Chiricahua National Monument
This photo brings back memories of one of the most unique landscapes we explored as a family: Chiricahua National Monument. Hidden in the mountains of southeastern Arizona, this park feels almost like another world, filled with towering rock spires, balancing stones and narrow formations that seemed carved by imagination rather than nature.
Often called the “Wonderland of Rocks,” Chiricahua was created by a massive volcanic eruption nearly 27 million years ago. Over time, wind and water slowly shaped the volcanic ash into dramatic pinnacles and columns that fill the landscape today. Walking through these formations felt like stepping into a natural cathedral of stone.
One of the stories connected to this place is that of Cochise and the Chiricahua Apache people. These rugged mountains provided refuge and protection during years of conflict in the American Southwest. The isolated terrain made it difficult for outsiders to navigate, and the mountains became deeply tied to Apache history and identity.
Chiricahua National Monument was officially established in 1924 by President Calvin Cooloidge to preserve this extraordinary geological landscape. Today it remains one of the quieter and lesser-known treasures within the National Park System.
Read More From Nancy
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
The Big Island of Hawaii is a place where the power of nature is impossible to ignore. Among this rugged shoreline near Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the land feels raw and unfinished, shaped by fire, lava and the constant pounding of the Pacific Ocean. Here we are standing on black volcanic rocks with waves crashing against the shoreline. Hawai’i […]
Yosemite National Park
August 2019 was the last time, but not the first time, I visited Yosemite National Park. When people think of our National Parks, many envision vast, majestic landscapes and Yosemite is the very definition of that. The first time I drove into Yosemite Valley, I remember a moment of pure speechlessness. Countless writers and explorers have […]
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
More than 900 years ago, the landscape north of what is now Flagstaff, Arizona, changed dramatically. The ground opened and lava began pouring across the land while volcanic ash and cinders were thrown high into the air. When the eruption ended, a new cinder cone rose above the surrounding terrain: Sunset Crater, the youngest volcano […]
