CHIRICAHUA, Ariz. — Arizona is one signature away from adding a fourth national park to its roster, as legislation redesignating Chiricahua National Monument as Chiricahua National Park heads to the president’s desk.
The U.S. Senate approved the Chiricahua National Park Act on September 30, completing congressional action on legislation that would give the southeastern Arizona landmark its new designation. The House approved the measure in March.
If signed into law, Chiricahua will join Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest and Saguaro as Arizona’s four national parks. It would also become the nation’s 64th national park.
Located in Cochise County approximately 36 miles southeast of Willcox, Chiricahua encompasses about 12,000 acres of dramatic rock formations, canyons and diverse wildlife. The area is widely known for its towering rhyolite formations, often called the “Wonderland of Rocks.”
A change in designation, not boundaries
Despite the significance of the new designation, visitors should not expect Chiricahua to suddenly look different.
The legislation does not expand the monument’s boundaries or fundamentally change its existing management. The area is already administered by the National Park Service, and the legislation would retain the existing boundaries while changing its official designation from national monument to national park.
The legislation also contains provisions concerning traditional cultural and religious sites. It directs the Interior Department to protect those sites and requires consultation with Indian Tribes. It also provides for continued access by Tribal members for traditional cultural and customary uses.
Tourism and the local economy
Supporters of the redesignation say the national park designation could raise Chiricahua’s profile and bring additional visitors to southeastern Arizona.
The National Park Service reported that visitors to Chiricahua National Monument spent $3.7 million in nearby gateway communities in 2017, according to AZPM. More recent reporting puts annual visitation at just over 70,000 people.
Local officials and organizations supporting the legislation have pointed to potential benefits for businesses in communities such as Willcox and throughout Cochise County. The measure has received support from several southeastern Arizona communities, including Willcox, Sierra Vista, Benson, Bisbee and Huachuca City, as well as the Cochise County Board of Supervisors.
Nearly a century as a national monument
Chiricahua National Monument was established by President Calvin Coolidge on April 18, 1924, to protect its unusual geological formations. Additional acreage was added to the monument in 1938.
More than a century after the area’s initial protection, Chiricahua is now on the verge of receiving a designation that would place it alongside Arizona’s three existing national parks.
The final step is presidential approval. Once the legislation is signed into law, Chiricahua National Monument will officially become Chiricahua National Park.
