Bipartisan bill preserves tribal ceremonial access within the Arizona park
Donald Trump signed legislation on Tuesday establishing the 19-square-mile (49-square-kilometer) Chiricahua National Park in southeastern Arizona, making it the 64th national park in the United States. The measure passed Congress with bipartisan support and was sent to the White House. The site is known among Native Americans as the Land of Standing-Up Rocks and lies within the historical territory of the Chiricahua Apache tribes.
The landscape contains hundreds of pinnacle-shaped rocks. Early settlers called the area the Wonderland of Rocks, and the name Chiricahua comes from the surrounding mountains.
The site has a long history of federal protection. Calvin Coolidge named it a national monument in 1924 under the federal Antiquities Act. The 1920s designation was intended to preserve the hundreds of pinnacle-shaped rocks formed by an ancient volcanic eruption. Franklin D. Roosevelt expanded the monument in 1938.
A photograph accompanying the report described the 8,000-foot Portal Peak in the Chiricahua Mountains as one of the sky islands of the basin-and-range province of southern Arizona and New Mexico, surrounded by clouds.
For centuries, the area was home to the Apache. The Guardian described them as “nomadic tribes who often resisted European newcomers to North America” and reported that they “clashed with settlers until surrendering to US troops in 1886” before they were forcibly removed to the San Carlos Apache reservation.
The bill preserves tribal access for traditional ceremonies and allows temporary public closures within the park to protect those cultural uses. U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani of Arizona said the specifics have not been decided.
The National Park Service says the area has evidence of thousands of years of human use, spanning prehistoric people to Buffalo soldiers — U.S. troops who were Black and stationed at the monument after the Civil War during a government campaign against Apache leaders Geronimo and Cochise.
“Chiricahua’s towering rock spires, rich Apache heritage and remarkable biodiversity make it one of America’s most extraordinary landscapes,” said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. “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.”
“This is a win for the communities in southeastern Arizona and for everyone who worked to protect this extraordinary place so our kids and our grandkids can enjoy it,” said Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly. The site receives roughly 60,000 visitors annually.
Jessica Bowron, the National Park Service comptroller and acting director, said the commitment would remain unchanged. “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.”
The new designation arrives as the National Park Service has undergone workforce cuts under Trump. Maintenance projects at many sites, including Chiricahua, were ranked “low priority” by officials, who focused instead on projects wanted by the White House, including repairs to the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.