Chiricahua National Forest was established as the Chiricahua Forest Reserve in

Cochise County, Arizona Cochise County () is a county in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. It is named after the Native American chief Cochise. The population was 125,447 at the 2020 census. The county seat is Bisbee and the most populous city is ...

by the United States General Land Office on July 1, 1902, with . After the transfer of federal forests to the

U.S. Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency in ...

in 1905, it became a

national forest A state forest or national forest is a forest that is administered or protected by some agency of a sovereign or federated state, or territory. Background The precise application of the terms vary by jurisdiction. For example: * In Australia ...

on March 4, 1907. On July 1, 1908, it absorbed

Peloncillo National Forest Peloncillo National Forest was an American national forest. It was established as the Peloncillo Forest Reserve in Arizona and New Mexico on November 15, 1906 with . It became a National Forest on March 4, 1907. On July 1, 1908 it was combined wi ...

, including lands in

Hidalgo County, New Mexico Hidalgo County ( es, Condado de Hidalgo) is the southernmost county of the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2010 census, the population was 4,894. The county seat and largest city is Lordsburg. A bill creating Hidalgo from the southern part ...

. On July 1, 1917, Chiricahua was absorbed by Coronado National Forest and the name was discontinued. The forest included part of the Chiricahua Mountains, one of the Madrean Sky Islands. A portion of the national forest lands were transferred to the National Park Service with the establishment of Chiricahua National Monument in 1924. The remaining lands are presently administered by the Douglas Ranger District of Coronado.

References

External links

Coronado National ForestChiricahua National MonumentForest History SocietyListing of the National Forests of the United States and Their Dates
(from Forest History Society website) ''Text from Davis, Richard C., ed. Encyclopedia of American Forest and Conservation History. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company for the Forest History Society, 1983. Vol. II, pp. 743-788.'' {{Former National Forests of the United States Chiricahua Mountains Former National Forests of Arizona Former National Forests of New Mexico Coronado National Forest Protected areas of Hidalgo County, New Mexico Protected areas of Cochise County, Arizona 1902 establishments in Arizona Territory 1917 disestablishments in Arizona 1917 disestablishments in New Mexico Protected areas established in 1902 Protected areas disestablished in 1917