I visited the newest US national park. Here's what it was like, as someone who's now visited all 64 of them.

I recently had the opportunity to visit the newest U.S. national park, Chiricahua. Emily Hart, who has visited all 64 major U.S. national parks, shared her experience. Chiricahua was recently upgraded from a national monument to a national park in 2026, and its remote location and unique landscape made it a memorable destination.

Located in southeastern Arizona, the park is about 120 miles southeast of Tucson and requires a car journey to reach. Chiricahua National Park has a rich history, with the area once inhabited by the Chiricahua Apache, who called it "The Land of Standing-Up Rocks." In the late 1800s, Swedish immigrants Neil and Emma Erickson settled in the area, and their daughter Lillian later turned the property into a guest ranch, advocating for the protection of the striking rock formations.

Emily Hart describes the park as the 64th major U.S. national park, with no entrance lines, traffic backups, or crowds. The park is free to enter and relatively small, making it possible to see a lot in a single day. The landscape is unlike any other park she has visited, with towering rhyolite rock pinnacles that are awe-inspiring.

The best way to experience the park is on foot, with 17 miles of trails, including the short but scenic Massai Point Nature Trail and the longer Echo Canyon Trail. While Chiricahua is worth visiting, Emily Hart recommends planning ahead due to the park's small infrastructure, limited amenities, and potential for increased crowds since its designation as a national park.