‘It just felt like freedom’: Delaware expands access to nature with off-road Trackchairs in state parks

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Delaware’s state parks are known for their diverse landscapes: beaches, inland wooded trails and sunlit paths that wind through forests and marshes. But for people with disabilities or limited mobility, these natural experiences have long been out of reach, blocked not by fences or gates but by roots, dirt, sand and stone.

That’s now beginning to change. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control recently expanded its Action Trackchair program — deploying five off-road, all-terrain wheelchairs across state parks. These are the first such chairs available to the public in Delaware, and they’re already opening up trails and concerts to new visitors.

“A few of us were at a conference and we saw these Trackchairs. And then as part of that conference, there is actually a grant to be able to apply for and get these chairs,” said Grant Melville, DNREC’s operations section administrator. “Delaware State Parks really emphasizes and prioritizes accessibility. I mean, we look at our users and we try to have an accessible experience for everybody. And so when we saw these wheelchairs, we thought, ‘We want this for Delaware State Parks.’ So, we applied for the grant.”

After securing the grant funding, Delaware added one Trackchair at New Castle County’s White Clay Creek State Park in 2024. Melville said the feedback has been very positive.

“That day when we introduced it to White Clay Creek State Park, a gentleman who is disabled was talking about the freedom that it gave him to be able to go on trails,” he said. “And everyone was so touched. We then said, ‘We’re going to put this all across the state.’ So that was the next step.”

Each chair costs around $20,000 and comes equipped with tank-like treads, headlights, a horn and adjustable seats that can tilt forward or backward depending on terrain.

They are now available for free use at five state parks: White Clay Creek, Cape Henlopen, Lums Pond, Killens Pond and Trap Pond.

“Our trails vary,” Melville said. “We have stone dust trails, we have single-track dirt trails, and if you have any mobility issues or you’re in a wheelchair, that’s what makes it almost insurmountable … This takes all of that away.”

For Dawn Worthly, a regular visitor to White Clay Creek, the Trackchair made her outdoor experience something entirely new. It has allowed her to see parts of the park she had never accessed before.

“I’ve been there before for different things, but I just sat on a bench or looked around and I’d walk around with crutches, but I couldn’t go very far,” she said. “Its a fun thing, I was out in the air and the sunshine. It just felt like freedom,” she said. “It just made me feel happy … and excited. I felt important. I was able to do what other people could do.”

Now, she’s become an advocate, showing off the chair at the park’s concert series and encouraging other visitors and caregivers to use the program.

“I just think it’s a wonderful thing to include handicap people or older people that can’t get around because they miss out on a lot when they can’t get to see things,” she added. “They should have it all over … even Disneyland or Disney World, they should have stuff like that too.”

Melville echoed that sentiment and said DNREC is considering adding Trackchairs to other parks.

The chairs are free to use for a three-hour time period, but reservations are required at the state’s accessibility website.