Wheelchair Accessibility in Wyoming’s National Parks & Outdoor Spaces
From scenic drives to western traditions, adventure lovers come from all over to experience the incredible outdoor opportunities in Wyoming. Take your pick of ADA-accessible spaces that are as historic as they are mesmerizing. The Cowboy State shines as one of the most wheelchair-accessible places to visit.
It’s incredible how Wyoming’s most iconic outdoor spaces offer assistance for hearing, vision and mobility impairment, inviting all abilities to immerse in that unbeatable travel magic. If you’ve been daydreaming about Yellowstone, wondering, “Is it wheelchair accessible?” look no further. Come explore epic acres of wheelchair-accessible national parks galore. Here in Wyoming, there’s a chance for everyone to get out and have a grand adventure.We’ve put together a list of places where those requiring wheelchair or mobility assistance can delight in Wyoming’s treasured outdoor spaces. Read on for a guide to some of the most coveted attractions in the West—opening a wealth of places to visit near Wyoming that are wheelchair accessible and absolutely enchanting.
Access Pass: Free & Discounted Entry to National Parks
If you or a member of your family is disabled, this is just the free, lifetime pass they need—available to any U.S. citizen or permanent resident who navigates with a permanent disability. The America the Beautiful – National Parks & Federal Recreational Lands Access Pass isn’t only for the pass holder. Offering free entry to 2,000+ federal recreation sites, the pass covers companion entry. Just bring along your Access Pass for free or discounted entry to one of Wyoming’s incredible wheelchair-accessible national parks. All ages are included. Present proof of disability either online or in-person at any site that’s participating, and come savor a dazzling wonderland with affordable support.
Wheelchair Accessibility in Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone has gone to great lengths to ensure its sparkling geysers and springs are wheelchair accessible and able to accommodate every visitor. Arrive and discover boardwalks lining many of the park’s geothermal features along with paved paths open at popular sites and overlooks from Old Faithful to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone’s North Rim.
Find accessible ranger programs noted in the park’s newspaper, ready to peruse at entrances and visitor centers—one of the key resources that make Yellowstone an ideal place to visit in the West. Wheelchair accessible and a must-see marvel, Yellowstone is committed to improving accessibility and has worked to create an ongoing transition plan to make the park that much more accessible. The park has an app equipping travelers with up-to-date information on which areas are accessible, along with audio-described sites and alternative text for images.If you are planning to visit, contact the park ahead of time to set up assistance or arrange with the parks program how they can better assist you. Learn more about accessibility in Yellowstone National Park.
Best Wheelchair-Accessible Places in Yellowstone
Striving to make the wonders of the space safe so that every adventurer wandering through can cherish the majesty of the land, Yellowstone has taken care to ensure it’s one of the most welcoming wheelchair-accessible places to visit. Experience breathtaking vistas and famed sights without the fear of limitations—for in Yellowstone, all visitors feel the extraordinary joy of exploring awe-inspiring landscapes.
- Canyon Area: Among the beautiful corners that make Yellowstone wheelchair accessible, Canyon Area has everything from accessible restrooms and gas pumps with call buttons to tactile and audio exhibits. Stay the night in one of the 19 accessible rooms located across the Dunraven and Cascade lodges, which feature three accessible suites and roll-in showers in each of five accessible Western Cabin units. Even the Canyon Campground offers three accessible sites, complete with an extended picnic table and a raisable fire grate.
- Lake Area: When you come to visit the lake area, you’ll find a beach wheelchair designed for a wonder-filled experience as you glide along the shore—where if you need a mobility device or face difficulty when walking, there’s dedicated support to savor the sunlight streaming across Yellowstone Lake.
Roll into your choice of accessible gift shops and stores. Stay in one of ten accessible cabins. When you’re in the West searching for an epic adventure, don’t miss out on Yellowstone Lake as one of the top places to visit near you—brilliantly designed to be wheelchair accessible. In addition to a variety of accommodations and experiences open and available throughout the lake area, the campgrounds offer 10 fully accessible RV sites.
- Madison Area: In the Madison area, find accessible parking spots as you share a beautiful picnic at an accessible table, near a restroom designed for wheelchair accessibility. Reserve any of three accessible campsites in advance and find an accessible shower 16 miles south at Old Faithful Inn.
- Mammoth Hot Springs: Head to the medical clinic at Mammoth Hot Springs, where for a $300 deposit and $15 per day, you can rent a wheelchair. You can also check in at the hotel or visitor center to ask about wheelchairs available for loan. Select any of five accessible sites awaiting you on the campgrounds, where you’ll have access to picnic tables, fire rings and tent platforms that are thoughtfully designed for all abilities.
Park rangers at the front desk can show you how to leverage induction loop technology for conversations. Additionally, find assistive listening systems, written descriptions of the visitor center exhibits in big print letters and braille versions of the map, guide and newspaper.
- Norris Area: The Norris Geyser Basin Museum has beautiful, accessible exhibits waiting for you to explore. There is accessible parking available, an accessible campground site and an accessible restroom within 200 yards of the campsite.
- Old Faithful: With wheelchairs available for rent on a first-come, first-served basis, arrive early at Old Faithful and stop by the medical clinic. Here, you can place a $300 deposit and have wheelchair access for $15 per day. Additionally, there are manual wheelchairs ready for use on loan at any lodging facility in the area as well as at the visitor center. Find accessible exhibits that integrate interactive displays, complete with audio components and films that feature open captioning. Come to one of the evening programs, specially designed to be accessible for all visitors to enjoy.
- Tower–Roosevelt Area: Park in front of the Roosevelt Lodge gift shop, where you can use one of the designated accessible parking spots before you come into the shop, taking home a cherished souvenir from your adventure. From call buttons at gas station pumps to accessible parking, tables and vault toilets at surrounding picnic areas, the support you need is available in the Tower-Roosevelt area.
West Thumb Area: If you’re using a wheelchair, you may require assistance on the lower loop of the West Thumb Geyser Basin. Head to the West Thumb information station, where designated parking is available, leading you to an accessible entrance and vault toilets in the parking area. All films and exhibits at the nearby Grant Visitor Center are open-captioned and ready to offer transcripts to travelers. Looking for golden memories on sunlit waves? The boat launch at Grant Marina is also accessible.
Wheelchair-Accessible Camping in Yellowstone
Seeking a more adventurous stay? Most of the park’s campgrounds have at least two accessible sites, and accessible lodging is available throughout the park. Two backcountry sites are reserved for those with disabilities, people over age 62 or those with children under six.
Goose Lake Backcountry Campsite (05D)
Take in nature’s wildest glory when you discover the haven of Goose Lake Backcountry Campsite (05D), shining between Madison and Old Faithful—one of the most wheelchair-accessible places to visit on your next getaway. Before 4 p.m. each day, this site is held for travelers with disabilities moving around the magnificent campsites and trails. Only after 4 p.m. is the general public able to enter.
Ice Lake Backcountry Campsite (4D3)
With an established tent pad and an accessible pit toilet, the half-mile accessible trail found between Norris and Canyon is ideal for visitors with disabilities. You’ll leave after each of these camping adventures feeling supported at one of the best wheelchair-accessible national parks.
More Accessible Campgrounds in Yellowstone
The beautiful thing about Yellowstone’s design is that it’s built with empathy for any adventure-seeker to be able to immerse themselves in the splendors of the natural world. Looking for more wheelchair-accessible places to visit on a joyful camping trip with your family? Browse other accessible campgrounds located throughout Yellowstone.
Plan your trip to coincide with the times of year in which some options below are available for reservation (as some depend on the season).
- Bridge Bay: Plan to stay in any of the three accessible and developed campsites, where you can call to make a reservation for your RV and trailer. Have an unforgettable picnic right by the Bridge Bay Marina.
- Canyon: Come for a night in Canyon as you adventure through Yellowstone, choosing among three accessible sites in Loop L, where an extended picnic table and a raised fire grate await you. Just give the size of your tent or the combined length of your RV with additional vehicles when you call to make a reservation.
- Fishing Bridge RV Park: Place a reservation with Yellowstone National Park Lodges and find one of four comfort stations that each meet top-tier ADA standards. Take your RV for a night at this developed campground, where Fishing Bridge evening ranger programs will entertain the whole family.
- Grant Village: Stay in Grant Village, where after a special picnic at one of three wheelchair-accessible sites, you can unwind in an accessible shower in the Camper Services Building.
Madison: Reservations feel worthwhile at this developed campground, where families come to stay in vehicles (as long as they don’t exceed 30 feet). Each of the three accessible campsites offers an extended picnic table and raised fire grate.
Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park’s alpine lakes, mountain meadows and stunning Teton Mountain Range shouldn’t be missed. Asphalt trails available at Colter Bay, Jackson Lake, Menors Ferry Historic District, Jenny Lake and Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve allow for the park’s beauty to be enjoyed by those with limited mobility. Offering diverse trails that are suggested for travelers who face physical and mobility challenges, Grand Teton feels incredibly wheelchair accessible. Learn more about accessibility in Grand Teton National Park.
If you are interested in more adventurous activities in and near the park, check out Teton Adaptive Sports. This Wyoming nonprofit offers skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, hockey, cycling, climbing, paddling, hiking and mountain biking for people living with physical or cognitive disabilities. Learn more about Teton Adaptive Sports.
Best Wheelchair-Accessible Places in Grand Teton
Explore the paved trails and pathways that make it possible for a traveler requiring mobility assistance to enjoy the beauty of Grand Teton National Park’s trails—wheelchair accessible and full of breathtaking vistas.
- Jenny Lake: When you roll right into the lakeside edge, the world feels infinite. Discover a network of paved trails circling the South Jenny Lake visitor services area—constructed to meet ABBA standards.
- Colter Bay: Watch the sun dip into the blues of the Colter Bay Marina, where an accessible trail traces the eastern shore of Jackson Lake, offering paved, mostly level terrain for all who explore.
- Jackson Lake: When you experience the glimmering sights from the dam’s paved overlook trail at the southwest end, get ready to feel reinvigorated.
Moose Area: If you need mobility assistance, opt for the multiuse pathway over the Menors Ferry Historic District (where in some places, the trail narrowly misses ADA standards). In turn, the 20.5 multiuse pathway that leads from Jackson north to South Jenny Lake, then spanning from Teton Park Road to South Jenny Lake, is open to motorized wheelchairs.
Wheelchair-Accessible Camping in Grand Teton
Wondering if camping in Grand Teton National Park is as wheelchair accessible as its scenic trails? Many of the park’s campgrounds and lodging facilities offer accessible sites and rooms. Some campgrounds can be reserved only during specific seasons, so make sure to plan your trip ahead of time to ensure you have the support you need.
- Gros Ventre Campground: Discover 10 ADA-accessible sites, each providing electric hookups with an ADA-compliant neighboring restroom.
- Jenny Lake Campground: Now with three ADA-compliant campsites, Jenny Lake Campground also has accessible restrooms.
- Signal Mountain Campground: Signal Mountain Campground has plans in motion to make future sites more compliant. Presently, you can find a wheelchair-accessible restroom as well as showers and laundry facilities that are all fully ADA accessible.
- Colter Bay Campground: With 335 individual campsites located across 17 loops, 17 of them are ADA accessible, offering travelers electric hookups. Find accessible showers when you head into Colter Bay Village.
Headwaters Campground: The majority of the 97 RV and 34 tent sites at Headwaters Campground are accessible to wheelchair users.
Devils Tower National Monument
Devils Tower rises 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River. The national monument is working toward making the entire site accessible to people of all abilities. Endeavoring to accommodate any traveler’s needs, the National Park Service encourages visitors to reach out to determine additional ways they can make resources available. When seeking memorable wheelchair-accessible places to visit, don’t miss out on the sublime sights primed to greet you when you first experience the stunning Devils Tower.
For now, be sure to explore the paved, 1.3-mile Tower Trail that circles the base of the tower. Keep in mind that the trail has some steep grades that are not recommended for wheelchair users. You can see the steepest part of the trail from the Visitor Center parking lot.Interested in camping? The Belle Fourche River Campground within Devils Tower National Monument has four accessible campsites. Learn more about accessibility at Devils Tower National Monument.
Best Wheelchair-Accessible Places in Devils Tower
Enter Devils Tower National Monument and find accessible restrooms available for use in the first log building to your right. From the moment you experience the geological glory of America’s first national monument, prepare to experience locations that feel supportive, welcoming all abilities to take in the wild beauty.
- Visitor Center: Even the doorway is made with accessibility in mind (for chairs up to 35 inches in width)—come to the visitor center for accessible restrooms and curb cuts that allow access to everything from drinking fountains to binoculars.
Picnic Area: Have a picnic at one of two tables that are specially designed for wheelchair users, located on both sides of the sidewalk.
Wheelchair-Accessible Camping in Devils Tower
Find four sites across the campground that are accessible for travelers with disabilities—A-2, A-4, B-11 and B-25. From campground restrooms to the outdoor amphitheater, enjoy relaxing at one of the top wheelchair-accessible places to visit.
Fossil Butte National Monument
Looking for more captivating places to visit in the West that are wheelchair accessible? Some of the world’s best-preserved fossils are found right in the flat-topped ridges of southwestern Wyoming’s cold sagebrush desert—where the monument visitor center, as well as restrooms and picnic area, are all accessible. Discover the exceptional abundance of fossilized fish, insects, plants, reptiles, birds and mammals, marveling at the variety and detail of their preservation.
Fossil Butte National Monument’s helpful accessibility provides an opportunity for all travelers to see and experience the thrill of fossils. Each trailhead provides vault toilets that are wheelchair accessible, and the trails are generally compacted soil. Check trail conditions, as the slopes vary, and be prepared for uneven, rough surfaces including rock steps and water bars.
Best Wheelchair-Accessible Places in Fossil Butte
Attend a ranger-led program and find a disability-supported atmosphere, with the history of fossils all around you—an exciting reminder of the ancient history that came before you.
- Visitor Center: Bring any standard-size vehicle on your travels and find handicapped parking spaces ready to accommodate your arrival.
- Scenic Drives: Nothing beats a windswept, 7.5-mile scenic drive, glittering with nature’s soul-stirring sights. Keep in mind that 3.5 miles are paved, and 4 miles are gravel.
Picnic Area: Move along the wheelchair-accessible boardwalk after a picnic near the jaw-dropping Fossil Butte.
Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest
The Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest and Thunder Basin National Grassland cover nearly 2.9 million acres from north-central Colorado to central and northeastern Wyoming—offering a healing and restorative adventure for all travelers. Enjoy a drive through the Snowy Range Scenic Byway with stops along the way, along with several paved, accessible turnouts. One of these turnouts includes the stunning Lake Marie Trail, where you can follow the shoreline to Mirror Lake. Learn more about Wyoming’s scenic byways, many of which feature scenic pullouts, picnic areas and trails.
Best Wheelchair-Accessible Places in Medicine Bow
If you’re planning a remarkable getaway that feels supportive for special needs, Medicine Bow shines among wheelchair-accessible places to visit. Get ready for cascading waterfalls and travel magic in an area bright with legendary history.
- Fish Creek Falls. Come to the wheelchair-accessible overlook trail, where you can create brilliant memories before the falls.
Mirror Lake Picnic & Fishing Site. A traveler’s favorite picnic and fishing stop along the Snowy Range Highway, Mirror Lake Picnic & Fishing Site provides three vault toilets for wheelchair users.
Wheelchair-Accessible Camping in Medicine Bow
While you’re camping in Medicine Bow, stop over for a picnic and a stroll through wildlife paradise when you stay in Lincoln Park Campground. Here, you’ll find accessible sites available from mid-June through September.
Bighorn National Recreation Area
Bring your America the Beautiful Pass for this next adventure. The vast, wild landscape of Bighorn Canyon offers unparalleled opportunities to immerse yourself in the natural world and experience the wonders of this extraordinary place. The quarter-mile Two Eagles Interpretive Trail and the Visitor Center Pond Trail are both wheelchair accessible. Additionally, the Bighorn Headgate Trail is an easy gravel path to a quiet picnic area, and the Lockhart Ranch Trail consists of a choice of loops that are both on old dirt roads. Learn more about accessibility in Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.
Best Wheelchair-Accessible Places in Bighorn Canyon
Most areas across Bighorn Canyon are accessible with some assistance—allowing travelers to witness spectacular discoveries beneath the mountains. For any questions about accommodations or support, the Visitor Center makes it possible to reach out to ask for additional help.
- Bighorn Canyon Visitor Center: At the start of January 2024, accessibility improvements were made to enhance the Bighorn Canyon Visitor Center, which now features a walk-through gate on the side of the desk and more room to move freely in a space that is seven inches wider than before.
- Crooked Creek Contact Station: Open mostly during summer months, this station is designed to be handicapped accessible.
Historic Ranch: The Bighorn Canyon Visitor Center, with 48 hours of notice, can help any traveler with mobility challenges find the support to better access the historic ranches.
Wyoming State Parks
Explore Wyoming’s 12 state parks sprawling throughout the state, all of which offer their own unique scenery and experiences—tailor-made to support you as you create picture-perfect memories together. Many of Wyoming’s state parks feature campsites, yurts and cabins that are ADA accessible, along with colorful overlooks, wildlife viewing, hiking, beaches and more.
Mobility Chair Assistance in Wyoming’s State Parks
If you’re looking to go explore the rugged terrains that are often out of accessible reach for regular wheelchairs, you’ll love that Wyoming state parks are among 18 state parks in the nation to have received a specialized chair—the TrackMaster Series 2 mobility chair, designed with mighty rubber tracks that allow any handicapped traveler to relish the great outdoors. Reserve one, on a first-come, first-served basis, when you come to explore South Pass City State Historic Site, Bear River and Seminoe State Parks.
Interested in fishing? Five of Wyoming’s state parks have fishing piers that feature accessible options: Curt Gowdy State Park, Edness K. Wilkins State Park, Hot Springs State Park, Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site and Seminoe State Park. Learn more about recreating in state parks.
