Cochise County National Park Service Sites Close Visitor Centers for Thanksgiving Holiday

Date: November 20, 2014

 Superintendent H. Lane Baker announced today that thevisitor centers at Chiricahua National Monument (NM), Coronado National Memorial (NMem), and Fort Bowie National Historic Site (NHS) will be closed on Thursday, November 27, so that the staff may enjoy the holiday with family and friends. The parks remain open to the public, and visitors will have access to the scenic drives, picnics areas, and hiking trails at all three parks, as well as the campground at Chiricahua NM. The visitor centers will return to regular hours on Friday, November 28.

Fall seasonal operating hours are currently in effect through November 30 for the three parks. At Chiricahua NM, all facilities are open including the scenic eight-mile Bonita Canyon Drive, the historic  Bonita Canyon Campground, visitor center, Faraway Ranch Historic District, picnic areas, and 17 miles of hiking trails. The visitor center is open daily from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm daily. The park is open 24 hours a day, although the scenic drive can be temporarily closed due to hazardous conditions. The Bonita Canyon Campground recently transitioned to a reservation system. Campsites can now be reserved online at www.recreation.gov or by calling1-877-444-6777. For information about visiting the park, go to www.nps.gov/chir or call the visitor center staff at 520-824-3560, ext. 0.

At Coronado NMem, all facilities are open including the visitor center, picnic area, hiking trails, and the five-mile scenic drive to Montezuma Pass overlook. The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset and the visitor center is open from 8 am to 4 pm each day. For information about visiting the park, go to www.nps.gov/coro or call the visitor center staff at 520-366-5515, ext. 0.  

At Fort Bowie NHS, the ruins areas, hiking trails, and administrative access road are all open. The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset. At this time, and continuing through November 30, the visitor center will be open five days a week, Fridays through Tuesdays, from 8 am to 4 pm. The park features a self-guided interpretive trail from the trailhead on Apache Pass road to the fort ruins and visitor center. The roundtrip hike is three miles. For more information about visiting the park, go to www.nps.gov/fobo or call the visitor center staff at 520-847-2500, ext. 1.