Draft guide. The official facts below are researched and sourced. Our firsthand sections (campground verdicts, scores, tips) are still being written from our trip notes. Firsthand words so far: 0/150, scores pending.
Our visit
- When did you visit Chiricahua (month/year), how many nights, and was it tent, trailer or no camping?
- One or two sentences: what kind of trip was it, and who is this park perfect for?
Status
Is Chiricahua open right now?
Open, 2 alerts as of Oct 29, 2026 (from active NPS alerts; updated daily)
- InformationVehicle Length & Trailer Restrictions No large vehicle turnaround after Faraway Ranch Parking (1 mile after entrance). Vehicles over 29 feet park at Faraway. Disconnect trailers at Faraway. Trailers with campground reservations proceed to camp. Sceni… details
- InformationPark Store Closed for Inventory Tuesday, 9/29/2026 The park store will be closed 9/29 to allow Western National Parks to conduct inventory. The visitor center exhibits and video will be open.
This is our daily read of the official alerts, not an official status. Confirm on nps.gov current conditions before you drive.
What changed for 2026
Entry: No. No timed entry or vehicle reservation is required in 2026. The permits page says the park has no timed entries, parking, or other activities that require a reservation, except camping at Bonita Canyon Campground. Last verified 2026-10-28 · nps.gov
Fees: Free. There are no entrance or parking fees, so the park sells no passes. According to the NPS FAQ, the 2026 redesignation as a national park does not change fees.
- Redesignated as a national park. Chiricahua National Monument is now Chiricahua National Park. The NPS says fees, permits, the roughly 12,000-acre boundary, and park rules are unchanged, and signs will be replaced in phases as funding allows. Last verified 2026-10-28 · Frequently Asked Questions - Chiricahua National Park
- 2026 Superintendent's Compendium. The compendium for Chiricahua and Fort Bowie took effect 01/09/2026. It states that references to the Monument now refer to the Park. Last verified 2026-10-28 · Laws & Policies - Chiricahua National Park
- Vehicle length and trailer limits. Vehicles over 24 ft and trailers are prohibited on Bonita Canyon Road beyond the campground. Vehicles over 29 ft and day-use trailers are prohibited beyond Faraway Ranch. Last verified 2026-10-28 · Laws & Policies - Chiricahua National Park
- No camping outside the campground. Camping and overnight parking are allowed only at Bonita Canyon Campground. Backcountry camping is prohibited, and no backcountry permits are issued. Last verified 2026-10-28 · Permits & Reservations - Chiricahua National Park
- Pets limited on trails. Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 ft and are prohibited on most trails. Exceptions are Bonita Creek, Faraway Ranch, Silver Spur Meadow, and the connector trail between the campground and visitor center. Last verified 2026-10-28 · Laws & Policies - Chiricahua National Park
- Drones prohibited. Launching, landing, or operating unmanned aircraft is prohibited without the superintendent's written approval. Last verified 2026-10-28 · Laws & Policies - Chiricahua National Park
- Fire rules. Fires are allowed only in the provided stand-up grills at the campground, and wood collecting is prohibited. Stage 2 restrictions ban open flames. Since 2025, burning flammable liquids, garbage, plastics, or synthetic materials has been prohibited. Last verified 2026-10-28 · Bonita Canyon Campground - Chiricahua National Park
- No bikes or e-bikes on trails. Bicycles and e-bikes are allowed only on paved park roads open to vehicles. They are not allowed on trails or in Wilderness, and climbing the rock pinnacles is prohibited. Last verified 2026-10-28 · Laws & Policies - Chiricahua National Park
When to go
Best months: April, May, October (draft score, David & Keri reviewing) · Best parks by month
Official data, not firsthand- Spring: March is the park's busiest month. Spring is the driest time of year, and fire restrictions often apply from April to June. Average highs at the visitor center are 65°F in March and 73°F in April. Last verified 2026-10-28 · nps.gov
- Summer: Summer has the fewest visitors. Average June highs are about 91°F at the 5,400-ft visitor center, and the top of the park (7,310 ft) runs 5 to 10 degrees cooler. Last verified 2026-10-28 · nps.gov
- Summer: Monsoon season runs June 15 to September 30 and brings severe thunderstorms, flash flooding, and lightning. July and August each average about 4 inches of rain. Hwy 186 can briefly flood, and washes on Hwy 181 may flood for days or months. Last verified 2026-10-28 · nps.gov
- Fall: Average highs are 83°F in September and 75°F in October. Traffic peaks during October school breaks, and parking is difficult on weekends and holidays from October through April. Last verified 2026-10-28 · nps.gov
- Winter: Snow, ice, or rain is possible from November through April, and trails are likely icy or snow-packed from January through March. Average January highs are 56°F and lows are 30°F. Last verified 2026-10-28 · nps.gov
- Overall: The park has no restaurants or vending machines, and the nearest gas is 27 miles away in Sunizona or 37 miles away in Willcox. Bonita Canyon Campground often fills, especially during spring break (March–April) and on holidays. Last verified 2026-10-28 · nps.gov
- What month would you go back to Chiricahua, and why?
Is one extra day worth it?
- How many days did you spend in Chiricahua? What would one extra day buy you (a hike, a sunrise, an area), or would you spend that night at another park instead?
Camping in Chiricahua
Each campground shows the official details (Official data, not firsthand) and, where we stayed, our “We Camped Here” verdict.
Bonita Canyon Campground
Bonita Canyon, near the visitor center
Official data, not firsthandGenerators are allowed 8–10 am and 4–6 pm, and quiet hours are 8 pm–8 am. Standard sites allow 8 people, 2 vehicles, and 2 tents, and checkout is 11 am. There are drinking water faucets, but tank filling is prohibited, and two gray-water disposals are provided. Food must go in the metal lockers or a closed vehicle. Group site 26 is tent-only for 9–24 people with a maximum of 5 small vehicles. Many sites are small, and the campground map color-codes sites for trailers, RVs/vans, and tents.
Last verified 2026-10-28 · recreation.govWe Camped Here: our verdict
Awaiting David & Keri’s notes: did we camp here? If yes: best loops/sites, what rig really fits, our two scores (1–10), and “skip it if…”. If not, this will say “We hiked it, didn’t camp.”
Rig fit: RVs and travel trailers
Official data, not firsthand- Bonita Canyon scenic drive beyond the campground: Standard-size vehicles only, with a 24-ft maximum and no trailers. The campground is the last stop for vehicles over 24 ft. The road is narrow and steep, with low-hanging trees. Last verified 2026-10-28 · nps.gov
- Beyond Faraway Ranch: No vehicles over 29 ft and no day-use trailers. Day users must disconnect trailers at Faraway Ranch, and there is no turnaround for trailers or large RVs past that point. Last verified 2026-10-28 · nps.gov
- Bonita Canyon Campground length limit: All vehicles and trailers must be under 29 ft including racks. Campers with reservations may drive vehicles up to 29 ft to their site starting at noon on the reservation day. Last verified 2026-10-28 · nps.gov
- Campground entry creek crossing: A dip in the entry road limits larger vehicles. Rigs over 29 ft, or with more than about 9 ft of rear overhang, may bottom out. Last verified 2026-10-28 · recreation.gov
- Natural Bridge Trailhead parking: Three small parking spaces. Last verified 2026-10-28 · nps.gov
- Group campsite 26: Tent-only, with no trailers or RVs and a maximum of 5 small vehicles. Last verified 2026-10-28 · recreation.gov
- What did you tow or drive here (trailer length + tow vehicle)? Any tight turns, grades, tunnels or lots to warn people about? Where did you leave the trailer while sightseeing?
Hike permits & lotteries
| Permit | How | When | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campground reservation (Bonita Canyon) Last verified 2026-10-28 · nps.gov | Reserve online at Recreation.gov. For technical help, call 877-444-6777. | — | |
| Backcountry camping Last verified 2026-10-28 · nps.gov | Not available. Backcountry camping is prohibited and no backcountry permits are issued, because there are no public through trails to the Coronado National Forest. | — | |
| Administrative / special use permit Last verified 2026-10-28 · nps.gov | Required for groups of 24 or more, guided tours, commercial activities, scattering ashes, funerals, weddings, and First Amendment activities. Apply through the Administrative Permits page. | Apply well in advance of the activity | — |
| Research permit Last verified 2026-10-28 · nps.gov | Apply online through the research permits page and contact the park's Research Coordinator. | Required before any research begins | — |
| Drone (unmanned aircraft) authorization Last verified 2026-10-28 · nps.gov | Requires the superintendent's written approval. | — |
- Did you apply for any permits/lotteries here? What worked, and what would you tell a first-timer?
Where to stay & what to do in town
Willcox, AZ
37 miles northwest (about 45 minutes)
The closest town with hotels and motels, a full grocery store, several gas stations, and restaurants, plus several campgrounds.
Sunizona / Sunsites (Pearce), AZ
27 miles southwest (30–60 minutes)
Gas station, small independent restaurants, inns, and an RV park.
Portal, AZ
More than 1 hour; Cave Creek-area campgrounds are about 90 minutes across the range
Small community on the east side of the Chiricahua Mountains, with Coronado National Forest campgrounds nearby in Cave Creek Canyon.
Bisbee / Tombstone, AZ
More than 1 hour
Historic towns with a wider range of lodging and dining.
Popular guided tours nearby
- Birding tours in southeast Arizona's sky islands (Cave Creek Canyon / Portal)
- Historic town tours in Tombstone and Bisbee
- Ranger-led programs and tours of the Faraway Ranch Historic District
- Visits to Fort Bowie National Historic Site (Apache Pass), managed with Chiricahua
- Southeast Arizona wine-trail tours around Willcox
- Where did you stay or eat outside the park that you would recommend (or avoid)? Any must-do in town?
David & Keri’s hot tips
- 5–10 quick tips only someone who has been there would know (parking, timing, a trail, a mistake to avoid).
What we’d do differently
Wrong entrance, wrong month, a missed shuttle, too few nights: the honest list.
- 1. …
- 2. …
- 3. …
Sources & corrections
All official facts on this page were last verified 2026-10-28 against the linked National Park Service and Recreation.gov pages. Park rules change; confirm before you go.
Where sources disagree
- Date of the redesignation law: the NPS FAQ (nps.gov/chir/faqs.htm) says H.R. 6380 was signed into law on September 30, 2026. Deseret News (2026-10-21) and other news reports say the President signed it on October 20, 2026, and some say the Senate passed it on September 30, 2026.
- Campground site count: a June 2024 NPS release lists 25 individual sites plus 1 group site. Recreation.gov currently lists 23 (22 standard nonelectric plus group site 26). sites is set to null.
- Campground fee: the current nightly fee is not shown on the NPS campground page or Recreation.gov as fetched. A June 2024 NPS release gave $20 per night for individual sites (with a proposed increase to $25) and $3 per person for the group site (with a proposed $50 flat rate); no confirmation that the increase took effect was found. fee is set to null.
- Rear overhang limit at the creek crossing: Recreation.gov gives 9 ft in one section and 9.5 ft in another.
- Naming: the NPS fees page and the compendium text still say 'Chiricahua National Monument' in places, alongside the new 'National Park' name.
- Hiker shuttle: the basic info page (last updated October 21, 2026) says the hiker shuttle was not running as of fall 2025 and is not running now; no restart date is published.
Spot something out of date? Tell us and we’ll fix it and log the correction. Photos: NPS Photo; NPS Photo; NPS (NPS, public domain).