All-terrain wheelchairs roll out at state park next month

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    PINE, Colorado (KCNC) — Starting in June, a handful of all-terrain wheelchairs will be made available to disabled “hikers” at Staunton State Park. Four battery-powered Action Trackchairs and one GRIT Freedom Chair have been provided to users through the end of October.

“Being able to offer the therapeutic benefits of the outdoors to all of our visitors is truly rewarding,” said Zach Taylor, park manager for Staunton.

Currently there are three trails designated for the track chairs:

Davis Ponds Trail (2.1-mile loop)
Mason Creek (2.5 miles round-trip)
Staunton Ranch Trail (5 miles round-trip) – access to this trail is not currently open

Users must reserve a chair online. They will be asked to fill out a questionnaire to ensure the chair meets their needs. Individual trips are scheduled for weekends beginning June 4, but group trips are also being offered on weekdays.

A Staunton volunteer will accompany all excursions.

The chairs are provided by The Friends of Staunton, a nonprofit organization. They are free, although a $10 parks pass per vehicle must be paid to enter the park.

Staunton State Park is located about four miles west of Conifer. It began as a 1,720-acre donation to Colorado State Parks from Frances Hornbrook Staunton in 1986. Additional donations increased its size to 3,828 acres.

The park will host its first Adaptive Recreation Weekend, June 12-13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and feature fishing, track chair trips, archery and more. To learn more about Adaptive Recreation Weekend, please call the park office at 303-816-0912.

Those requesting groups trips should email Staunton.trackchair@state.co.us.

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