Ridgway State Park introduces modified wheelchairs that conquer land and water

RIDGWAY, Colo. ⁠— A second Colorado state park has added equipment and the supportive services needed to make the park more accessible to visitors. 

Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced the addition of beach wheelchairs and its track-chair program to Ridgway State Park in Ouray County. 

“This is priceless. To be able to provide this opportunity not only to our local communities but to the people visiting the park from all over the world, this is just priceless,” said Park Manager Johnathon Freeborn in a press release. 

Part of the ability to start these programs at Ridgway came from the already successful and highly sought-after track-chair program at Staunton State Park in Jefferson County. The park recently obtained newer models of track chairs and was able to donate one of the chairs to Ridgway. 

As Rocky Mountain PBS witnessed first-hand this summer at Staunton State Park, the track chairs have the ability to move across various types of terrain, rocks, dirt, etc. much easier than any other type of wheelchair. 

“[The track-chair program] gives me an opportunity to do something I never would otherwise,” said Justin Batchelder, a participant of Staunton State Park’s track-chair program. “I remember hiking a lot before my injury … how beautiful that was. But after I got my injury I didn't think that was possible anymore, and when I got up here for the first time, I was really blown away by how beautiful this park is.” 

Read more about Justin and his experience at Staunton State Park here. 

At Ridgway State Park, CPW’s Hunting and Angling Outreach Programs were able to provide funding for a second chair and donated a trailer for safe storage.

Ridgway State Park Ranger Erin Vogel worked to initiate the program and recently took Telluride Adaptive Sports Program on a trial ride on the park’s Forest Discovery Trail. 

“We are so excited to be able to offer this type of access on a few of our trails and look forward to partnering with a variety of organizations,” Vogel said.

This track-chair program will also expand as the park adds more trails as part of its master plan. The track chairs are free to use but have to be reserved.

On top of the track chairs, Ridgway State Park now also has a beach mat and two floating beach wheelchairs allowing those who use wheelchairs access to the beach and water. Friends of Ridgway State Park, a nonprofit organization founded in 1996 to support the park, helped obtain about a $19,000 grant from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation to buy these items. 

“This is a huge step forward in enhancing accessibility for visitors to our state parks in the Southwest Region,” said CPW Deputy Region Manager Heath Kehm.

Amanda Horvath is a managing producer with Rocky Mountain PBS. You can email her at amandahorvath@rmpbs.org.