Arizona’s Chiricahua Becomes America’s 64th National Park
At a Glance
The United States has designated Chiricahua in southeastern Arizona as its 64th national park.
The park protects towering rock spires formed by volcanic activity about 27 million years ago.
The area preserves Chiricahua Apache heritage, diverse ecosystems, and historic homesteading sites.
Visitors can explore hiking trails, scenic drives, camping areas, and wildlife habitats across 12,000 acres.
Chiricahua in southeastern Arizona has been designated a national park, granting new status to a landscape known for its unusual rock formations, biodiversity, and longstanding cultural significance to the Chiricahua Apache.
Key Statements and Focus Area
Geological Heritage: The landscape features towering rhyolite rock spires and balanced rocks formed by an ancient volcanic eruption roughly 27 million years ago.
Cultural History: The area preserves thousands of years of human history, including its significance as the homeland of the Chiricahua Apache and the legacy of early homesteading families at Faraway Ranch.
Focus Area: The designation recognizes Chiricahua’s geological features, ecological diversity, and cultural history while protecting the landscape for future visitors.
Previously designated a national monument in 1924, Chiricahua is located in Arizona’s Sulphur Springs Valley, about 90 miles east of Tucson and roughly halfway to Las Cruces, New Mexico.
The park’s location, where desert, grassland, and forest ecosystems meet, supports diverse wildlife and offers opportunities for hiking, climbing, and stargazing. Visitors can also explore scenic drives and camping areas across the park’s 12,000 acres.
The effort to upgrade Chiricahua’s status began with legislation introduced by Arizona’s congressional delegation in 2020. Officials cut the ribbon on the newly designated national park this month.
FYI
National parks in the United States protect areas of natural, cultural, and historical significance. Chiricahua’s previous national monument status dates to 1924, providing decades of federal protection before its new designation.
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