The United States has a new national park. Chiricahua, in the far south-east corner of Arizona, was formally redesignated from a national monument to a national park on 20 October, KTVU reports, becoming the country’s 64th.
The park covers roughly 12,000 acres of forests and canyons crowded with tall stone spires and precariously balanced boulders. According to the Department of the Interior, the rocks were formed by a huge volcanic eruption close to 30 million years ago and the landscape is often called a ‘wonderland of rocks’.
Visitors can hike, camp, take scenic drives and stargaze. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the change would “shine a national spotlight on one of Arizona’s hidden gems”, and local businesses expect more visitors as a result.
Source: KTVU