America's Next National Park May Be This Arizona Destination Filled With Otherworldly Landscapes

The U.S. has 433 national park sites, which includes monuments, forests, and battlefields. Only 63 of the sites are specifically parks. One of the big differences between a national park and a monument is that it requires an act of Congress to establish a park. That's why the number of national parks is about to increase. According to AP News, the House and Senate have passed a bill to make Chiricahua National Monument in Arizona into a park, and all it needs is the president's signature to become law. It's been a long time coming: A bill to elevate the monument to national park status was first introduced in 2016, with the most recent version introduced in 2025. It will elevate this incredible "wonderland of rocks" into Arizona's fourth national park.

"It is an important moment to designate Chiricahua as a national park," Emily Burns of the Sky Island Alliance told The Arizona Republic. "This action will celebrate our spectacular public lands and tell future generations that we value access to the outdoors, protection of our cultural history, wildlife, plants, water, quiet, dark skies, and inspiring natural vistas."

The area has a rich history. Apache people who lived in and traveled through this area referred to it as "The Land of Standing-Up Rocks," according to the National Park Service. Chiricahua National Monument was first established in 1924 by President Calvin Coolidge to protect the towering pinnacles and rock formations of the area. A massive volcanic explosion some 27 million years ago deposited a thick layer of volcanic debris here — it was the same explosion that helped create the 12-mile-wide Turkey Creek caldera. Erosion and time have left the towering rhyolite hoodoos, caves, and slot canyons distinctive to the area.

If you're planning an Arizona trip, Chiricahua National Monument (presumably soon to be a national park) can be a good alternative to more crowded national parks in the state. The Grand Canyon is certainly top of mind when it comes to exploring Arizona and its natural beauty, but with its looming national park designation, Chiricahua might have you rethinking your perspective if the Grand Canyon is the only Arizona destination on your radar.

"We're the Grand Canyon state, so we know about this kind of landscape," Representative Juan Ciscomani of Arizona said. "It's hard to compare anything to the Grand Canyon, but Chiricahua holds its own. This is something that really hasn't been discovered," via ABC News. Rep. Ciscomani was the Republican representative who brought the Chiricahua National Park bill to the House in 2025.

The 19-square-mile park is in southeastern Arizona, about two hours east of Tucson. You can hike for miles amidst the rhyolite towers and through the canyons, and there are a range of trail options for nearly every type of hiker. There's also the popular Bonita Canyon Drive, an 8-mile drive up to Massai Point, where you can get panoramic views. It's also a renowned stargazing destination, thanks to its dark skies far away from major cities.

Visiting all the national parks is a bucket-list goal for plenty of travelers, and it would seem likely that once Chiricahua becomes an official national park, it will get more tourist traffic. It received around 62,000 visitors in 2023. It's not yet clear whether it will be getting more staff, but the park boundaries are set to stay the same.

But whether or not more National Park Service staff get assigned to the park or if there are changes beyond updating signage, locals are excited about the update. "This has been a long road, and it's good to see it reach this point," Cochise County Board of Supervisors Chairman Frank Antenori explained in a press release about the bill. "Chiricahua is an important part of Cochise County, and people here understand what a special place it is. We also know that bringing more attention to the area can create opportunities for our communities, our businesses, and our local economy."

A number of national parks were first national monuments — like Pinnacles National Park in the Salinas Valley in central California, which became a park during the Obama Administration. After Chiricahua, there are a number of other potential monuments or forests poised to be the next national park.