On a recent afternoon in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Carly Pearson’s hiking gear had three wheels.

Pearson, who is paralyzed below the waist following an injury she sustained as a wildland firefighter, used an all-terrain wheelchair to maneuver around tree roots, mud and other hikers on her way to a nearby waterfall.

Just two years ago, that wouldn’t have been possible. The National Park Service – along with several partners – launched adaptive programming to make the county’s most-visited national park more accessible for visitors with disabilities.

“Today I can hike on up to Cataract Falls with my daughter and say, ‘Look at this. Look at this waterfall right now,’ and give her the opportunity to be immersed in nature,” said Pearson, who is an ADA coordinator for Knox County in Tennessee and an ambassador and volunteer for adaptive recreation non-profit Catalyst Sports, both of which are NPS partners.

After debuting in 2023, the offerings have been expanded this year. “We want the park to be an inclusive outdoor community where members of the public can come with their family and friends, and they can go on a hike together no matter what their abilities are,” said park ranger Katie Corrigan.

Is Great Smoky Mountains National Park accessible?

The park, which straddles North Carolina and Tennessee, will host adaptive ranger-led programming this year from June 8 to Oct. 5. Visitors can choose from bike rides and hikes (including one with a boat tour), along with new kayaking and camping options. A full list is available on Catalyst’s website.

For visitors who want to explore on their own, the park has four GRIT Freedom Chairs – three for adults and one junior chair – available for check out. The equipment can be used on roughly 12 miles of trails across various sections of the park.

Visitors should note, the chairs require some upper body mobility to operate independently. “If you are a person that doesn’t have use of your arms, the levers can be removed and someone can just push it,” Corrigan said. All users must have a companion with them, such a friend or a park volunteer.

How do I register for the park’s adaptive programming?

Participants can register online for ranger-led programs. Activities are typically offered in morning and afternoon sessions.

Wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis Monday-Tuesday at the park’s Sugarlands Visitor Center. On Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, visitors can reserve the chairs for specific times. Reservations for this year opened on Saturday.

As of Oct. 1 the chairs will be available first-come, first-served only (though that could change and will be reflected on the park’s website).

The park saw high demand when it first offered the chairs last summer. “Oftentimes we get more requests than we have chairs or people or people to help check them out,” said Corrigan. They are working to train more volunteers and looking into adding other equipment.

Accessible travel: What national parks can do to make the outdoors more accessible to people with disabilities

How much does the park’s adaptive programming cost?

Both the ranger-led programming and the wheelchairs are free for visitors.

“This is everyone’s park,” said Pearson. “We should all be able to enjoy it. We should all be included.”

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers adaptive hiking, kayaking