Chiricahua National Park ⓘ

Faraway Ranch was the home of Swedish immigrants, Emma and Neil Erickson . Emma Peterson bought a two-room cabin in December of 1886. After she and Neil Erickson married in January 1887, they settled on the 160-acre homestead. The couple struggled with farming so Neil worked in Bisbee as a carpenter, leaving Emma alone two to three months at a time. Neil and Emma had three children, Lillian , Ben, and Hildegard. In 1898 the couple expanded the cabin to a two-story, board-and-batten style frame house. In 1903 Neil became the first ranger for the Chiricahua Forest Reserve. With Neil staying home for the first time in their marriage, the house grew again.

By 1915 Neil had constructed a two and half-story building with adobe and board-and-batten walls. Two years after Neil finished the house, the Forest Service transferred him to Flagstaff.

The house experienced another phase of a building when Neil and Emma's daughter Lillian married Ed Riggs in 1923. Ed was able to add the comforts needed for a modern and successful guest ranch operation, including bathrooms, oil heat, and electricity. He enclosed the north porch to make a large dining room, featuring a fireplace composed of stones carved by Buffalo Soldiers .

Faraway Ranch guests could explore the grounds, swim in the pool, or relax with a book. There was birdwatching , hiking , and they could take their picnic lunch up to the Wonderland of Rocks by horseback . After dinner guests might retire to the living room for music and Lillian's tales of the wild, wild west.

The stones that compose the Garfield Fireplace are the most tangible connection to the Buffalo Soldiers stationed in Bonita Canyon. Originally part of a three-tiered monument, today the hand-carved stones show visitors a bit of soldiers’ personalities. Some stones have names written in beautiful script, others are perfect block print, as if they were typed, and not carved by hand. A few men embellished their stones with crossed cavalry sabers, their troop letter, or dates. Men in Troops E and H of the 10th Cavalry dedicated this monument to President James Abram Garfield , who was assassinated in 1881.

Some of the blocks in the fireplace are clearly carved by specific soldiers, while others are broken, obscuring what was once engraved in stone. George Horton, saddler for Troop H, might have had the original idea for the monument, although whose idea it actually was is lost to history. Horton’s block is broken, but it might have read: “(GEORGE H)ORTON, PRESIDENT OF THE (TROO)P H CLUB IN HONOR OF (JAS. A. G)ARFIELD, PRESPRESENTING (THE STA)TE OF MISSOURI.” Researchers speculate that the “H” might stand for Heliograph , but heliographs were not in widespread use until the end of the Geronimo Campaign. “H” might also simply be the letter of the troop.

President Garfield is not often remembered, but in 1886, his 1881 assassination would have been recent history to the soldiers. During the Civil War, General Garfield commanded black volunteers from Ohio (the 42nd Ohio Regiment of Volunteers), and after the Civil War, Garfield was a Congressman who advocated for black rights during the Reconstruction Era in the South. No one knows why the soldiers chose President Garfield, but researchers surmise that his role as a military general and advocate for black rights might be the reason.

When Neil and his wife Emma moved to Bonita Canyon in 1888, the soldiers had only left two years before. Neil and Emma probably saw the Garfield Monument in its glory. Neil wrote to a number of people in Washington, D.C., related to President Garfield, as well as commanders in the 10th Cavalry, but none of them was interested in saving this little monument in southeast Arizona. The monument built by Buffalo Soldiers was left to weather away, and as years went by, people took stones from the crumbling monument as souvenirs.

Only a few photos of the monument exist, and these show a disintegrating stone structure. Fortunately, Lillian and Ed Riggs had the foresight to save the monument by dismantling it and preserving it in the form of a fireplace. Neil Erickson, Lillian’s father and an early Swedish pioneer in Bonita Canyon, was at first reluctant to let his daughter and son-in-law dismantle the monument.

Lillian and Ed finally received Neil’s permission to disassemble the stone monument and reassemble it as a fireplace, the centerpiece of their new guest dining room, in 1920. Sixty engraved stones are included in the fireplace.

Prompted by a letter written in 1893, the US Army looked into the monument, but mistakenly identified it as a camp bake oven. In 1966, Lillian recollected: “The monument with all the tiers intact and every stone in place stood about five hundred yards from my home and as school children we played a lot around it. For that reason I have a very clear memory of what it was like before it began to deteriorate. … The man who engineered this structure surely knew his business. Each stone was smooth-faced and regular in shape though not all were the same size or dimensions. … The whole structure was put together with adobe mud, although it seems that some other building material must have been used as the top sides of the different tiers were smooth and waterproof. The joining of the stones was well seamed as if cement were used…”

More than 140 years after the Buffalo Soldiers built the Garfield Monument, and a centure after Lillian and Ed Riggs converted the stones into a fireplace at Faraway Ranch, visitors can still connect to the Buffalo Soldiers.

While Henry Ossian Flipper was not stationed at Bonita Canyon, someone carved his name perfectly into stone. Perhaps Flipper encountered men from Troops E, H, or I out on patrol in 1885 or 1886 while he was surveying land in southern Arizona. By the time the 10th Cavalry troopers were assigned to Bonita Canyon, Flipper’s military career had been cut short when he was accused of embezzling money and dishonorable conduct at Fort Davis , Texas in 1881. Many of the soldiers later stationed in Bonita Canyon were also briefly stationed at Fort Davis and may have met Flipper there.

It is unlikely that Flipper ever visited the temporary camp in Bonita Canyon, but someone meticulously carved Flipper’s name into one of the stones that comprised first the Garfield Monument, and then the Garfield Fireplace at Faraway Ranch. After Flipper’s dishonorable discharge, he continued his life in the southwest, working as a land surveyor, as a Spanish translator for the US Department of Justice, and eventually as a mining engineer in Mexico and Venezuela. Even if none of the soldiers personally knew Flipper, as the first black graduate from West Point Military Academy in 1877, he would have been a great role model for the men, as well as for their children, to aspire to become a commanding officer in the US Army.

Flipper always proclaimed his innocence, and in 1976 the Army Board for Corrections of Military Records re-examined Flipper’s court-martial and decided it was unjustly harsh. In 1999 President Bill Clinton issued a posthumous pardon to the Second Lieutenant, who had died in 1940, at the age of 84. Flipper was soon followed by other African American graduates from West Point, including Charles Young , who became the first African American Superintendent of Sequoia National Park in 1903. Young had a long military career, and served in the Philippine American War, as well as taught classes on military tactics at Wilberforce University.

Chiricahua is an area of tremendous sky island diversity , where four biogeographical regions come together. Because of this, over 1000 plant species grow within the Monument's boundary, and many are endemic only to the Chiricahua Mountains. As you enter the monument from the west, you will drive through grasslands with over 50 species of grasses, as well as many cacti and succulent species of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts. Fingers of riparian vegetation cut through all areas, dominated by Arizona cypress, Arizona sycamore, oaks and juniper. The interior chaparral shrublands are dominated by pointleaf manzanita, leading into the encinal oak woodlands, which are characterized by 7 species of oaks as well as madrone and juniper. Finally, you will arrive in the conifer forests of pines and cypress. Through all of these communities , wildflowers are prolific in the late spring and summer months - creating a truly spectacular array of color and diversity. The understory consists of several varities of ferns as well as shade-tolerant grasses, broad-leaf plants, mushrooms, and mosses. Lichens can be seen growing on trees as well as on the rock pinnacles . Distribution of these plants is dependent on many factors, such as elevation, soils, aspect, slope, and water availability. Because these factors change so drastically over short distances, the Monument is truly a mosaic of plant communities and assemblages.

By far the most noticeable natural features in the park are the rhyolite rock pinnacles. Rising sometimes hundreds of feet into the air, many of these pinnacles are balancing on a small base, seemingly ready to topple over at any time. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), during their occupation here in the 1930s, named many of the rock formations that can be seen today. Other geologic features of the park include shallow caves, faults, mountain formations, ancient lava flows, and a giant volcanic caldera. The Turkey Creek Caldera is located just to the south of the park. A cataclysmic volcanic eruption, roughly 27 million years ago, spewed ash and molten debris at super-sonic speeds and formed the approximately 12 mile wide caldera.* Ash and debris settled and compacted, forming a thick layer of rock called rhyolite tuff. This rock layer has fissured and eroded over time, forming the spectacular rock pillars in the park. The Chiricahua Mountains are one of many sky islands in southern Arizona, and are part of the larger Basin and Range Province. An important natural feature found in the park, and integral to the presence of flora and fauna , is water. Although water flows only intermittently on the surface, the park contains all or parts of five major watersheds in the the northern Chiricahua Mountains. Seeps and springs are vital to the survival of most faunal species. Rich in diversity, the area boasts many plant communities, including grasslands, deciduous and evergreen forests, scrublands, and deserts. These plant communities intermix throughout the park, creating a truly diverse mosaic of species associations. Learn more from the 2009 NPS Geologic Resources Inventory Report and the NPS Geodiversity Atlas .

All vehicles or trailers must be less than 29 feet including racks. NPS Length Limit 29 Feet The road into the campground has a dip which prevents large vehicles from entering. Any single vehicle over 29 feet (including storage or bike racks) will likely scrape the road entering the campground.

Many sites are small. Check the descriptions carefully to be sure both your vehicles will fit in the site.

Example: A 20 foot truck towing a 15 foot trailer should look for a campsite with a 35 foot driveway. The bend at the trailer hitch will allow the vehicle to enter safely, but many sites will be too small for the combination to fit comfortably.

Trailers should try to book sites in green. Most RVs and vans will find yellow sites appropriate. Orange sites are best for tents, often due to uneven parking. NPS Important Information This pamphlet provides helpful fire information and a map showing which campsites can accommodate trailers and RVs. This campground often fills to capacity. Advance reservations are essential for large vehicles, holidays, and during spring break (March-April). Late Arrivals and No Shows The campground and road are open all night. If you arrive during nighttime hours, please keep noise to a minimum to respect quiet hours.

Please modify your reservation on the app or website if you will not be using a reserved night. Updating your reservation: Ensures the rest of your stay is protected Opens the site for others May results in a partial refund Reservations not claimed within 24 hours of check‑in may be cancelled. You must arrive by noon on day 2 or modify the reservation online to keep your site. The visitor center cannot hold reservations for late arrivals. A partial refund may or may not be issued if your reservation is cancelled. If you arrive after the reservation has been cancelled you will need to make a new reservation if a site is available. If you experience technical issues, call Recreation.gov at 877‑444‑6777 to request a reservation modification.

Reading and following the rules will help you and your group have an enjoyable camping experience. Campground hosts will regularly circulate to help answer questions and ensure rules are followed. NPS Camping in the National Park System The National Park Service is different from your typical forest or local park experience. Here, our mission is to preserve and protect these special places for future generations.

You’ll find a sign like this on your picnic table . It’s a simple way you can help us keep this campground healthy and thriving for decades to come. Food All food, cookware, garbage, pet food, bird seed, storage containers and coolers must be kept in the provided storage lockers or a closed vehicle. Note: metal boxes are provided because rodents may damage coolers and vehicles used for storage. Do not burn waste or leave litter and micro-trash around your camp. Food items or food waste left unattended for more than one hour may be discarded - it poses a danger to wildlife and visitors. Visitors feeding wildlife, intentionally or unintentionally may be fined. Fire Regulations Regular campsites come with a stand up grill for cooking. There are no fire rings and no ground fires allowed. You must bring your own charcoal briquets or pest-free firewood for the standup grills. We do not encourage using fire for ambience or heat because the campground has many trees.

Additional fire restrictions will be posted in the alert section of this site when applicable (most often April - June). New Fire Regulations In 2025, NPS implemented additional campfire regulations prohibiting the use of unsafe or hazardous materials. Only safer, common fuels such as firewood or charcoal are permitted. Lighting or maintaining a fire using flammable liquids, garbage, plastics, or other synthetic materials is strictly prohibited. Wilderness Tips Bears, mountain lions, bobcats, skunks, squirrels, coatis, rodents, and snakes live in and around the campground.

You will be safe if you follow a few simple steps: Do not approach wild animals - keep a few car-lengths between you if possible. Animals smell food and water you do not. Use designated storage boxes so you don't attract pests. Watch and stay near children. Pets must be on a leash in your hand or in a vehicle at all times. Unattended pets may attract predators. Feeding wildlife is prohibited. Bird feeders are prohibited in the park. Violation of park regulations may result in a ticket or fine.

The campground and road are open all night. If you arrive during nighttime hours, please keep noise to a minimum to respect quiet hours. Please modify your reservation on the app or website if you will not be using a reserved night. Updating your reservation:

The National Park Service is different from your typical forest or local park experience. Here, our mission is to preserve and protect these special places for future generations. That’s why we have rules in place—to safeguard the wildlife, trees, and natural beauty that make this campground so special. You’ll find a sign like this on your picnic table . It’s a simple way you can help us keep this campground healthy and thriving for decades to come.

Regular campsites come with a stand up grill for cooking. There are no fire rings and no ground fires allowed. You must bring your own charcoal briquets or pest-free firewood for the standup grills. We do not encourage using fire for ambience or heat because the campground has many trees. Additional fire restrictions will be posted in the alert section of this site when applicable (most often April - June).

Printable Hiking Guides and Map Download here or stop at the visitor center to pick up a free hiking guide and map .

Rock the Rhyolite Hiking is a great way to exercise while exploring the rhyolite pinnacles at Chiricahua!

Participate in the Rock the Rhyolite Hike for Health program: Hike 5 miles or more in Chiricahua National Monument. Take photos with your group and iconic rock formations. Share your adventure at the Visitor Center within seven days to claim your reward. Earn additional I Hike for Health awards by visiting: Coronado National Memorial Fort Bowie National Historic Site Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Saguaro National Park Tumacácori National Historical Park Note: The Hike for Health program is available in person during business hours while supplies last. Stock is limited—please do not request more than one award per park every five years .

Remember, your body will need to adjust to thin air if you are coming from lower elevations! Consider trying a shorter trail before you commit to a strenuous hike. Bring plenty of water and electrolytes, salty snacks, sun protection, and appropriate hiking gear. High temperatures and unexpected monsoon storms are common in the summer. Cold temperatures and snow are possible in the winter. Your safety is in your hands.

Please be advised that no bicycles or e-bikes are allowed on any park trail. The trails are not designed for cycling, with steep grades, numerous stairs, and cliff edges that create hazardous conditions.

Download here or stop at the visitor center to pick up a free hiking guide and map . Translations available in: Français , Español, Deutsch , and 中国人 . Best printed on legal size paper (8.5x14").

During the busiest times, the park may offer a hiker's transport once per day. The hiker's transport (shuttle) brings you to the top, your feet bring you back!

520 824-3560 The visitor center phone is staffed from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm daily. If we don't answer we may be helping others. Please leave a message with your phone number. We do not have caller ID. If calling while driving nearby, please pull over as cell reception will likely cut out.