Canyon Star Wheelchair Accessible RV
While growing up before my Dad’s body began to slow down, my family used to go on summer vacations in a motorhome (RV). Those were good times crisscrossing the country from New Mexico to Florida to New York to Canada and everywhere in between. I remember staying at the RV parks and meeting a lot of great people who enjoyed the RV traveling way of life. Over the years RVs have transformed greatly as they are now basically motorized luxury homes. Many of these upgrades have also led to them being more easily adapted to accessibility. Some manufacturers are even making wheelchair accessible RVs right out of the factory. A great example of this is the 2013 Canyon Star by RV maker Newmar of Nappanee, Indiana.
Home On The Road
The Canyon Star is a large RV with floor plans that range from 33ft to 39ft in length. Inside are all the luxuries of a home including a living room, kitchen, dining area, full bathroom, and bedroom. Also inside are a washer/dryer and electronic hookups for TVs and other electronics. Everything to make life on the road comfortable.
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Getting A Lift
Accessibility begins with being able to get in and out of the RV. This is done with a 48 inch long wheelchair lift at one of the entrances. There is a separate entrance with stairs. The lift is situated in between the bathroom and kitchen and can be controlled with a wired remote control.
- Image: {a href=”http://steinbring.rvusa.com/2013-newmar-canyon-star-3911-handicap-accessible-new-class-a-mn-i579372#” target=”_blank”}Steinbring Motorcoach{/a}
Full Bathroom
In the bathroom area the vanity and toilet are on one side with a roll-in shower on the other side. The vanity sink is roll-under for quick and easy access. Next to the toilet and attached to the vanity is a grab bar. Across from the vanity and sink is the roll-in shower which is a good 4ft by 3ft in size. Built in is a shower bench, hand held shower, and grab bars.
Cooking and Eating
The kitchen is pretty small in size as are all RV kitchens. The microwave is built-in under the cooktop for wheelchair accessibility instead of up high. Controls for both are at the front for easy reach. Once the food is ready, it can be brought to the dining area with a pull-out table. The table is clear underneath so a wheelchair can pull up to it.
Living Room Space
Of course with the expanding sides, the living room offers a ton of space once parked. Making turns in a wheelchair is no problem here. When the sides are not expanded out, there is always a continuous 30 inch width of clear space from the front of the RV to the back. The bed in the back of the RV is positioned so transfers to and from a wheelchair are accessible.
Conclusion
The RV my family had growing up was a pretty nice one, but it’s a plain Jane compared to the Canyon Star. I do miss traveling in an RV and if I ever do so again, I hope it will be as nice as the this one. For those who also enjoy RV traveling but need an accessible means, then this might be the RV for you. Watch the videos below to get a better look at the Canyon Star’s style and accessible features. To learn more about the Canyon Star visit this link and this link. For more on Newmar and their other RVs visit www.newmar.com.
