Chiricahua Becomes Nation's 64th National Park

President Donald Trump has officially designated Chiricahua in southeastern Arizona as the nation's 64th national park. Established as a national monument in 1924, the 12,000-acre property features towering rhyolite hoodoos and diverse wildlife. The redesignation, which joins the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, and Saguaro as Arizona's fourth national park, serves political purposes and may attract more tourists and tourism revenue to the local economy. However, the new title does not typically include additional funding or protection for the site. The National Park Service manages 433 properties, with 19 different designations, and only 64 carry the formal title of 'national park. ' The redesignation process often involves changing the formal designation of a property already within the system, as seen with Chiricahua and other national parks.