Ruins of the fort with mountains and valley in the background.
Like so many forts and settlements in the West, little remains of the outpost that once housed hundreds of soldiers. NPS Photo

Fort Bowie National Historic Site

National Historic Site · Arizona · National Park Service

For nearly 25 years, Fort Bowie stood at the crossroads of the Chiricahua Apache's fight to defend their ancestral homeland and the U.S. Army's westward expansion. Today, visitors embark on a 3-mile scenic loop trail traversing the ground where this profound cultural collision forever altered the course of both American and Indigenous history.

Plan your visit

Trails & hiking

Hiking · Horseback Riding

Know before you go

Phone
520-549-6751
Official site
www.nps.gov
Managed by
National Park Service

Getting there

Directions on Google Maps →

Things to do

Highlights: Burial, Cemetery and Gravesite · Forts · Military · US Army · Native American Heritage · Wars and Conflicts · Indian and Frontier Wars · Animals · Birds · Groundwater · Freshwater Springs

Activities & features: Front-Country Hiking · Horse Trekking · Junior Ranger Program · Wildlife Watching · Birdwatching · Shopping · Bookstore and Park Store

Photos

  • Close up of a canon barrel
    NPS Photo
  • Ruins of adobe building under a blue sky with white clouds.
    NPS Photo
  • Ruined walls of the old buildings and mountains in the background
    NPS Photo
  • Black and white photo of white tombstones in a cemetery, mountains in the background
    NPS Photo

Nearby parks

Parks of Arizona

River Island State ParkChiricahua National MonumentCatalina State ParkPipe Spring National MonumentRiordan Mansion State Historic ParkLake Mead National Recreation AreaLake Havasu State ParkOrgan Pipe Cactus National MonumentNavajo National MonumentPetrified Forest National ParkGrand Canyon-Parashant National MonumentGlen Canyon National Recreation AreaSlide Rock State ParkKartchner Caverns State ParkPatagonia Lake State ParkDankworth Pond State ParkWalnut Canyon National MonumentPicacho Peak State ParkLost Dutchman State ParkRoper Lake State ParkCoronado National MemorialSonoita Creek Natural AreaCasa Grande Ruins National MonumentRed Rock State ParkTonto Natural Bridge State ParkOracle State ParkAlamo Lake State ParkMontezuma Castle National MonumentGrand Canyon National ParkCanyon de Chelly National MonumentBuckskin Mountain State ParkWupatki National MonumentHomolovi State ParkSaguaro National ParkTumacácori National Historical ParkJuan Bautista de Anza National Historic TrailOld Spanish National Historic TrailFool Hollow Lake Recreation AreaDead Horse Ranch State ParkHubbell Trading Post National Historic SiteLyman Lake State ParkJerome State Historic ParkTuzigoot National MonumentColorado River State Historic ParkSunset Crater Volcano National MonumentCattail Cove State ParkTonto National MonumentHavasu Riviera State Park

49 parks mapped in Arizona

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Guides for the trip

All guides →

Sources: National Park Service, Google Places · updated 2026-08-12