The Show on KJZZ

Listen live weekdays at 9 a.m.

Kelly, Sinema introduce bill to change Chiricahua Monument to national park

By Ron Dungan
Published: Monday, March 13, 2023 - 4:07pm
Updated: Tuesday, March 14, 2023 - 8:22am

Chiricahua National Monument
National Park Service
Rhyolite formations at Chiricahua National Monument.

Although Arizona has thousands of acres of public land, it only has three national parks.

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly has introduced legislation to create a fourth.

Kelly recently introduced the Chiricahua National Park Act, which would add protection to the national monument and help bring tourism to that part of the state.

The region is known for its scenic rock formations, which were created by ancient volcanic upheaval that took place about 27 million years ago.

It was named for an Apache group that lived in southern Arizona and other parts of the southwest.

The measure was co-sponsored by Arizona’s other Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.

Tourism