Chiricahua National Monument, the Land of Standing up Rocks, no longer charges an entrance fee/NPS, Katy Hooper
No, that's not a typo. Chiricahua National Monument in Arizona has done away with entrance fees.
And, in part due to its remote location, 120 miles southeast of Tucson, the park has joined the National Reservation Recreation System so you can reserve a campsite and be sure one's available for you once you reach the park.
'We are continually analyzing our operations to ensure these national treasures are fully protected and that we are also following best business practices,' said Superintendent H. Lane Baker. 'After conducting a thorough cost-benefit analysis, we have determined it is in the best interest of both the park and the public to eliminate our entrance fee.'
Additionally, the park will no longer sell the America the Beautiful parks pass.
Chiricahua National Monument is home to the historic Bonita Canyon Campground. Traditionally, the campground has operated on a first-come, first-served basis only. Effective immediately, campers may now make reservations for the campground through recreation.gov.
'Camping in the park and enjoying the night skies at Chiricahua is a special experience. The park's remote location means we are miles away from city lights, but it also means there very few overnight accommodations nearby. We realize that many campers prefer the peace-of-mind that comes with making a reservation to secure your campsite under the stars,' said Superintendent Baker.
Reservations can be made online 24 hours a day at www.recreation.gov or over the phone at 1-877-444-6777. The camping fee is currently $12 per site, per night, or $6 per site, per night for America the Beautiful - The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Senior and Access pass holders.
Originally built by the young men of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the campground offers 25 sites that can accommodate up to eight people each, and one larger group site for parties of 9-24 people. Flush toilets and potable water are provided. All sites have a picnic table, grill, tent pad, and the group site has fire pit. Utility hookups are not provided, with the exception of one site reserved for ADA access that has electricity available for medical use. Maximum RV/motorhome or trailer length in the campground is 29 feet.
Chiricahua NM is open 24 hours a day, although the scenic road, Bonita Canyon Drive, can be temporarily closed due to hazardous conditions. For information about visiting the park, go to www.nps.gov/chir or call the visitor center staff at 520-824-3560, ext. 0.
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Comments
Chiricahaua is an absolutely delightful place. No fee will help make it better, but the best news is that we will now be able to make reservations for a site in Bonita Campground. Bonita is . . . . well . . . . Bonita! But it's awfully small and not well suited for large trailers or RVs.
[applauds]
Good call. This is a wonderful park that can offer an outstanding visitor experience. It is, however, "quite a long way from anyplace else"; visitors don't just drop in here on a whim.
I don't have access to the numbers, but this may be a case where the entrance fee income didn't justify the cost of collection. The campground reservations are an especially good idea for visitors; if you get there and can't find a campsite, there are no good alternatives within a reasonable distance.
Good call. It would appear that a recent fire and frequent closing of half of the campsites due to related flash flood risk has dramatically cut into the numbers. The park is averaging half or less of the visitation it enjoyed in the 90s.
It looks like "no fee" days have been fairly frequent over the last several years.
https://irma.nps.gov/Stats/SSRSReports/Park%20Specific%20Reports/Monthly...
The Bonita camground is pretty but has rules that are enforced by the ranger. We stayed 2 nights. The host will give advice on how to avoid issues & stay safe. The ranger arrives around 8 am & has no problem inspecting your campsite & issueing citations to any rule breakers. Read the rules & understand them cause the ranger will make a early morning & evening inspection.