Chiricahua National Monument - Arizona

Address:13063 East Bonita Canyon Road
Willcox, Arizona
Tel: (520) 824-3560

Chiricahua is a captivating National Park combining rare geological wonders with unique cultural history. Teetering stone towers balance on the remains of a massive volcanic eruption that spewed its lava some 27 million years ago. Points of interest include the Faraway Ranch, a pioneer homestead established by Swedish immigrants, and the Echo Loop Canyon trail, a moderate hike affording spectacular mountain views. Javelinas, mountain lions, humming birds, and a wealth of other plant and animal life can be spotted inside the park.

Twenty seven million years ago a volcanic eruption of immense proportions shook the land around Chiricahua National Monument. One thousand times greater than the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, the Turkey Creek Caldera eruption eventually laid down two thousand feet of highly silicious ash and pumice. This mixture fused into a rock called rhyolitic tuff and eventually eroded into the spires and unusual rock formations of today.
The monument is a mecca for hikers and birders. At the intersection of the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts, and the southern Rocky Mountains and northern Sierra Madre in Mexico, Chiricahua plants and animals represent one of the premier areas for biological diversity in the northern hemisphere.