By Linda Tancs
Chiricahua National Park in Wilcox, Arizona, is America’s newest national park. First protected as a national monument in 1924, Congress recognized that its volcanic rock spires, “sky island” biodiversity and Apache and homesteading history merit national park status. Chiricahua comes from an Opata word meaning “wild turkey,” the largest subspecies of which is thriving in the park after being hunted out in the 1900s. They’re frequently spotted near the visitor center. Sometimes called a “wonderland of rocks,” Massai Point sits at the end of the breathtaking 8-mile Bonita Canyon scenic drive, offering a 360-degree view of stunning rock formations like towering volcanic spires, balanced rocks and hoodoos as well as the surrounding valleys and mountains.
Leave a Reply