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Minnesota state parks unveil all-terrain track chairs

ALBERT LEA, Minn. — Minnesota state parks hope to make trails more accessible with a new offering: all-terrain track chairs.

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According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the new electric-powered chairs, which officials unveiled Wednesday at Myre-Big Island State Park, “can help visitors explore areas of the state parks in new ways, often on trails that are not suitable for regular wheelchairs.”

In addition to Myre-Big Island, the chairs are now available to reserve at Crow Wing State Park and Camden State Park, KARE-TV reported. Lake Bemidji State Park will begin offering the chairs in mid-June, while Maplewood State Park should have them by late summer or early fall, according to the DNR.

Officials added that McCarthy Beach State Park offers an adaptive beach chair, KARE reported.

Although visitors do not have to pay to use the track chairs, “a state park vehicle permit is required for all vehicles entering the park,” according to the DNR. Permits can be purchased on the DNR website, and discounted rates are available for vehicles with disability tags, KARE reported.