Fort Bowie National Historic Site
Designation: National Historic Site
Location: Arizona
📘 Park Overview
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.
🌤 Weather Information
🚗 Directions
From Willcox, AZ / points west on I-10: drive 23 miles east of Willcox on Interstate 10 to the the town of Bowie. Exit at the first Bowie exit and drive through the town. Follow the signs for Fort Bowie National Historic Site and turn south on Apache Pass Road. Drive 13 miles to the Fort Bowie Trailhead (the last mile of the road is unpaved). Be prepared to walk the three miles round trip to the ruins and back to your car.
Images
San Simon Valley can be seen just beyond the ruins of the cavalry barracks.
Credit: NPS Photo/ Ron Stewart
The mountain howitzer is a symbolic relic from the active days of Fort Bowie
Credit: NPS Photo
The Post Trader's store on a spring day.
Credit: NPS Photo
Fort Bowie was once a bustling frontier military fort. Today, the ruins offer a place of reflection.
Credit: NPS Photo
Fort Bowie cemetery is accessed via the Fort Bowie Trail, and in addition to many US troops buried here, some Apache/Indeh are buried here as well.
Credit: NPS Photo
The heliograph was an important communications tool in the late 1880s. Stationed on top of high desert peaks, sunlight was reflected off mirrors in coded patterns to send a message miles away.
Credit: NPS Photo
Activities
Topics
Operating Hours
Entrance Fees
No entrance fees listed.
Entrance Passes
No entrance passes listed.
3-Day Weather Forecast
Sunday, Apr 26
Sunny
High: 77.9°F | Low: 51.3°F
Humidity: 25%
Wind: 34 mph
Rain Chance: 0%
UV Index: 11
Sunrise: 05:36 AM
Sunset: 06:55 PM
Moon: Waxing Gibbous (70%)
Visibility: 6 mi
Dew Point: 50.5°F
Cloud Cover: 0%
Pressure: N/A mb
Air Quality (PM2.5): N/A
Ozone: N/A
EPA Index: N/A
Monday, Apr 27
Sunny
High: 76.9°F | Low: 43.7°F
Humidity: 28%
Wind: 22.4 mph
Rain Chance: 0%
UV Index: 11.4
Sunrise: 05:35 AM
Sunset: 06:55 PM
Moon: Waxing Gibbous (79%)
Visibility: 6 mi
Dew Point: 45.2°F
Cloud Cover: 0%
Pressure: N/A mb
Air Quality (PM2.5): N/A
Ozone: N/A
EPA Index: N/A
Tuesday, Apr 28
Partly Cloudy
High: 76.6°F | Low: 48°F
Humidity: 21%
Wind: 15.2 mph
Rain Chance: 0%
UV Index: 10.6
Sunrise: 05:34 AM
Sunset: 06:56 PM
Moon: Waxing Gibbous (87%)
Visibility: 6 mi
Dew Point: 45.9°F
Cloud Cover: 0%
Pressure: N/A mb
Air Quality (PM2.5): N/A
Ozone: N/A
EPA Index: N/A
Weather Alerts (3)
Wind Advisory issued April 25 at 12:21PM MST until April 26 at 7:00PM MST by NWS Tucson AZ
Effective: Apr 25, 2026 3:21pm
Expires: Apr 26, 2026 8:00am
* WHAT...West to southwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 40 to 45
mph expected.
* WHERE...Eastern Cochise County below 5000 feet and Upper San Pedro
River Valley.
* WHEN...From 10 AM to 7 PM MST Sunday.
* IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree
limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.
Red Flag Warning issued April 25 at 8:52PM MDT until April 26 at 8:00PM MDT by NWS El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa NM
Effective: Apr 25, 2026 10:52pm
Expires: Apr 26, 2026 9:00am
...CRITICAL TO EXTREMELY CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
SUNDAY FOR SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL NEW MEXICO, AND
WEST TEXAS...
.A Pacific storm system, passing though the southwest and over
the Four Corners region will keep our area dry, and increase the
winds Sunday. This will elevate fire danger to critical to
extremely critical across Southwest and South Central New Mexico,
as well as Far West Texas. Wind gusts, from the southwest, will
increase up to 60 mph or greater Sunday. Minimum relative
humidity will range from 10-15 percent lowlands to 15- 20 percent
mountains. Widespread tree mortality and die back fuels will
increase the wildfire risk as ERCs climb to 85-90 percentile.
* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zone 055 Texas Fire Weather Zone
055 El Paso County, Fire Weather Zone 056 Texas Fire Weather
Zone 056 Hudspeth County, Fire Weather Zone 110 Southwest
Mountains/Gila NF/Apache NF/GLZ, Fire Weather Zone 111
Southwest Deserts and Lowlands/Las Cruces BLM/GLZ and Fire
Weather Zone 112 South Central Lowlands and Southern Rio
Grande Valley/BLM/GLZ.
* TIMING...winds increasing after 10 am, and peaking in middle to
late afternoon.
* WINDS...Southwest 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 10 percent.
* TEMPERATURES...Up to 86.
* EXPERIMENTAL RFTI...4 to 6, Critical.
* IMPACTS...any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended
Wind Advisory issued April 25 at 7:25PM MDT until April 26 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa NM
Effective: Apr 25, 2026 9:25pm
Expires: Apr 26, 2026 9:00am
* WHAT...West winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph expected.
* WHERE...The Gila Region, and Far Southwest New Mexico.
* WHEN...From 10 AM to 9 PM MDT Sunday.
* IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree
limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Blowing dust is also likely to develop in the
lowlands. Blowing Dust Advisories and Dust Storm Warnings may be
needed.
Park Alerts
Park Events
Porch Talk
Join us on the front porch for a short talk about Fort Bowie. Daily topics may include military history, the Apache Wars, the Butterfield Stagecoach, the fort cemetery, nature, and water in the desert.
Location: Meet on the visitor center front porch in front of the fort ruins. If walking in, park at the trailhead on Apache Pass Road and allow an hour or more. If parking in the accessible lot, allow 10 minutes to walk up to the building.
Date: Mar 15, 2026 12:00am to Apr 25, 2026 12:00am
Paid Event
Visitor Center & Contacts
📍 Physical Address:
3500 South Apache Pass Road
Bowie, AZ 85605
🏤 Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 158
Bowie, AZ 85605
📞 Voice Phone: 520-549-6751
✉️ Email: chir_info@nps.gov