The US just got a stunning new national park—and it’s called the ‘Wonderland of Rocks’ for its towering spires
OUTDOOR lovers can add a new national park to their wish list. A unique destination in Arizona, Chiricahua National Monument, just officially became the state’s fourth national park on Oct. 20.
“Chiricahua’s towering rock spires, rich Apache heritage and remarkable biodiversity make it one of America’s most extraordinary landscapes,” Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said in a statement provided to Travel + Leisure.
“This new designation will shine a national spotlight on one of Arizona’s hidden gems, creating opportunities to welcome more visitors, strengthen local economies and share this incredible landscape with more Americans.”
Located east of Tucson, near the Arizona-New Mexico border, the area boasts more than 17 miles of trails to explore, per the National Park Service (NPS). The monument is also a designated international dark sky park with “nearly pristine” night sky conditions and several evening skywatching events travellers can sign up for.
Additionally, visitors can take advantage of the 8-mile-long Bonita Canyon Drive, which winds its way through rock formations and oak, cypress, and pine forests to Massai Point where travellers are rewarded with a 360-degree view of the area. Or set out on a birdwatching adventure to spot some of the over 200 bird species that have been documented there.
First established as a national monument in 1924 by President Calvin Coolidge and dubbed the “Wonderland of Rocks,” the area now stretches across more than 12,000 acres, according to the NPS. About 60,000 people visit the monument each year with the vast majority coming in March and April.
The monument’s purpose, per the NPS, is to preserve and interpret “the distinctive rhyolite rock formations known as ‘the Pinnacles,’ designated wilderness, and features of vital historical and scientific interest for the benefit and enjoyment of current and future generations.”
“Chiricahua has been part of the National Park System for more than a century, and this new designation marks an exciting chapter in its history,” Jessica Bowron, Comptroller Exercising the Delegated Authority of the Director of the National Park Service, said in a statement.
“While its name is changing, our commitment remains the same: protecting this remarkable landscape and its cultural heritage while providing opportunities for visitors to experience and enjoy it for generations to come.”
Arizona already has three existing national parks: Petrified Forest National Park, Saguaro National Park, and Grand Canyon National Park, which is one of the most visited national parks in the country.
Beyond Chiricahua, the last national park to be established in the United States was West Virginia’s New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
Spanning more than 70,000 acres and home to one of the longest and deepest gorges in the Appalachian Mountains, the park features several adventurous outdoor activities from climbing and biking to hiking, whitewater rafting, and more.
The park was officially designated a national park in December 2020.
