Chiricahua National Monument nears redesignation as national park

Legislation to redesignate Chiricahua National Monument as a national park has passed both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, sending the measure to the president's desk for signature. Sponsored by U.S. Representative Juan Ciscomani, the bill would establish the site as Arizona's fourth national park, joining Grand Canyon, Saguaro, and Petrified Forest national parks.

Located in southeastern Arizona near the New Mexico border, Chiricahua covers more than 12,000 acres featuring rhyolite rock pinnacles and hoodoos. President Calvin Coolidge first established the site as a national monument in 1924. The area currently draws about 60,000 visitors annually, with peak travel occurring in March and April.

The monument features over 17 miles of hiking trails, the eight-mile Bonita Canyon Drive leading to Massai Point, and habitats supporting more than 200 bird species. It also holds an International Dark Sky Park designation for night-sky viewing. If signed into law, the park would represent the first addition to the national park system since West Virginia's New River Gorge National Park and Preserve was established in December 2020.