COCHISE COUNTY — Towering rock spires in southeastern Arizona known to Native peoples as the Land of Standing-Up Rocks moved closer to becoming the nation’s newest national park.
Legislation redesignating Chiricahua National Monument as Chiricahua National Park cleared Congress and was expected to go to President Donald Trump for a signature, the Associated Press reported Oct. 7. Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego and Reps. Juan Ciscomani and Greg Stanton backed the bipartisan bill.
The monument covers more than 12,000 acres of volcanic rock formations, canyons and wildlife in Cochise County. Park status would make Chiricahua Arizona’s fourth national park, alongside Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest and Saguaro, and could boost tourism for gateway towns such as Willcox.
The bill also protects traditional cultural and religious sites and keeps Tribal access for customary uses. Local officials said they expected a presidential signature in the following days.
Sources: AP News, Sen. Mark Kelly. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: NPS / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
