Grand Canyon is second most visited national park. Can you guess Arizona's least visited?
Arizona is known for holding natural gems within its astonishing and diverse landscape. That's why many of its natural destination spots reached the top of a National Park Service ranking of sites with the most visits in 2023.
Among them, the Grand Canyon was found to be the second most visited national park with close to five million visits. Lake Mead, Glen Canyon, and Saguaro National Park also made it within the top national spots, with over a million visits each.
However, one outlier sits toward the bottom of the list.
Fort Bowie National Historic Site, a cultural time capsule of a 19th-century military base, was the least visited Arizona site with roughly 8,000 visits in 2023. For reference, the Grand Canyon sees about 5 million visitors a year, according to the National Park Service.
Yet, Fort Bowie is considered by many to be a must-see road trip, especially for history buffs. Here's what you need to know if you want to visit.
Although not often visited, Fort Bowie is considered a must-see
Reaching the historic site in southeastern Arizona requires some effort. For visitors traveling from the Phoenix area, the first step is a long drive into Cochise County, the last mile on a dirt road, followed by a 1.5-mile hike to reach the remains of the fort.
The park includes the ruins of the military base occupied during the Apache Wars. The site goes deep into Arizona’s backcountry, offering evidence of the daily life activities of the Apache community that originally inhabited the area and the decades of battles with the U.S. military forces.
Visitors can see the foundations of the officer quarters and the rowhouses where enlisted men lived, as well as the remnants of a schoolhouse, library, general store, recreation areas, and many other relics from the past.
The park is the only hike-in site in Arizona. It was created that way to preserve its natural, cultural, and historic resources. The trail is considered an easy to moderate hike.
History road trip: Visiting Fort Bowie and Apache Pass in Arizona
As you traverse across the rolling hills, dry washes and river beds, the trail offers sights of the Dos Cabezas and Chiricahua mountains, winding past the ruins of the Butterfield Stage Station, a recreated Apache wickiup, the post cemetery filled with grave markers, the original fort and Apache Spring, which still produces a reliable supply of water.
If you want to visit, it is recommended that you plan to spend at least two hours at the park. Visitors can tour the ruins, view the exhibits inside the visitor center, observe the local wildlife, or attend a ranger program.
Picnic facilities are located at the trailhead and the visitor center. Leashed pets are welcome on the park's trails. Pet owners must clean up after their animals.
How to visit Fort Bowie National Historic Site
When: The park is open from sunrise to sunset, but the visitor center and museum are open, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily except on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Where: Southeast of Willcox in southern Arizona.
How to get there: From Phoenix, take Interstate 10 east past Tucson to Bowie (Exit 362). Continue east on the I-10 Business Loop and turn right on Apache Pass Road. Continue 12 miles to the trailhead parking. The last mile of road is unpaved but usually manageable in a passenger vehicle. Be prepared to walk 3 miles on a dirt trail round trip to the fort and back. Access for mobility-impaired visitors can be obtained by calling the park.
Admission: Free.
Details: 520-847-2500, www.nps.gov/fobo.
Grand Canyon ranks second most visited National Park
A more widely known spot, the Grand Canyon has earned its reputation for a reason.
Spanning 1,904 square miles, the Grand Canyon is one of the most stunning displays of erosion found anywhere on Earth. Nestled within the ancestral homeland of 11 Native American tribes, the park offers a breathtaking panorama from its three distinct rims.
Visitors can enjoy a mesmerizing display of towering red rocks in contrast with the deep green pine forests and the expanse of Arizona's usual blue skies from the numerous lookout points throughout the park.
A recent study also found the national park to be the most Instagramed national park with a total of 4,367,517 posts at the location.
If you want to visit the Grand Canyon, make sure you check out Republic photographer Rob Schumacher's suggestions of where to take the best photos.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Fort Bowie is Arizona's least visited national park. Here's why