your group has limited mobility, you might be wondering about the best trails and activities to ensure a memorable visit. We’ve enlisted the help of Ashley Lyn Olson, founder of wheelchairtraveling.com, to put together a recommended round-up of accessible trails and amenities within each of Utah’s national parks.

Additionally, park visitors should note that U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities qualify for the Interagency Access Pass, which provides free or discounted access to 2,000+ federal recreation sites.

Accessibility recommendations by national park:

"Utah's Mighty 5 national parks boast breathtaking landscapes and unparalleled natural beauty. And thanks to ongoing improvements throughout each of the parks, hiking trails, scenic roads and facilities are increasingly accessible for visitors of all ability levels."

– Ashley Lyn Olson

Arches National Park

Arches National Park is one of America's most beloved national parks, a 73,234-acre wonderland of over 2,000 red rock arches. Many of the rock formations can be seen from the road, but you’ll find numerous parking pullouts where you can get a closer look.

The Arches National Park Visitor Center is fully accessible, providing accessible parking, restrooms with grab bars and accessible stalls, a lowered information desk, tactile exhibits, and audiovisual materials with captions to ensure an inclusive experience for all visitors. Additionally, the Visitor Center features accessible drinking fountains and clearly marked paths leading to the main building and surrounding areas.

Note: From April to October between the hours of 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., visitors to Arches require a timed entry reservation, which can be secured in advance at recreation.gov. (Read: How to Visit Arches)

The first section of the Devil’s Garden Trail in Arches (around 1.6 miles roundtrip) consists of relatively flat stretches mixed with small to medium-sized hills.

Photo: Kim Heys

The Park Avenue Overlook of the Courthouse Towers is a particularly picturesque viewpoint.

Photo: National Park Service

Accessible Trails and Overlooks in Arches

The Park Avenue Overlook of the Courthouse Towers is particularly picturesque with an ascending paved path to the viewing area. Balanced Rock also has a paved path that is relatively level. Side paths, mostly made from a range of packed to looser rocks and sand, verge from Balanced Rock and merge on the way to Pothole Arch and Ham Rock. The first section of The Devil’s Garden Trail (to Landscape Arch, around 1.6 miles roundtrip) consists of relatively flat stretches mixed with small to medium-sized hills. Some barriers exist, like patches of sand and cross-slopes, but it’s still wide enough for most wheelchairs. It’s an out-and-back trail, so you can travel as far as it feels comfortable. Trail details are posted at each trailhead. Bringing hiking equipment or mobility devices with power assistance makes it easier to traverse the terrain where uneven or steep.

Accessible Picnic Areas and Camping in Arches

The Devil’s Garden picnic area has one paved path to a non-modified table; the toilet is accessible. Campsite #007 in the Devils Garden Campground is accessible with a paved flat surface, raised fire pit and cooking grill and an open route to one end of the standard picnic table. Additionally, there are accessible picnic tables near the Visitor Center with extended ends and hardened surfaces underneath, typically compacted chat gravel, providing a convenient spot for a meal or rest. These tables have nearby trees for shade, depending on the time of day and the sun’s angle.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park’s geological rock formations captivate visitors with their delicately odd silhouettes towering into the sky. Some structures seem to defy gravity — a magnificent representation of how nature displays its balance. Occasionally, white limestone is painted across red rocks or dripped on top of them resembling snow-capped peaks. Fourteen overlooks are classified as accessible at Bryce Canyon, many with relatively level and paved short paths along the canyon’s rim.

Fourteen overlooks are classified as accessible at Bryce Canyon, many with relatively level and paved short paths along the canyon’s rim.

Photo: Matt Morgan

The Rim Trail in Bryce Canyon sits at the edge of the Bryce Amphitheater, connecting some of the park's most popular viewpoints.

Photo: Alison Vagnini

Accessible Trails and Overlooks in Bryce Canyon

The park's most accessible trail is the half-mile Rim Trail, between Sunset Point and Sunrise Point. Take a break from driving in the car and cruise on the accessible shuttle, but note that it has specific stops. One stop is the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center where visitors can get an Access Guide to make exploring the park easier. The Visitor Center includes accessible parking, restrooms with grab bars, a lowered information desk, tactile exhibits and audiovisual materials with captions, ensuring a comfortable visit for all guests. Accessible picnic tables are available near the Visitor Center, with extended ends for wheelchair access, providing a convenient spot for a meal or rest. Some visitors with strong balance and enough leg functionality may be able to take a two-hour-long horseback ride below the canyon rim. No modifications have been made, including the mounting system, but assistance can be provided.

Accessible Lodging in Bryce Canyon

Guests can stay overnight in the park at the Sunset Campground with two modified campsites (#223 and #224), located in Loop A, equipped with picnic tables with extended ends and raised barbeques on a firm surface made of a mix of dirt and rock. Potable water is available behind the nearby flush toilets. Additionally, the Bryce Canyon Lodge features accessible roons, one with a king bed and bath and the other with two queens and a roll-in shower.

Canyonlands National Park

Endless deep canyons, towering mesas, pinnacles, cliffs and spires stretch across 527 square miles in Canyonlands National Park. With scenic roads along the rim and base of Canyonlands National Park, visitors don’t need to leave their vehicles to enjoy the park, but they can if desired.

Located near the Willow Flat Campground, the Green River Overlook is wheelchair accessible by a paved trail from the site's parking lot.

Photo: More Than Just Parks

Canyonlands is divided into four districts: The Needles, The Maze, Island in the Sky, and the rivers. Island in the Sky is considered the most accessible.

Photo: More Thank Just Parks

Accessible Overlooks in Canyonlands

Of the four districts within the park, Island in the Sky offers the most accessibility. The trails all have steep, rocky surfaces with uneven slopes and loose sand or gravel. But three overlooks — Grand View Point, Green River and Buck Canyon — offer paved walkways and helpful signage indicating the distance to the viewpoint. The overlook not to miss is located directly across from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center. A short, paved path leads right onto the rocks along the canyon. The transition from the path to a large boulder is barrier-free. It’s a unique feature in an unforgettable setting.

Inside the Visitor Center, find a tactical display and lowered countertops. Outside, there’s a picnic table with an extended end under a canopy, a modified drinking water fountain and a pit toilet. Accessible parking and another pit toilet can also be found at Upheaval Dome, but the surrounding trails are not accessible.

Accessible Camping in Canyonlands

One campsite is reserved for people with disabilities at the Island in the Sky (Willow Flat) Campground. It has been adapted with paved surfaces surrounding the tent pad, a shelter covering the picnic table with an extended end and a raised campsite grill. Paved parking and pit toilets are nearby, but no water is available in the campgrounds so prepare accordingly.

The Needles Campground is outside the main area with two accessible campsites, both can be reserved in advance. Each site has a concrete driveway with a fire pit and an elongated picnic table. A concrete sidewalk connects the two sites with a water spigot and a vault toilet. One site has cement surrounding the tent pad; the other site offers a paved walkway to the tent pad.

Capitol Reef National Park

Known for its red rock cliffs, canyons, domes and bridges, it's hard to rival the expansiveness of Capitol Reef National Park. While many of its easy hiking trails include fairly level, but uneven ground, you can actually see some of the best views from the paved Scenic Drive (7.9 miles, one-way).

The trail to the Petroglyphs Panels, located off Utah Highway 24 near the historic pioneer settlement of Fruita, begins on a firm, crushed rock surface, leading to a boardwalk platform.

Photo: More Than Just Parks

Fremont and Ancestral Puebloan people lived near what is now designated as Capitol Reef National Park between 600-1300 A.D. Their markings tell what appears to be their the stories, hunting patterns, crop cycles and mythologies of their lives.

Photo: Austen Diamond

Capitol Reef Scenic Drive

Before visiting, download or print out the Scenic Drive self-guided tour. From the Scenic Drive, you can access Grand Wash Road and Capitol Gorge Road, dirt spur roads that lead deep into the canyon, making you feel like you're on an adventure from another time. The spur roads are typically suitable for passenger cars and RVs up to 27 feet in length. The Scenic Drive is currently undergoing some accessibility improvements, including expanding the road and popular parking areas and adding accessible vault toilets at Capitol Gorge parking lot, located at the end of the drive. Improvements are expected to be complete in the fall of 2024. The Visitor Center offers accessible amenities, including accessible parking, restrooms with grab bars, tactile exhibits, an information desk with a lower counter and audiovisual materials with captions, making it a good starting point for your visit.

Accessible Trails in Capitol Reef

In terms of hiking trails, there is a wooden boardwalk off Utah Highway 24 that accesses Fremont Culture petroglyphs. The trail begins on a firm, crushed rock surface, leading to a barrier-free boardwalk platform. Explore this rare cultural preservation more closely using the lowered binoculars and listening to the audio guide. A portion of the Fremont River Trail near the Gifford House is also accessible, offering a brief route through a meadow and orchard surrounded by tall sandstone cliffs and a volcanic boulder-strewn mesa for birdwatching and other wildlife. The orchards are a shade haven on warm days, and when in season, visitors can pick fruit for a nominal fee. The Fremont River Trail runs past the Fruita Campground, amphitheater and orchards on a firmly packed dirt surface topped with crushed rock.

Accessible Picnic Areas and Camping in Capitol Reef

The Fruita Campground has four campsites with accessible features, and nearby flush toilets, and site #26 has the most modifications including a picnic table with an extended end, raised firepit and barbeque grill. Additionally, sites #63 and #14 have an electrical outlet to charge medical devices. Accessible picnic tables are located throughout the park, including near the Visitor Center, the Gifford House and the Fruita Campground, with extended ends for wheelchair access.

The Fruita Campground is located by the Fremont River. Four of its campsites have accessible features.

Photo: More Than Just Parks

Zion National Park

Zion National Park is consistently Utah’s most visited national park. The mighty Virgin River continues to carve through the sedimentary rock like a master sculptor, transforming this desert pocket into a lush oasis. When planning a visit to Zion, it's important to review the park's current conditions for any closures that might impact accessibility (Read: How to Visit Zion).

Visitors should also plan an early arrival to the Visitor Center to board the accessible Zion Canyon park shuttle, which has space for two wheelchairs. Park shuttles generally arrive every 5-10 minutes on the Zion Canyon Line, and a round trip takes about an hour and a half. For a guided park tour, visitors can pre-register to participate in the “Ride with a Ranger” program, which uses a 40' bus with space for four wheelchairs. The Zion National Park Visitor Center is fully accessible, featuring accessible parking, restrooms with grab bars, a lowered information desk, tactile exhibits and audiovisual materials with captions to ensure an inclusive experience for all visitors.

While the shuttle provides a great accessible option for most visitors, guests with further medical concerns can also request a “Yellow Permit” pass to drive a personal vehicle up the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, which is typically only accessed by shuttle. Even with an accessible placard, visitors must request this pass at the park entrance station, Visitor Center, or museum.

The Zion Shuttle operates within Zion National Park, beginning at the visitor center, just north of the Springdale park entrance. It typically comes every 10-15 minutes.

Photo: Andrew Burr

One of the most pleasant and accessible trails in the park is the Pa'rus Trail.

Photo: Andrew Burr

Zion National Park

The Zion National Park Visitor Center is fully accessible, featuring accessible parking, restrooms with grab bars, a lowered information desk, tactile exhibits and audiovisual materials with captions to ensure an inclusive experience for all visitors.

Photo: Andrew Burr

Zion National Park

Accessible Trails and Overlooks in Zion

Running parallel to the Virgin River for nearly two miles (one-way) is the Pa'rus Trail. This wide and paved trail is incredibly scenic with cascading red rocks on either side. Many sections are flat and intersect with some gradual slopes. The Riverside Walk Trail may also be partially or completely doable leading up to the edge of the Virgin River. The start of the trail has some sandy areas due to washouts but then a paved surface emerges and continues to run along the river aligned with trees and vegetation through the sunset-colored canyon. At one point, the trail travels under a cascading boulder protruding from the mountainside. Sections of the paved trail may get a little wet, narrow, sandy, or steep. The trail has a short border along the river’s edge and occasionally a guard rail. Overall, having power assistance of some kind is recommended on this trail due to the many hills. If you can navigate this trail, it's worth the effort.

For canyon panoramas, drive along the picturesque Mount Carmel Highway which travels through a couple of tunnels and passes the Great Arch of Zion Overlook. Space has been made for vehicles to park but there are no specific modifications. Parking spots can be hard to come by, so if you find an open spot, be sure to pull over for a picture.

Beyond the main Zion Canyon, the Kolob Canyons section of park resides to the northwest. Easily accessed off Interstate 15 just south of Cedar City, Kolob Canyons is an often lesser trafficked area of Zion. Visitors can enjoy the five-mile Kolob Fingers Road Scenic Byway to get a feel for Kolob Canyons. The road ends at the Kolob Canyons Viewpoint, which has a picnic area, pit toilet and accessible parking spaces.

Accessible Picnic Areas and Camping in Zion

Zion National Park has picnic tables with extended ends and hardened surfaces underneath (typically compacted chat gravel). Many day-use picnic sites are scattered throughout the Visitor Center parking lot and others are at the Grotto picnic area up the Scenic Drive. The tables have nearby trees, providing shade depending on the time of day and the sun’s angle, but none of the day-use areas have constructed shade shelters.

The park’s Watchman Campground conveniently includes photos of the adapted campsites with features like a modified level surface, picnic tables with an extended end and raised fire pit grill. A couple of sites have electric hookups. Since accessible details vary slightly, review the photos for each campsite before booking. The Zion Lodge has four accessible rooms featuring bathtub and roll-in shower setups. It also has a popular ADA cabin with one queen bed and a roll-in shower.

The Riverside Walk Trail may be partially or completely doable leading up to the edge of the Virgin River.

Photo: Andrew Burr

The National Scenic Byway (S.R. 9) between Zion's main canyon and Mount Carmel is an extra stunning way to cover a lot of amazing ground.

Photo: Andrew Burr

Utah's Mighty 5 National Parks

About the Author – Ashley Lyn Olson

Ashley Lyn Olson, a pioneering force in accessible travel, founded wheelchairtraveling.com in 2006, creating the largest database dedicated to accessible travel. Paralyzed at 14 by a car accident, Ashley transformed her personal challenge into a global mission. Awarded a full scholarship, she graduated with honors from the University of Southern California. Her globe-trotting adventures, shared through firsthand insights, empower wheelchair users with practical advice. Her website features her journeys alongside community contributions, fostering a supportive network. Her Access 2 Parks Project earned her recognition at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Honored with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation’s Quality of Life Award, Ashley has spoken at major conferences such as the Abilities Expo, the Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (SATH) World Congress, the Annual Meeting of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA), and the International Conference on Accessible Tourism (ICAT). She has written for top publications including New Mobility Magazine and Lonely Planet. Ashley’s work continues to inspire and drive change in the world of accessible travel.