Chiricahua NM Waives Entrance and Camping Fees This Summer

Date: May 27, 2014
Contact: Julena Campbell, Public Affairs Officer, 520-678-6748

Acting Superintendent Matt Stoffolano announced today that effective June 1, 2014, Chiricahua National Monument (NM) will waive all entrance and camping fees for the summer season. “We are continually analyzing all park operations to ensure monies are being well-spent”, said Stoffolano. “These days the majority of visitors to Chiricahua NM do not pay entrance fees because they already have one of the federal park passes. The amount of money we collect at the park, particularly during the lower visitation summer season, has dropped over the years, while the costs of collecting and processing this monies have climbed higher. We want to make sure we are using best business practices and will use this summer to fully analyze our options for the future.” 

From June 1 through September 30, all entrance fees will be waived and federal lands passes will not be available for purchase at the park. Chiricahua NM normally charges $5 per adult to enter the park, but accepts and sells all of the passes in the America the Beautiful - The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass program including the passes commonly referred to as “Senior, Access, Annual, Military, and Volunteer” passes, as well as the Chiricahua Annual Pass. Each pass covers the entrance fee for the pass holder and up to 3 other adults. In addition, camping fees at the historic 25-site Bonita Canyon Campground will be waived from June 1 through September 30. In-person registration is required and campsites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The camping fee is normally $12/site per night, or $6/site per night for America the Beautiful - The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Senior and Access pass holders.

Visitors to the area should be sure to stop by the visitor center for a park map and updates on current conditions. The visitor center is open daily from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and offers an orientation film, exhibits, park store, and information about Chiricahua NM and nearby Fort Bowie National Historic Site. The park features the scenic 8-mile Bonita Canyon Drive, as well as 17 miles of hiking trails, and a free hiker’s shuttle each morning. The park also protects remnants of the area’s history at the Faraway Ranch Historic District. The park is open 24 hours a day, although the scenic drive and portions of the campground can be temporarily closed due to hazardous conditions such as monsoon flooding and related debris flows. Vehicles exceeding 29 feet in length are not allowed in the campground or on the scenic drive past the visitor center.

Chiricahua NM is located four miles east of the junction of Arizona Highways 181 and 186. There are no services (gas, food, or drinks) available at the park. For more information, visitwww.nps.gov/chir or call the visitor center staff at [phone], ext. 0.