Picnic area · Chiricahua National Park
A picnic break with a paved loop through grassland bird habitat.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Chiricahua Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Chiricahua National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this place
Bonita Creek Picnic Area“You're coming up on Bonita Creek Picnic Area, a useful stop for lunch and an easy stretch of the legs. The level, paved loop is just a fifth of a mile and is wheelchair accessible.”
Plays as you drive up to Bonita Creek Picnic Area in the Parkwolf Chiricahua Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Bonita Creek Picnic Area is a large picnic stop near the park entrance, with tables and a short, paved loop beside intermittent Bonita Creek. It’s a useful place for an easy break, especially if you want a walk that works for wheelchair users without taking on a longer hike.
This is a good stop for grassland birds. In spring and early summer, look for Apache plume and prickly poppy; Arizona whitetail deer are often seen in the lower canyon. Bonita Creek is intermittent, so don’t count on seeing it flow.
Wildlife
20 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
150 sightingsWhite-nosed CoatiMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
184 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
22 sightingsMojave RattlesnakeMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
16 sightingsWestern Diamond-backed RattlesnakeMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
12 sightingsRock RattlesnakeMost seen around 5 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Chiricahua. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
EasyBonita Creek Loop0.2 mi · 20 min · At the trailheadA flat, paved loop for grassland birds and spring blooms.
EasyBonita Creek Trail0.6 mi · 45 min · At the trailheadA short creek walk to the historic Faraway Ranch grounds.
EasyFaraway Ranch Trail0.9 mi · 45 min · 0.5 mi awayA short loop to the 1880 Stafford homestead.
EasySilver Spur Meadow Trail3 mi · 1.8 hr · 0.5 mi awayAn easy 3-mile history walk past a homestead cabin and CCC camp.
ModerateLower Rhyolite Canyon Trail3 mi · 2.5 hr · 1.6 mi awayA gravel walk to rhyolite pinnacles, climbing toward the canyon junction.
ModerateTrail to Natural Bridge4.7 mi · 3.5 hr · 2.2 mi awayA rugged forest climb ends at a bridge seen across the canyon.
ModerateSugarloaf Mountain Trail1.8 mi · 1.5 hr · 3.7 mi awayA short, steep climb to a historic lookout above volcanic spires.
ModerateEcho Canyon Loop Trail3.3 mi · 3.5 hr · 4 mi awayTight rock passages, sunny views, and a smarter counterclockwise loop.
Sight · 0.2 mi awayErickson CemeteryThe graves trace the families who made Bonita Canyon home.
Sight · 0.3 mi awayChiricahua Entrance SignA quick first photo stop at the park entrance.
Sight · 0.7 mi awayFaraway RanchA ranch house with a guest-ranch story and a good stargazing spot.
Sight · 0.9 mi awayStafford CabinAn 1880 homestead cabin on an easy walk through Bonita Canyon
Visitor center · 1.6 mi awayChiricahua Visitor CenterGet the geology, wildlife and human story before the drive.
Campground · 1.7 mi awayBonita Canyon CampgroundA shady pine-and-oak base for sleeping inside the monument.Sight · 1.8 mi awayNatural BridgeA long, less-used hike to a water-carved arch across the canyon.
Sight · 2 mi awayOrgan Pipe FormationLook up at ribbed stone columns just off the scenic drive.Parkwolf’s Chiricahua ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
