The GRIT Freedom Chair is a mix between a manual wheelchair and a mountain bike designed for use on natural surface and paved trails.
Current Location: Brookside Nature Center 1400 Glenallan Ave Wheaton, MD 20902
Nature Center Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm; Sunday 12pm-4pm.
Please contact Brookside Nature Center at 301-962-1480 to make a reservation at least 5 days prior to your anticipated visit.
Important Information
Reservation Confirmation:
- Please call at least 5 days prior to your anticipated visit to ensure staff availability.
- The chair can be borrowed for up to 2 hours at a time.
- Users will be required to sign a waiver, and if hiking solo, to fill out an emergency contact card, which they will keep on them for the duration of their visit.
- Users will exchange an important item, such as their ID, credit card, or car keys to use the chair. User’s item will be held safely by facility staff and will be returned upon the chair‘s return.
Safety Recommendations:
- For your safety, we strongly encourage hiking with another person and carrying a cell phone.
- We encourage users to check the weather and the sunset conditions to ensure you are back before it gets dark. Please note that trail conditions are subject to change based on weather and can be more strenuous based on different times of the year. We reserve the right to cancel reservations in the event of unsafe conditions for visitors or trails.
- Dogs are welcome on the Pine Lake trail around Brookside Nature Center and on all trails in Wheaton Regional Park but please use your best judgment. The GRIT Freedom Chair has large, moving wheels that some dogs may not be used to. If your dog is anxious, reactive, or uncomfortable around wheelchairs, strollers, or bikes, we kindly ask that you leave them at home. This helps ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone on the trail. Please note that pets are not allowed at Brookside Gardens. Service animals are always welcome.
Physical Requirements:
- Riders must be able to independently transfer, or transfer with the assistance of a companion, into the GRIT chair.
- Riders must fall within the height range of 4’10” to 6’8″ and weigh under 300 pounds.
- The chair is designed for individuals who may have difficulty using traditional wheelchairs due to terrain challenges. While the chair does not require extreme upper body strength, users need to be able to push and pull the levers to propel the chair. The chair also includes Trail Handles, which can be pushed by a companion, if the user needs assistance maneuvering the trails or terrain.
Recommended Trails
For a map of the trails available nearby Brookside Nature Center, please view the link to the Wheaton Regional Trails Map. Maps are also available inside the Nature Center. All of the trails are shared with the general public, and some are open to horses, so please stay alert and always yield to horses.
Some trails to explore include:
- Pine Lake Trail
- Pine Lake Trail is an easy one-way .43 mile natural surface trail. Please note that this trail includes rocks, roots, and moderate inclines. The trail leads to access to a paved trail and boardwalk around Pine Lake.
- Harper’s Cabin Trail
- This one-way 0.13 mile natural surface trail will give you views of the historic Harper Cabin and the Meadow.
- Brookside Gardens Access
- Brookside Gardens is accessible across a small boardwalk and through a deer gate in the Nature Center parking lot. The gate may be inaccessible for wheelchair users due to the wide sweep of the door and may need to be opened by a companion.
Video Tutorials:
Learn how to transfer in and out of the GRIT Freedom Chair by watching the video “Transferring In and Out of the GRIT Freedom Chair”
Learn how to use the GRIT Freedom Chair by watching the video “How to Use the GRIT Freedom Chair”
Learn how to get out of tight spots while in the GRIT Freedom Chair by watching the video “How to Get Unstuck”
