Chiricahua National Park
A sky island of volcanic rock spires and balanced rocks in southeastern Arizona
By John Love- Hours
- Open 24 hours, all year
- Entry
- Free entry
- Reservations
- Not required
- Size
- About 12,000 acres
Chiricahua Weather Now
October at the Chiricahua Visitor Center (5,300 ft): 76°F days, 47°F nights, 1.0 in of precipitation. Expect it about 5°F colder at Massai Point (6,870 ft).
Chiricahua is a sky island that rises from 5,124 ft at the entrance to 7,310 ft on Sugarloaf Mountain, so it is cooler than most of Arizona. The table is for the visitor center area (about 5,400 ft): mild, dry springs and falls, summer highs near 90°F with a wet July-September monsoon, and winter lows near freezing with occasional snow. The high country around Massai Point is usually 5-10°F cooler and windier. The live 7-day National Weather Service forecast for Chiricahua loads here.
Chiricahua protects a maze of rhyolite rock spires, hoodoos and balanced rocks left by a huge volcanic eruption about 27 million years ago. The Chiricahua Apache called it the Land of Standing-Up Rocks, and many visitors know it as the Wonderland of Rocks. President Calvin Coolidge made it a national monument in 1924, and it became America's 64th national park on October 20, 2026, when the Chiricahua National Park Act was signed. The boundaries did not change, and it is still one of the smallest national parks at about 12,000 acres.
The Chiricahua Mountains are a sky island, a forested range rising out of desert grassland, so plants and animals from Mexico and the Rockies meet here. You can drive to Massai Point in a few minutes, but the real treat is walking the trails among the spires, many of which were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Faraway Ranch, near the entrance, tells the story of Swedish immigrants Neil and Emma Erickson and the guest ranch their family ran. The park has no entrance fee, which surprises many people visiting a national park.
The park and surrounding area
- Park boundary
- Other parks
- Major highway
- Road
- Rivers and lakes
- Town
Plan your trip
- Best time to go
- March through May and October through November bring mild days for hiking, while summer monsoon storms can bring afternoon lightning and winter can bring snow on the upper trails. See Chiricahua weather by month
- How long to stay
- One full day covers the drive and a good hike; two days lets you add Heart of Rocks and a night under dark skies.
- Getting there
- Tucson International (TUS) is about 2 hours away by car, and Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) is about 3.5 hours away. The only entrance is reached from Willcox via Highway 186 or from Sunizona via Highway 181.
- Wildlife
- Look for coatimundis, white-tailed deer, javelinas, Mexican jays, wild turkeys and many hummingbirds, plus black bears and mountain lions that are seen less often.
Plan and book
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Where to stay
- Hotels in Willcox (opens in a new tab)Arizona
- Hotels in Portal (opens in a new tab)Arizona
- Hotels in Douglas (opens in a new tab)Arizona
- No lodging inside the park. The towns above are the closest bases.
Tours and activities
- Guided tours on Viator (opens in a new tab)Day trips, wildlife, photography
- Tours on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)Compare options and reviews
- Campsites on Recreation.gov (opens in a new tab)Official federal booking site
What to pack for Chiricahua
Pack for the weather first. Chiricahua weather by month, with gear picks for your travel month
The upper trails have many steep rock steps and loose, rocky footing.
View on Amazon
There is no water at the trailheads, and longer loops take 4 to 6 hours.
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The park is a well-known birding spot, and coatis and deer often stay at a distance.
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Trails stay open for sunrise, sunset and stargazing under some of the darkest skies in Arizona.
View on AmazonA first day, start to finish
- Visitor center and exhibits
- Bonita Canyon Drive to Massai Point
- Massai Point Nature Trail
- Echo Canyon Loop
- Faraway Ranch and Silver Spur Meadow Trail
Don't miss
- Massai PointThe end of the scenic drive at about 6,870 feet, with a half-mile nature trail, a stone exhibit building built by the CCC and wide views over thousands of rock spires.
- Echo Canyon LoopA 3.3 to 3.4 mile loop from the Echo Canyon trailhead that winds through the Grottoes and Wall Street, past tall pinnacles, with about 560 feet of elevation change.
- Heart of Rocks LoopA strenuous 7.3 mile round trip to the park's most famous formations, including Big Balanced Rock, Pinnacle Balanced Rock, Punch and Judy and Duck on a Rock.
- Bonita Canyon DriveAn 8-mile paved road that climbs from the grassland entrance through oak and pine woods to Massai Point, with pullouts and trailheads along the way.
- Faraway Ranch and Stafford CabinThe Erickson family homestead from 1887, later a guest ranch, reached on the easy 1.2 mile Silver Spur Meadow Trail that also passes the 1880s Stafford cabin.
Know before you go
Do
- Fill your gas tank and buy groceries in Willcox or Sunizona; the nearest fuel and supplies are 30 to 40 miles away.
- Book your campsite early for spring break and holidays, when the campground often fills.
- Arrive early on winter and spring weekends, since the small Echo Canyon parking lot fills quickly.
Don't
- Drive a large RV or tow a trailer up Bonita Canyon Drive; park it at Faraway Ranch or in town.
- Bring pets on the upper trails, since dogs are not allowed on any trail above 5,500 feet.
- Build fires anywhere outside Bonita Canyon Campground.
The park road, trails and campground are open 24 hours a day, all year, though overnight parking and sleeping in vehicles are only allowed in the campground. The visitor center is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily (Arizona time, no daylight saving) and closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. The 8-mile Bonita Canyon Drive to Massai Point is narrow and steep: no vehicles over 24 feet past the campground, and no trailers or vehicles over 29 feet past Faraway Ranch.
Hike Echo Canyon Loop counterclockwise, down Echo Canyon and back up the Ed Riggs Trail, for the best views and an easier climb out.Trekker's tip
Chiricahua questions, answered
How much does it cost to visit Chiricahua National Park?
Free entry. The Visit essentials box on this page lists every fee.
Do you need a reservation for Chiricahua National Park?
No entry reservation is needed. Campsites still fill up early in peak season, so book those ahead.
What is the best time to visit Chiricahua National Park?
March through May and October through November bring mild days for hiking, while summer monsoon storms can bring afternoon lightning and winter can bring snow on the upper trails. By the numbers, average highs at the Chiricahua Visitor Center sit between 60°F and 82°F in February, March, April, October and November.
How many days do you need at Chiricahua National Park?
One full day covers the drive and a good hike; two days lets you add Heart of Rocks and a night under dark skies.
Where should you stay when visiting Chiricahua National Park?
The closest bases are Willcox, Arizona; Portal, Arizona; Douglas, Arizona. There is no lodging inside the park.
Is Chiricahua National Park open all year?
Open 24 hours, all year. Roads, visitor centers and lodging can close or shorten hours by season; check NPS.gov before you go.
What is the weather like at Chiricahua National Park?
At the Chiricahua Visitor Center (5,300 ft), July averages 90°F by day and 60°F at night, and January 56°F and 30°F. The wettest month is August. Higher areas run colder.
Parks near Chiricahua
- Saguaro National ParkAbout 82 miles away as the crow flies · Arizona
- White Sands National ParkAbout 193 miles away as the crow flies · New Mexico
- Petrified Forest National ParkAbout 207 miles away as the crow flies · Arizona
- Guadalupe Mountains National ParkAbout 266 miles away as the crow flies · Texas
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