The U.S. Could Soon Get a New National Park—and It’s Called the ‘Wonderland of Rocks’ for Its Towering Formations
The U.S. Could Soon Get a New National Park—and It’s Called the ‘Wonderland of Rocks’ for Its Towering Formations
Michael CappettaWed, October 14, 2026 at 4:04 PM UTC
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Scenic view of Chiricahua National Monument in Arizona.Credit: mlharing/Getty ImagesArizona’s Chiricahua National Monument is one presidential signature away from becoming a national park, with more than 17 miles of trails and spectacular rock formations.
Outdoor lovers may soon have a new national park for their bucket list.A unique destination in Arizona, home to large hoodoos and other rock formations, is one step closer to becoming America’s newest national park after being approved by both the House and the Senate last last month. The bill aims to convert Chiricahua National Monument into the state’s fourth national park.
The bill now awaits a signature from President Donald Trump.
“Chiricahua has long deserved this designation,” Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani, the bill’s sponsor, said in a statement, adding, “It’s been a long hike, but we’re at the summit.”
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 travelers 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 travelers are rewarded with a 360-degree view of the area. Or set out on a bird watching adventure to spot some of the over 200 bird species that have been documented there.
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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.”
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.
on Travel & Leisure
Source: “AOL Breaking”
