It may take a while to become as famous as Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, or Monument Valley, but the 12,000-acre Chiricahua area in southeast Arizona just became the 64th national park in the U.S.
Known as “the wonderland of rocks,” Chiricahua was shaped by ancient volcanic forces and contains a wealth of dramatic geological features. It also boasts a rich human history, including tales of the Chiricahua Apache who lived here long before colonization from the Spanish, the African-American soldiers who were stationed here in the 1880s, and homesteading families who moved here from the eastern U.S. in the late 1800s.
One highlight: Massai Point. Named after a Chiricahua Apache man born in the Mescal Mountains, the landmark features spires and columns carved into rhyolite rock (originally flowing lava) by millions of years of erosion.
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