Meet the US’s newest national park, Chiricahua

(NEXSTAR) – America has a new national park, bringing the nation’s tally of true national parks to 64.

President Trump on Tuesday signed H.R. 6380 , redesignating Chiricahua National Monument as the Chiricahua National Park.

Chiricahua is located about two hours east of Tucson in the southeast corner of Arizona, not far from Saguaro National Park, within the historical territory of the Chiricahua Apache tribes.

“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 press release . “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.”

The site, sometimes referred to as the “Wonderland of Rocks,” was designated as a national monument in 1924, preserving the “rugged volcanic landscape, diverse wildlife, and cultural history” found within its roughly 12,000 acres. Elevating Chiricahua to national park status “reflects the national significance of the area’s natural and cultural resources and the longstanding efforts to conserve them,” Interior Department officials said Tuesday.

The Chiricahua Mountains, an inactive volcanic range, are also considered a sky island mountain range, meaning they protect the rare wildlife found within them. The newest national park is home to more than 1,000 plant species — many of which can only be found within its boundary — and numerous birds and mammals.

The area has evidence of thousands of years of human use, according to the park service. That spans from prehistoric peoples to Buffalo Soldiers — or the Black U.S. troops who were stationed at the monument site after the Civil War, during a government campaign against Apache leaders Geronimo and Cochise.

President Calvin Coolidge named the site a national monument in 1924 under the federal Antiquities Act. President Franklin D. Roosevelt expanded it in 1938. House lawmakers approved the park’s redesignation in a voice vote in March. The Senate passed it Sept. 30 by unanimous consent.

National monuments are designed to protect specific locations and objects, such as archaeological or historical sites, whereas national parks have a broader purpose including recreation and the preservation of vast expanses of wilderness. Parks and monuments alike are managed by the National Park Service.

Chiricahua is the first new national park since 2021, when New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia was similarly redesignated. This marks Arizona’s fourth national park, alongside Saguaro, Petrified Forest, and the Grand Canyon — though, technically, all sites overseen by the National Park Service are collectively called “parks.” Arizona has 22 total sites by that count.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.