“Accessible Travel on a Budget: Exploring the Great Outdoors” is an ambitious project reimagining the national park experience for travelers who are blind and visually impaired.
Erin and Monica Pruitt are recipients of a $10,000 Blind Travel Foundation Travel Grant. They will embark on this journey together. Monica, who has Usher syndrome—a form of deaf-blindness—will explore iconic U.S. national parks: Zion, Crater Lake, Arches, the Grand Canyon, and more while Erin documents their experience on film.
Together, they will create a multimedia guide that combines practical tips, storytelling, and community-driven insights. Throughout the trip, they hope to actively engage the blind travel community—both online and on the trails—sharing updates, gathering feedback, and shaping their final guide based on research and lived experiences. This initiative will culminate in a public resource hub hosted on the Blind Travel Foundation’s website, designed to inspire and equip a new generation of blind outdoor explorers.
Updates
Trip complete! Access Erin and Monica’s blogs with Instagram videos here!
Video: Accessible Travel On A Budget: Monica’s Reflections
Click here to download Accessible Travel on a Budget, Monica and Erin’s detailed accessibility guide for the national parks they visited.
9/3/1015: Instagram post about where they are going. Want to join them?
8/11/2025: YouTube video about the 2025 grant winner’s projects.
Learn more about the other 2025 Grant Winners!
Emeline Lakrout and Daniel Gutz
Stay tuned to updates on this page to find out more about the activities of our 2025 grant winners! You can also sign up for the newsletter here!