Coronado National Memorial

Coronado National Memorial was created in honor of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado’s exploration of theSouthwest. The memorial is a great spot for history buffs, hikers and nature lovers. It covers 4,750 acresof natural habitat.

Coronado set out in 1540 in search of the Seven Cities of Cibola (Gold). His expedition made him the firstEuropean to cross the United States and Mexican border. The expedition included 1,400 soldiers and 1,500
animals. In 1542 after many months of travel, Coronado gave up his search of gold. The journey had takenthe group up to Kansas, where they retraced their trip back to Mexico.Even though gold was never found, Coronado did see many things. The Grand Canyon, Indian tribes (Hopiand Zuni) and the Rio Grande River were just some of his discoveries. This memorial park was establishedin honor of his expedition.

The Coronado National Memorial is located at the southern part of the Huachuca Mountains, within sightof the San Pedro River Valley. Oak woodlands surround the memorial park. Visitors will find a variety of
plant life such as yucca and beargrass. Unique animals also live in the park. Bobcats and eagles roam thearea.The visitor center should be your first stop when entering Coronado National Memorial. The center has a
museum. It has displays of authentic 16th century armor, weaponry and Spanish replicas of cultural items.

Visitors can also try on period costumes. At the visitor center, you will find a nine-minute video on thestory of Coronado and his expedition. The center also has maps and books for sale. Here you will learnabout the variety of activities you can do during your visit. The visitor center and museum offers so much, youwill likely need to plan on a couple hour stay.
If you are interested in hiking, you can stop by the visitor center for a run down on the various hikes in thearea. Hiking trails range from an easy 0.4-mile hike on the Coronado Peak Trail. This hike is very special
because it has benches near the path, along with markers telling about Coronado’s journey. Or you maywant to take the 5.3 strenuous hike to Miller Peak.

Many visitors take the driving tour. By taking Montezuma Pass, travelers will experience a scenic driveand overlook. Montezuma Pass is at an elevation of 6,575 feet. This trip can be done by car, by way of anarrow mountain road. The trip offers spectacular views of Mexico and the San Pedro and San RafaelValleys. Those visitors who like caving will enjoy the natural limestone cave in the park.

The Coronado Cave isdown a steep trail, approximately of a mile from the visitor center. Once you are at the cave, you willdiscover two large chambers and several tunnels that lead out from the chambers. The cave is in its naturalstate. You will not find guardrails or lighting. If you want to see the cave, you will need to get a freepermit from the visitor center and you must bring a flashlight. Visitors that would like a tour of the cavewill need to call and make arrangements in advance. You should plan on two hours to take in the cave andthe hike down and up. The most popular time of the year to visit the memorial is January through April. The off-season is fromSeptember to December. You will find in the summer months thunderstorms are a frequent occurrence,especially in July and August. The wintertime can be cold. The memorial has had snowfall in the winter
season.

The visitor center at the Coronado National Memorial is open daily 8:00 to 5:00 pm. The memorial isclosed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission is free. Pets are not allowed on the hiking trails and are
not to be left unattended in parked vehicles. If you would like more information on the memorial, you cancall 520-366-5515. You can get to the Coronado National Memorial by taking Highway 92 south out of Sierra Vista or FortHuachuca for approximately 20 miles. Then take Coronado Memorial Road to the park. You will seesigns for the memorial. The memorial is 5 miles off of Highway 92.When starting out from the town of Bisbee, head east on State Highway 80 to the small town of Lowell.
Then take State Highway 92 southwest, when you pass Miracle Valley be on the look out for signs forCoronado National Memorial.

Coming from the town of Tombstone, take State Highway 80 south out of town. Follow State Highway 80through the town of Bisbee to the small town of Lowell. Here you will find State Highway 92. Take State
Highway 92 southwest, as you pass Miracle Valley look for signs for the turn off for Coronado NationalMemorial. The simplest way to get to the Coronado National Memorial from Benson is to take Interstate 10 east for a
very short time, until you come to the State Highway 90 exit. Take State Highway 90 south through SierraVista. After going through town on State Highway 92 continue to travel south past Nicksville. You willfind signs directing you to the Memorial.