- VISITATION:
- Highest during April through September, lowest during October through March.
- LOCATION:
- El Paso, Texas
- ADDRESS:
- 800 South San Marcial
El Paso, TX 79905
- TELEPHONE:
- (915) 532-7273
- OPERATING HOURS, SEASONS:
- Daily, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m; closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and January 1.
- CLIMATE, RECOMMENDED CLOTHING:
- Generally sunny with low humidity. Mild winters. Summers
very hot and dry. Comfortable, layered sportswear is recommended
along with comfortable shoes.
- DIRECTIONS:
- Visitors traveling east or west on I-10, exit at Hwy 54 and
follow designated signs.
Visitors traveling south on Hwy 54, take exit marked Juárez,
Mexico, DO NOT proceed onto the International Bridge, but turn
right onto Paisano Street, continue to follow signs towards
Chamizal.
- TRANSPORTATION:
- To Park: access by I-10, state highways 54 and 62 (Paisano).
El Paso is serviced by an international airport, bus, and train
stations.
In Park: personal vehicle, bicycle.
- FEES, COSTS, RATES:
- Free admission. Permits required for special uses. Tickets are sold for some theater events.
Donations accepted; donation boxes available.
- FACILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES:
- Visitor Center/Exhibits:
Interpretive exhibits, a 12-minute video on the Memorial, and art exhibits are available daily.
The outdoor mural, Nuestra Herencia, depicts the history and cultural diversity of the
area. A bookstore, managed by the Southwest Parks and Monuments Association, offers
publications about Chamizal, the surrounding area, and the National Park Service; postcards and
posters are also available. Within the Visitor Center is a 500-seat performing arts theatre in
which cultural performances are presented at various times throughout the year as posted.
- Trails/Roads:
Walking Paths: The Córdova Island Trail is a 1.8-mile walking trail that encircles
the 55-acre urban park. Open space is an appreciated commodity to people living in this
metropolitan area of 1.2 million. Views of the Franklin and Juárez Mountains, the El
Paso downtown skyline, and an international bridge, can be seen from the trail. Visitors also
walk by historic 19th century boundary markers and a variety of Chihuahuan Desert plants.
This walking path gets its name because it is located on what used to be an "island" that was
locally known as "Córdova's Woods." This term was used in recognition of two
Córdova brothers who had owned and operated a nearby flourmill. Also, in the 1800s,
the Río Grande meandered around an egg-shaped loop of land. One-half of this "island"
was ceded to the United States in a complex land transfer that resulted from the Chamizal Treaty.
Today, the Río Grande flows in a stabilized concrete channel south of the memorial.
- Programs/Activities:
Junior Park Ranger Program:
A Junior Park Ranger booklet is available at the Visitor Center so young people between the ages
of 6 and 11 can learn more about the Memorial during their visit. Participants must correctly
complete sections of this booklet to earn a free Junior Ranger badge and certificate. Junior
Rangers may purchase a patch in the bookstore for $1.50.
- Lodging and camping facilities:
No camping or lodging facilities in the park.
Hotels, motels, and RV facilities are available in the El Paso area.
Picnic tables and grills are available on park grounds.
- Food/supplies:
A variety of stores and restaurants are available in the El Paso/Ciudad Juárez area.
- First Aid/Hospitals:
Major hospitals and services are available throughout El Paso.
- Accessibility:
All facilities and events are accessible.
- RESERVATIONS/PERMITS:
- Special Use Permits:
Theatre booking request forms are available in the Visitor Center from April 1 through May 31
of each year. A non-refundable $25.00 application payment must be submitted with each
booking request submitted. Upon successful authorization of a presentation date, the $25.00 will
become credited toward the required, non-refundable application charge of $50.00 for the special
use permit costs. A refundable, cost recovery deposit of $200.00 is also required. Payments are
due when the permit is signed.
Many visitors picnic and play on the memorial grounds. Groups of 50 or more must obtain a
special use permit at least two weeks in advance of their selected arrival date. There is a $25.00
application fee for each permit.
- SPECIAL EVENTS, PROGRAMS:
- Contact the park for additional information on events and performances.
- Spanish Drama Festival, Siglo de Oro, late winter.
- The City of El Paso's Arts Resources Department sponsors the annual Music Under the
Stars, Sunday evenings in the summer.
- The Mexican Consulate's Centro Cultural Mexicano sponsors El Grito, a Mexican
Independence Day celebration, evening of September 15.
- The National Park Service sponsors the annual Border Folk Festival each
fall.
- ADJACENT VISITOR ATTRACTIONS:
- From Chamizal National Memorial, the following sites provide a day trip for
visitors:
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
- Theatre and Amphitheatre:
The 500-seat indoor theatre accommodates a wide variety of multi-cultural events by both
amateur and professional groups. These include musicals, dramas, concerts, plays, dance and
music recitals, and workshops. The National Park Service sponsors the free, annual Spanish
Drama Festival, Siglo de Oro, which takes place in late winter. Each group using the
theatre is responsible for their own ticket sales for admission to their theatrical events.
An outdoor stage hosts a variety of free events during the summer months. The City of El Paso's
Arts Resources Department sponsors the annual Music Under the Stars, which occurs
during Sunday evenings in the summer. The Mexican Consulate's Centro Cultural Mexicano
sponsors El Grito, a Mexican Independence Day celebration, during the evening of
September 15. The National Park Service sponsors the annual Border Folk Festival each
fall.
Gallery:
In addition to the art exhibits in the Visitor Center, a gallery in the administrative
building is open to the public. Visual exhibits, of differing media, encompass the work of
many local and international artists.
