Help Chiricahua National Monument Commemorate 100 Years All Year Long
On April 18, 1924, President Calvin Coolidge signed the legislation creating Chiricahua National Monument. A volcanic eruption twenty-seven million years before had left behind layers of pumice and ash two thousand feet high. The ash and pumice fused to create a rock called rhyolitic tuff. Over time, the rhyolite weathered into a maze of rock columns. The Chiricahua Apaches called the area “the Land of Standing-Up Rocks.” Read a detailed history of the park’s designation.
Astounding Pinnacles
“The sight of these ancient volcanic ash formations is incredible, and to observe them in the condition they’re in is nothing short of phenomenal,” said Tiffany Powers, NPS chief of interpretation and visitor services and public information officer for the Southeast Arizona Group, which includes Chiricahua National Monument, Fort Bowie National Historic Site, and Coronado National Memorial. “The number of pinnacles is unique to the Chiricahua visitor experience, because if you go to Canyonlands or Arches, you might see a pinnacle, but you don’t see hundreds all tightly clustered together within one single canyon. The sheer density within Chiricahua is astounding.”
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Take Only Pictures and Leave No Trace
This year, the NPS commemorates Chiricahua National Monument’s centennial anniversary with a celebration that will last all year long. WNPA helped to fund and support a three-day celebration on April 18–20, highlighting the dedication of the park as a national monument and and honoring the enabling legislation of the park, which is its geology.
“We want to share the human history of the entire park going back to Indigenous peoples such as the Paleo-Indian and Apache, who left artifacts of their time within the area. Adventure and discovery of these special places is part of the experience of these protected archeological sites. Take pictures, but please do not touch or move anything discovered,” advised Powers.
In addition to this eventful weekend, there will be special events throughout the year that align with the national dedication of months, such as a Plein Air Art in the Park event in September and a Faraway Ranch Holiday Open House with a celebratory atmosphere in December.
With so many events to attend, be sure to visit nps.gov/chir/centennial for the latest updates.
