Chamizal National Memorial

Explore the history of the Borderlands at Chamizal National Memorial

In a different world, we would’ve visited Chamizal National Memorial in the first week or so after moving to El Paso. But #covid happened, so it took us 18 months to finally get over there. Chamizal National Memorial preserves a quirk of nature that changed an international boundary and celebrates the friendship between the United States and Mexico.

The Rio Grande serves as the official border between the United States and Mexico for the entire length of Texas. Over the centuries (millennia), the river changed course after seasonal flooding. That wasn’t an issue until the Rio Grande receded and moved a neighborhood from Mexico into the US in the late 1800s. A border dispute arose and wasn’t resolved until LBJ was president. The countries dug a flood channel to prevent changes to the river’s course around El Paso, and the land on either side of the border was preserved as public parks.

A map shows changes to the Rio Grande over the past 150 years.

Address and Location

You’ll find Chamizal National Monument at 800 South San Marcial Street in El Paso, Texas. The site is accessible from the Paisano Drive exit of US 54 / TX 375 or from downtown.

Chamizal National Memorial celebrates the culture and heritage of the El Paso and Juarez communities.

Cost

Exploring Chamizal National Monument is free!

What to Do

The Visitor’s Center is quite large but doesn’t really have a lot of stuff to fill it. The museum has an interesting exhibit about the Mexican-American War and the politics that created the border dispute. It also covers history of El Paso and Juarez over the years. You can also browse an art gallery.

Be sure to include a stop at Chamizal National Memorial during your trip to El Paso

The park itself is a decent size and covers about 55 acres. You can follow the paved paths to stretch your legs. The outer loop path is about a mile long; it’s gravel with slight elevation changes and are mostly accessible. Take in view of the Bridge of the Americas (it’s right next to the park), downtown El Paso, and the mountains of El Paso and Juarez.

The Bridge of the Americas border crossing between El Paso and Juarez

As you walk the outer loop, keep an eye out for the border markers along Paisano Drive. This row marked the original border established by the Treaty of 1848 at the end of the Mexican-American War. Because of how the border shifted, you can see both the American and Mexican sides of the markers.

Chamizal National Memorial
Take in views of Franklin Mountain from Chamizal National Memorial in El Paso

Texas National Park Service Sites: Guadalupe Mountains National Park  |  Amistad National Recreation Area  |  Big Bend National Park  |  Fort Davis National Historic Site