 It was later declared a national park on 27 November 1917, by President Venustiano Carranza.The original name was "Desierto de Nuestra Señora del Carmen de los Montes de Santa Fe", but over time it was modified by people in nearby communities who started calling it Desierto de los Leones.It was given the name ""desert"" due to the location of the park that was built in a place far away from the city.