Traffic & Tourism Counts and Travel Impacts

In 2024, the busiest stretch of highway in Cochise County remained Interstate 10 between Skyline Rd and State Route 90 in Benson, with an average annual daily traffic count (AADT) of 34,308, up 1.4% from the year prior, according to data from Arizona Department of Transportation. Off the interstate, the busiest stretch of highway in 2024 was State Route 92 in Sierra Vista, from State Route 90 (Fry Blvd) to East Foothills Dr, with an average of 27,911 vehicles daily, up 0.9% from 2023.

See spreadsheets, below, for annual Cochise County traffic counts for all measured stretches of US and state routes countywide

NATIONAL & STATE PARK VISITOR COUNTS

• Cochise County’s visitation picture in 2025 was mixed but instructive. Open-air destinations continued to demonstrate resilience and growth, while indoor or managed-access sites faced renewed headwinds. Coronado National Memorial led gains, Fort Bowie extended a steady recovery, Chiricahua eased slightly after a 2024 peak, and both Kartchner Caverns and Tombstone Courthouse stepped down meaningfully from 2024, remaining below pre-pandemic 2019 levels.
• Coronado National Memorial posted the county’s standout advance. Annual visitation reached 179,216 in 2025, up 14,790 visitors (+9.0%) from 2024 and 48,888 above 2019 (+37.5%). Strength was broad-based across the year with notable late-year surges—both November (19,232) and December (19,177) were among the highest months. The sustained multi-year climb since 2022 underscores persistent demand for open-air recreation and suggests continued pressure on peak-season capacity and maintenance needs.
• Chiricahua National Monument recorded 70,407 visitors in 2025, a slight step down from 71,392 in 2024 (-985, or -1.4%), yet still comfortably above the 2019 baseline by 9,752 (+16.1%). Seasonality remained pronounced: March led the year with 13,317 visitors, while mid-summer volumes dipped near the 2,400–2,600 range. The monument’s position above pre-pandemic levels indicates healthy core demand despite the modest year-over-year easing.
• Fort Bowie National Historic Site continued its quiet recovery. The 2025 total of 8,739 was up 256 (+3.0%) versus 2024 and 1,162 (+15.3%) above 2019. Monthly patterns were consistent with a small site profile: spring and late fall posted comparatively stronger counts (for example, March at 1,356 and November at 1,022), while August was the low point (129). The trajectory remains stable, with incremental gains rather than large swings.
• Kartchner Caverns State Park experienced a notable reversal. Visitation fell to 128,034 in 2025, down 27,528 (-17.7%) from 2024 and 48,430 (-27.4%) below 2019. The year still showed the familiar cave-tour seasonality: March was the high water mark (19,776), followed by a summer lull (June at 3,697; August at 4,651), and a partial rebound into fall. The setback underscores ongoing sensitivity to operational constraints, capacity management, and visitor preferences for indoor experiences.
• Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park also stepped down, ending 2025 at 30,926—6,213 fewer visitors than 2024 (-16.7%) and 16,623 below 2019 (-35.0%). Early-year months carried the site (January through March ranged roughly 3,500 to 4,700), but volumes softened substantially by late summer (August at 1,245 and September at 1,223). Results echo the broader challenges facing indoor historic venues relative to open-air sites.
• In aggregate, last year’s pattern reinforces a durable shift toward open-air visitation. Coronado’s continued rise and Chiricahua’s solid footing above 2019 suggest sustained demand and the need to plan staffing and infrastructure around spring and late-year peaks. Meanwhile, Kartchner and Tombstone’s declines warrant close monitoring of operational and programming levers to stabilize demand. Fort Bowie’s steady improvement remains a bright spot for heritage-focused visitation with modest but reliable growth.

See spreadsheets, below, for monthly and annual Cochise County national and state park visitor counts by attraction, including national monuments and memorials (updated twice annually).

IMPACT OF TOURISM & TRAVEL

• According to research by Dean Runyan Associates for Arizona Office of Tourism, Cochise County's travel industry (including business and leisure travel) generated $379.7 million in direct spending countywide in 2024, down 2.8% from the year prior (that followed increases of 63.5% in 2021, 13.8% in 2022, and 1.6% in 2023, rebounding from a 40.1% COVID-related drop in 2020, the first year of the pandemic). Travel-related direct spending in 2023 was at a record high (with records back to 1998, not adjusted for inflation) prior to the 2024 decline. Cochise County's travel industry supported 3,200 jobs countywide in 2024 (down 8.8%% from the year prior) with household earnings of $99.5 million (down 4.1% from 2023), according to the study.