Be advised that the NPS has issued alerts for this park.
Planning a Visit - Easter Information
Chamizal National Memorial expects significant visitation on Sunday, April 20 in observance of Easter. The park grounds and comfort station will be open from 7:00AM to 7:00PM; the Cultural Center will be closed.
Chamizal is more than just an urban park to recreate or enjoy a quiet afternoon. These grounds are a reminder of the harmonious settlement of a 100-year boundary dispute between the United States and Mexico. We celebrate the cultures of the borde...
This sculpture of Mexican President Benito Juárez was donated to Chamizal National Memorial in 2022 as a complement to the Abraham Lincoln statue installed in Ciudad Juárez in 1964, shortly after the signing of the Chamizal Treaty. Both statues represent ideals of goodwill and friendship between the nations.
The sculpture is located in the middle of an open, paved esplanade in front of the Chamizal National Memorial Cultural Center. It faces south, with its back to the Cultural Center. Three separate bronze figures comprise the sculpture, which is altogether ten feet wide, six feet deep, and eight feet high. The base of the sculpture is a metal platform that is six inches tall. A three-foot-tall concrete bench sits atop the platform. Facing the sculpture, with the Cultural Center in the background, the figure of an adult man is sitting on the right side of the concrete bench with his feet resting on the metal base. The man is dressed in a three-piece suit with buttoned vest, open coat, and a bowtie. His right elbow is bent and fingers curling around his coat lapel. His head is slightly inclined toward the open book he holds in his left hand. His left toe extends slightly beyond the edge of the metal platform base. To his right, on the left end of the bench is a youth with hair just below his shoulders. He wears an elbow-length shirt with lapels and loose pants. He faces slightly away from the adult figure. His right knee is bent and bare foot on the bench where he is seated. His left knee is bent, resting open on the bench, with his foot tucked under the arch of his other knee. His right arm is resting on his raised right knee, and he is looking down and to the left at the book he's holding open in his left hand. A small bronze sheep stands on its four legs on the metal platform in front of the bench where the youth is seated. It is slightly shorter than the concrete bench, and its head is almost even with the youth's bent knee resting parallel to the bench.
A white granite monument located on the boundary between the US states of Texas and New Mexico, and the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Nearby is a section of tall wall on private property.
The trail continues east following the reddish packed gravel. To the south is the back side of the Chamizal National Memorial Cultural Center. To the north is an outer loop trail, and beyond that is Paisano Drive, a busy street.
The start of the trail begins off of the paved sidewalk around the parking lot. There is a station near the entrance for grabbing a pet waste bag. The trail is red packed gravel and benches are available intermittently.
The red, packed gravel trail branches to the north or to the south. Either direction will end at the same point, with differences in walking distance. Following the trail to the north is the shorter path, leading past the Cultural Center main entrance. Taking the trail to the south is slightly longer. Both trails meet at the final point in the walking tour.
Located south of the border in Ciudad Juarez Mexico, El Museo de Arqueologia e Historia de El Chamizal (MAHCH) is a museum of history and archeology of the northern portion of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. They are located within Parque Chamizal and are part of the sister park agreement between the two countries.
A monumental sculpture in the shape of an "x" painted red-orange. Located southeast of Chamizal National Memorial on the Mexican side of the border. Visible from many locations in the El Paso metro area.
Located along the southern sidewalk on Paisano St, a brown motorist sign reads "El Camino Real to Historic Route" with the image of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail.
This historic US-Mexico boundary monument is part of the Chamizal National Memorial collections. It has been moved from its original location but stands near a remnant of the same fence where it was installed to mark the international boundary.
A silver colored obelisk stands on an even gravel surface a couple of feet from the walking trail. Caution, there is a drop-off just a few feet beyond the obelisk-shaped monument. A few feet past the monument is a line of cement fence posts, then a drainage ditch, and a city street a few yards further. The side of the obelisk facing the street (north) has two inset plaques with raised lettering in English. On the side facing the park (south), there are similar plaques with the same message in Spanish.
At this vantage point along the trail, observe the struggle between a designed landscape and an attempt to re-establish native vegetation. Contemplate the success of the Chamizal Treaty and its unintended consequences.
At this point along the inner loop trail, you are north of the Chamizal National Memorial Cultural Center and south of Paisano Drive. Looking north toward the road, there is a slight rise. Along the top part of the hill, there is no grass cover. There are a few shrubs and small succulent plants growing in the bare dirt.
From this vantage point on the Chamizal National Memorial grounds, you can observe the Bridge of the Americas international bridge. The message, "Welcome to Mexico" in English and Spanish greets travelers crossing from El Paso into Ciudad Juárez.
Facing south at this point along the trail, a wide concrete bridge rises up slightly to your left about fifty yards away. It arches over the tall border fence and descends on the other side. A large green highway sign spans the width of the bridge at the top. Text reads "Welcome to Mexico," in both English and Spanish, and it has lane directions for cars and trucks.
This vantage point provides a view of the Bridge of the Americas port of entry. This port of entry, Chamizal National Memorial, and Bowie High School were all constructed on a portion of land that was transferred from Mexico to the United States as part of the Chamizal Treaty.
This point is along the east side of the park's inner loop trail. It looks over an open lawn area of the park that slopes down to a fence. On the other side of the fence is a sand-colored building and structures stretched across several lanes of roadway. The road is usually filled with lanes of vehicles passing through the port of entry. Vehicles on the side nearest the park are crossing from the United States to Mexico.
From this high point on Chamizal National Memorial grounds, you can look across today's landscape and locate landmarks to help identify historic locations such as the channel of the Rio Grande and parcels of land exchanged by the United States and Mexico during the Chamizal Convention.
On a rise in the paved trail leading south from the visitor center, there is a vantage point of the landscape west into downtown El Paso and south into Mexico. Toward the south, beyond the border fence, a few tall structures are visible rising up from the cityscape. A very large, tall, flagpole which sometimes bears an enormous Mexican flag, rises above its surroundings and can be seen straight ahead over the border fence. Slightly to the right, at a distance, are mountains with large, white letters. Slightly to the left is an international bridge. Beyond the bridge is a red building shaped like the letter X. It stands tall above its surroundings.
Until October 28, 1967, the land on which Chamizal National Memorial was built belonged to Mexico. The Defining A Border wayside identifies a remnant of the historic boundary along the northern edge of the park.
This wayside is on a walking trail that runs around the edge of the park. There is a line of cement obelisks, which are historic fence posts, running along the outer edge of this section of the trail and a drainage ditch and city street beyond it. There is an international boundary marker and interpretive panel between the fence line and the trail, with a bench on the opposite side of the trail.
In 2022, Ethan Houser's sculpture, "Benito Juárez – Child to Man," was emplaced as the focal point of this plaza. The Leaders for the Ages wayside exhibit provides context for the sculpture.
This wayside stands on a concrete plaza in front of the park’s cultural center. The tops of mountains can be seen in the distance. Closer to, and also in front of you, are widely-spaced, planted trees. They line the edges of a concrete esplanade that runs along the front of the cultural center. Trees also stand in widley-spaced, diamond-shaped planters along the center of the esplanade. About 35 feet in front of you, a bronze sculpture stands as the focal point of the plaza. It is entitled, “Benito Juárez – Child to Man”. It depicts a seated, adult Juárez who gazes at an open book in his left hand. Seated to his right, his younger self also reads a book. A lamb stands in front of the younger Juárez.
A huge, colorful mural is visible from the roadway entering the park. This interpretive wayside exhibit explains the significance of the mural and how it came to be painted on this park building.
This slanted wayside panel is mounted on a stand three feet above the ground along a wide, paved esplanade. It is located ten feet from the wall of a building that is painted with a primarily blue but brightly colored mural. The mural covers the wall from the rocky landscaping on the ground in front of it to the wide copper sheeting that rims the roof. This is the primary panel. Two others that are shorter are around the corner of the building to the left and not visible from this vantage point. Starting from the left, this panel of the mural includes the following images. A person carries a frame over their head and torso. The frame gives shape to the figure of a red, horned cow with whirling discs protruding from it. A woman in a yellow dress with black boots and spurs rides a horse. Three couples dance. The women wear colorful, dresses with full skirts. The men wear black sombreros and white shirts with red bow ties, short black jackets, and black pants with decorative cords down the outside of the legs. Two men dance wearing masks and carrying canes. Above them rises a Native figure with sculpted faces. The face of John F. Kennedy is painted much larger than life. To the right, a red male figure points his arm and soars up toward his face. Below, smaller figures of Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Adolfo Lopez Mateos shake hands. A man wearing jeans and cowboy hat dances with a brown haired woman. A Black man plays violin, and a young Black boy dances. A bare skinned Native man dances with arms outstretched. He wears an eagle headdress, and feathers line his arms. Another Native man wearing European style clothing stands in front of a mission building next to a priest. A Native woman stands with her hand on the shoulder of a seated Spaniard wearing armor. At the far right Cervantes stands under a tree holding a book.
Through a partnership with the University of Texas El Paso and Chamizal National Memorial, student artists will display sculpted works throughout the park from April 19th through June. The exhibit opening will coincide with National Park Week activities at Chamizal National Memorial and continue through the month of June.
Trail use at Chamizal National Memorial
Chamizal National Memorial provides a Zen place to reflect on conflict and resolution. The trails compliment the memorial, giving the public the ability to use them in multiple ways.
Biking at Chamizal National Memorial
With over a mile and a half of maintained trails, it's easy and fun to explore Chamizal National Memorial by bike!
Monumental Men Exhibit
The Monumental Men exhibit corresponds with the statue "Benito Juarez: Child to Man" located on the esplanade in front of the Cultural Center.
Chamizal Conflict and Resolution
Learn more about the Chamizal land dispute and how two countries came together to resolve a century-long issue.
Chamizal Junior Ranger
Junior Rangers of all ages are encouraged to learn more about Chamizal National Memorial by completing the junior ranger activity book to earn a badge!
Picnicking at Chamizal National Memorial
The rolling landscape of Chamizal National Memorial is the perfect spot to enjoy a picnic with friends and family!
Tours
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BARK Ranger
Becoming a BARK Ranger at Chamizal National Memorial is a fun way to experience the park with your pet companion. Following different stops on the inner loop trail to learn about each of the BARK Ranger promises.
Grounds Tour
Unfold your mental map of Chamizal history on today's landscape as you travel through the grounds of Chamizal National Memorial. Your route follows packed gravel and paved paths through the park. You will begin and end at the Cultural Center. Select the "Start Guided Tour" button to begin.
