Chiricahua in southeastern Arizona has officially become a US national park after President Donald Trump signed the Chiricahua National Park Act into law on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
The area was previously known as Chiricahua National Monument and had been protected for more than a century.
The law was approved by Congress late last month before Trump signed it. Arizona Republican Representative Juan Ciscomani introduced the legislation in the House of Representatives in December, while Democratic Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego introduced it in the Senate in January. The new national park covers around 12,025 acres in the Chiricahua Mountains, about 120 miles southeast of Tucson, Arizona. Chiricahua is the first new national park established in the US since 2020. It is also the first park in Arizona to receive national park status since Saguaro was upgraded from a national monument in 1994, Ciscomani said.
The designation makes it the fourth national park in Arizona and the 64th national park in the United States , according to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. Ciscomani said the change was a rare and important moment for the country. He said national park designations do not happen every year or even every decade, and described the occasion as a major event for the nation.
Willcox officials welcomed the designation, hoping it will bring more visitors and investment. Willcox is one of the communities expected to benefit from increased tourism in the region. Willcox Mayor Greg Hancock celebrated the decision during the ceremony. Hancock described the decision as an investment in rural America. They wanted to support the future of their community through tourism, national recognition, new businesses and investment across Willcox and southern Arizona. Businesses along the route to Chiricahua are also hoping to benefit.
He said the new national park was exciting news for Willcox, Cochise County, Arizona and the entire United States. He said local leaders did not pursue the change simply to put a new name on a sign. Ciscomani said he stopped at the famous roadside attraction known as “The Thing” on Interstate 10 near Dragoon while travelling to the park. Staff there told him they were excited about the possibility of more customers visiting the wider region.
