About Chiricahua National Park
Located on the edge of Chiricahua National Park, known as the “Wonderland of Rocks,” is a stunning natural preserve in southeastern Arizona featuring unique volcanic rock formations, diverse wildlife, and rich cultural history.
First protected as a national monument in 1924, Chiricahua preserves thousands of years of human history, including its importance as the homeland of the Chiricahua Apache and its legacy of early homesteading families at Faraway Ranch. Formerly known as Chiricahua National Monument, it became a National Park following President Donald J. Trump’s signing of the Chiricahua National Park Act into law on Oct. 20, 2026. The redesignation recognizes the national significance of the area’s extraordinary natural and cultural resources and marks a new chapter for one of Arizona’s most distinctive landscapes.
“Chiricahua’s towering rock spires, rich Apache heritage and remarkable biodiversity make it one of America’s most extraordinary landscapes,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “This new designation will shine a national spotlight on one of Arizona’s hidden gems, creating opportunities to welcome more visitors, strengthen local economies and share this incredible landscape with more Americans.”
Located in the southeastern corner of Arizona, the park protects a landscape of towering rhyolite rock spires and balanced rocks formed by an ancient volcanic eruption roughly 27 million years ago. Rising from the “sky island” of the Chiricahua Mountains, where desert, grassland, and forest ecosystems meet, the area supports remarkable biodiversity and provides opportunities for hiking, wildlife viewing, birding and stargazing (It is one of a shrinking number of places to see the uninhibited night sky). In addition to the rhyolite rock spires, the park is home to balanced rocks and the historical Faraway Ranch homestead,
The Faraway Ranch Homestead was the home of Swedish immigrants, Emma and Neil Erickson. Emma Peterson bought a two-room cabin in December of 1886. After she and Neil Erickson married in January 1887, they settled on the 160-acre homestead. The couple struggled with farming, so Neil worked in Bisbee as a carpenter, leaving Emma alone two to three months at a time. Neil and Emma had three children, Lillian, Ben, and Hildegard. In 1898 the couple expanded the cabin to a two-story, board-and-batten style frame house. In 1903 Neil became the first ranger for the Chiricahua Forest Reserve.
With Neil staying home for the first time in their marriage, the house grew again. By 1915 Neil had constructed a two and half-story building with adobe and board-and-batten walls. Two years after Neil finished the house, the Forest Service transferred him to Flagstaff.
The house experienced another phase of a building when Neil and Emma’s daughter Lillian married Ed Riggs in 1923. Ed was able to add the comforts needed for a modern and successful guest ranch operation, including bathrooms, oil heat, and electricity. He enclosed the north porch to make a large dining room, featuring a fireplace composed of stones carved by Buffalo Soldiers.
Faraway Ranch guests could explore the grounds, swim in the pool, or relax with a book. There was birdwatching, hiking, and they could take their picnic lunch up to the Wonderland of Rocks by horseback. After dinner guests might retire to the living room for music and Lillian’s tales of the wild, wild west.
“Chiricahua has been part of the National Park System for more than a century, and this new designation marks an exciting chapter in its history,” said Jessica Bowron, Comptroller Exercising the Delegated Authority of the Director of the National Park Service. “While its name is changing, our commitment remains the same: protecting this remarkable landscape and its cultural heritage while providing opportunities for visitors to experience and enjoy it for generations to come.”
The park offers hiking, camping, scenic drives, wildlife viewing and other opportunities. Visitors can find current information at nps.gov/chir.
Chiricahua National Park is located in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona, near Willcox, at 12856 E Rhyolite Creek Rd, AZ 85643 (32.01215°N, 109.34161°W) and is managed by the National Park Service U.S. National Park ServiceU.S. National Park Service+1. Established on April 18, 1924, the monument protects dramatic rhyolite pinnacles, hoodoos, and balancing rocks formed from a massive volcanic eruption approximately 27 million years ago WikipediaWikipedia+1. Over 85% of the monument is designated as wilderness, preserving its natural and ecological integrity.
About Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Willcox, Arizona:
Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Willcox, Arizona is a Roman Catholic community that aims to love and serve one another in the example of Jesus Christ. They strive to bring forth their unique gifts in service and outreach to the needs of their community, while also welcoming visitors and travelers to the Adirondack area and their faith community. In Arizona, the “Adironradack area” most often refers to the White Mountains region — a scenic, high‑country area in eastern Arizona known for lakes, forests, mountain towns, and year‑round outdoor recreation
The church offers weekend Masses at Sacred Heart Church and the Chapel of our Lady of the Assumption, as well as daily Masses and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. They are part of a cluster of churches that includes St. Cecilia’s Church and Blessed Sacrament Church, and they also have a rich Christian history dating back to the discovery of Lake George by Father Isaac Jogues in 1646.
Traveling to Sacred Heart Church in Willcox, Arizona:
Address:
215 W Maley St
Willcox, AZ 85643
Phone: +1 (520)384-3432