Cochise County National Park Service Sites Begin Summer Operations on May 1st

Date: April 22, 2014
Contact: Julena Campbell, Public Affairs Officer, 520-824-3560, ext. 307

Superintendent H. Lane Baker has announced the summer seasonal operating hours of the three National Park Service sites in Cochise County - Chiricahua National Monument, Coronado National Memorial, and Fort Bowie National Historic Site.  The following hours and operations are in effect from May 1 – October 12, 2014.

At Chiricahua National Monument, all facilities are open for the summer including the scenic eight mile Bonita Canyon Drive, the 25-site Bonita Canyon Campground (first-come, first-serve), visitor center, Faraway Ranch Historic District, picnic areas, and 17 miles of hiking trails. During the summer, the visitor center will be open daily from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. 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. Schools or other groups seeking a ranger-led program are advised to call the park well ahead of time to make arrangements. For more 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 National Memorial, all facilities are open for the summer including the visitor center, picnic area, hiking trails, and the five mile scenic drive to Montezuma Pass overlook. The visitor center is open daily from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Schools or other groups seeking a ranger-led program are advised to call the park well ahead of time to make arrangements. For more 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 National Historic Site, the ruins areas, hiking trails, and administrative access road are all open for the summer. The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset. During the summer, the visitor center will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from 8:00 am to 4:00 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. Schools or other groups seeking a ranger-led program are advised to call the park well ahead of time to make arrangements. When staffing permits, groups may arrange for the visitor center to be temporarily opened on a weekday, with advanced notice. 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.