Chiricahua National Park: Arizona's 'Wonderland of Rocks' becomes the 64th US national park

The United States has a new national park. Chiricahua National Monument in southeastern Arizona became Chiricahua National Park when President Donald Trump signed the Chiricahua National Park Act on Tuesday, Oct. 20. It is the 64th national park and the first new one in six years, according to The Washington Post. The news pushed “chiricahua national park” past 50,000 US searches on Google Trends, alongside “new national park.”

How do you pronounce Chiricahua?

“Cheery-cow-uh,” according to The Washington Post.

What the park protects

Chiricahua is known as the “Wonderland of Rocks.” Its towering rhyolite spires and balanced rocks formed in a volcanic eruption roughly 27 million years ago, according to the National Park Service. The park sits in the Chiricahua Mountains, one of Arizona’s “sky islands,” where desert, grassland and forest ecosystems meet. The mix supports unusual biodiversity, including animals such as the coatimundi, EarthSky noted.

It’s also the homeland of the Chiricahua Apache, and it preserves the history of early homesteaders at Faraway Ranch, the NPS says.

At about 12,000 acres, it’s the fourth-smallest national park, according to the Post. It joins Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest and Saguaro as Arizona’s fourth national park.

What actually changes

Less than you might think. The law renames the site and keeps the same boundaries, with the same federal ownership and management, according to the bill text and EarthSky. Any law, map or record that refers to the monument now refers to the park, and existing funds carry over.

The new law also adds language on traditional cultural and religious sites. The Interior secretary must protect those sites, consult with Indian tribes, and give tribal members access for traditional uses. On a tribe’s request, the secretary may temporarily close specific areas to the public.

The bigger practical change is likely to be attention. The national park label tends to draw more visitors. EarthSky reported about 70,400 visitors in 2025, and the park has a single 26-site campground and no lodge.

How it got here

President Calvin Coolidge made Chiricahua a national monument in 1924. Efforts to upgrade it date back more than a decade. Then-Rep. Martha McSally introduced a bill in 2016, and similar bills followed in every session since, according to the Post. This year’s version, from Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.), passed the House by voice vote in March. The Senate approved it by unanimous consent last month. Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego (both D-Ariz.) sponsored the Senate companion bill.

The last new national park before Chiricahua was New River Gorge in West Virginia, in 2020.

Not everyone is celebrating

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the designation “will shine a national spotlight on one of Arizona’s hidden gems.” The National Parks Conservation Association welcomed the change but said the park needs “restored staffing and funding.” Rob Arnberger, a former superintendent of Grand Canyon and Saguaro, criticized the administration for announcing a new park while existing parks wait for money, according to the Post. The Post also reported that the administration has cut Park Service staff by roughly 25%.

Visiting

The park is near Willcox, Arizona, and continues to offer hiking, camping, scenic drives, wildlife viewing, birding and stargazing, the NPS says. Check nps.gov/chir for current conditions before you go.

FAQ

What is the newest national park? Chiricahua National Park in Arizona, as of Oct. 20, 2026.

How many national parks are there now? 64.

Is it bigger now? No. The boundaries are the same as the old monument’s.