Chiricahua in Arizona becomes America’s newest national park

WILLCOX, Ariz. — Chiricahua National Monument in southeastern Arizona is now Chiricahua National Park after President Trump signed the Chiricahua National Park Act into law on Tuesday. It is the first new national park in about six years, since West Virginia’s New River Gorge was redesignated in 2020.

The park covers about 12,000 acres in the Chiricahua Mountains near Willcox. It is known for tall rhyolite spires and balanced rocks formed by a volcanic eruption about 27 million years ago, and it is the homeland of the Chiricahua Apache. The area has been protected as a national monument since 1924.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum called the area “one of Arizona’s hidden gems” and said the new status could bring more visitors and support local economies. The National Park Service said the name has changed, but its commitment to protecting the landscape and its cultural heritage has not.

Hiking, camping, scenic drives, birding and stargazing continue as before. The park service warns that cell reception can be unreliable inside the park and posts current conditions at nps.gov/chir.