Great Smoky Mountains Hiking Chair Rental
Reserve a GRIT Freedom Chair for your visit!
Great Smoky Mountains National Park now has GRIT Freedom Chairs available to borrow for free! Visitors can reserve a chair for use on one of the approved trails within the park. These manual, off road capable wheelchairs are designed to navigate uneven terrain including grass and hiking trails. Adult sized GRIT Chairs are 18" seat width and the GRIT Junior Chair is 12" seat width.
When: June 1st-September 30th, 2024
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Mondays & Tuesdays the GRIT Freedom Chairs will be available on a first come, first served basis from the Sugarlands Visitor's Center. Please email the National Park Service or call the visitor's center at (865) 436-1200 with any questions.
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Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays the GRIT Freedom Chairs will be available to reserve ahead of time. The chairs will be available for specific trails within the park, on specifics days/times. View availability on the reservation website at the bottom of this page.
Trail Information: The following trails will be available to hike using GRIT Freedom Chairs at different days/times, based on volunteer availability.
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Cataract Falls Trail
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Gatlinburg Trail
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Little River Trail
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Middle Prong Trail
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Sugarland Valley Nature Trail
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John Oliver Trail
Cost: Free
Please note: If you are more than 30 minutes late to your reservation time, your GRIT Chair will be returned to the visitor's center and you will not be able to hike. Please allow plenty of time for traffic in the park as summer can be very busy.
Eligibility requirements:
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Users must be able to transfer into/out of the GRIT chair independently or with assistance from a companion. Park staff/volunteers are not trained to safely assist with transfers.
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Users must be able to maintain upright sitting posture with good head control, with only a lap belt. Users who require head support or a chest harness will not be safe or comfortable in the GRIT chair.
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To ensure safety, users must have a companion with them while renting a GRIT chair. You may bring a friend or family member to hike with you, or a park volunteer will be available to join you.
Please watch the videos below to learn more about the GRIT Freedom Chair. If you are ready to rent a chair, use the button below to make a reservation!
Questions about reserving a chair? Email bookings@catalystsports.org or call 404-491-0155.