Petrified Forest National Park is a stunning natural wonder located in northeastern Arizona, USA. This unique park is known for its mesmerizing petrified wood, colorful badlands, ancient fossils, and fascinating history. Join us as we uncover the secrets of Petrified Forest National Park and share our love for this awe-inspiring destination.
ABOUT PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK
Covering over 220 square miles, Petrified Forest National Park is home to an incredible landscape of multicolored badlands, ancient fossils, and one of the world’s largest concentrations of petrified wood.
The park’s unique geology dates back millions of years and offers a window into the ancient history of the earth. The colorful formations of the Painted Desert, created by millions of years of erosion, showcase the unique and diverse beauty of the area. The petrified wood, formed over 200 million years ago from fallen trees, is now an incredible sight to behold, with its once-living cells replaced by minerals, creating a brilliant rainbow of colors.
In addition to its geological wonders, Petrified Forest National Park is also home to a rich cultural history, with evidence of human habitation dating back over 13,000 years. The park is home to several important archaeological sites, including the Puerco Pueblo, which was inhabited by Ancestral Puebloan people from approximately 1250 to 1380 AD.
HOW THE PETRIFIED WOOD WAS FORMED
Petrified wood in Petrified Forest National Park is formed through a process called permineralization. This occurs when organic materials, such as wood, are buried by sediment and become fossilized over millions of years.
The process of permineralization begins when dead trees are buried by sediment, such as volcanic ash or mud, which cuts off the supply of oxygen and prevents the wood from decaying. Over time, groundwater rich in minerals, such as silica, iron, and manganese, seeps into the buried wood and begins to replace the organic material with these minerals. The minerals fill in the spaces within the wood, replacing the cells and creating a detailed mineral replica of the original wood, and forming quartz. This process can take millions of years, resulting in petrified wood that is extremely hard, durable, and colorful.
In Petrified Forest National Park, the trees that once grew in the area were likely knocked down by flooding rivers and buried by sediment, which eventually led to the formation of the park’s stunning petrified wood.
WHERE IS PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK LOCATED?
Petrified Forest National Park is located in the high desert of northeastern Arizona, near the small town of Holbrook. It’s easily accessible by car, and one of the few National Parks where you can experience most of the park simply by driving through it.
DRIVE TIME FROM:
- Phoenix- 3.5 hours
- Las Vegas – 5.5 hours
- Salt Lake City – 8 hours
- Albuquerque – 3 hours
- Los Angeles – 8 hours
MAP OF PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK
ENTRY TO PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK
ENTRANCE FEES
Good news! No reservations or timed entries required! Also good news, no long lines of vehicles waiting to enter the park! Not having to worry about timed entry reservations or lines of vehicles, makes visiting this park so much easier than that some of the more popular parks. There is however still an entry fee required.
Petrified Forest has a standard fee of $25 per vehicle, which is good for 7 days, no matter the time of year you are visiting. If you are someone who lives in Arizona or the neighboring areas, and would like to visit Petrified Forest often, they do have a $45 annual pass that you can get as well. You can view all the entry and pass options HERE.
There are two visitors centers in the park. One at the northern end of the park, called Painted Desert Visitor Center, and one at the southern end of the park called Rainbow Forest Museum. Both centers offer the same services, and include gift shops for all your park needs!
If you are someone like us who is either on a mission to visit every single National Park in the U.S., or plans to visit more than 2 or 3 U.S. national parks per year, then we’d highly recommend getting the America The Beautiful Pass. For $80, this annual pass gives you full access to all 63 National Parks in the U.S., as well as any federal recreational sites that charge a fee for entry. Stay at 3 National Parks and this easily pays for itself.
WHERE TO STAY IN PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK
Unfortunately, there aren’t any lodging or campground services inside the park, nor is boon docking or dispersed camping allowed. The only camping option would be for backcountry camping. You can read more about that HERE.
If camping isn’t your thing, there are several hotels and motels located near the park, in the nearby town of Holbrook. Holbrook is a small town with a range of accommodations, including budget-friendly motels and more upscale hotels. Some popular options include the Wigwam Motel, the Best Western Adobe Inn, and the Lexington Inn Holbrook.
For those looking for a more unique experience, there are also several options for glamping near the park. Some companies offer luxury camping experiences in the surrounding area, with options ranging from yurts to canvas tents with all the amenities of a hotel room.
There are also a number of Harvest Host locations around Petrified Forest. So if you are someone with a RV or camper, we’d highly recommend exploring these options!
THINGS TO DO IN PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK
Petrified Forest National Park is an incredible destination with plenty of activities to enjoy. The park offers a range of activities for visitors, from hiking and scenic drives to wildlife viewing and backcountry camping.
HIKING
Petrified Forest National Park has many hiking trails for all skill levels. And the best part? They’re all dog friendly! But we’ll cover that below in the pet friendly section. The hikes and trails that we note below, will be in geographical order starting from the Painted Desert Visitor Center at the northern end of the park.
TAWA POINT
The Tawa Trail is located just north of the Painted Desert Visitor Center, and is the first overlook and trail to do. This relatively easy and short, and gives you some of the best sprawling views of the badlands of Arizona. Whether you tackle the hike, or simply pull off to the overlook, we highly recommend stopping here.
- DIFFICULTY – Easy
- LENGTH – 1.0mi / 1.6km
BLUE MESA
One of our absolute favorite hikes in the park, is the Blue Mesa Trail. This trail is a perfect introduction to the petrified wood, and gets you down in to one of the valleys of the badlands. This is easy the best place to get up close views of the painted desert itself.
- DIFFICULTY – Easy
- LENGTH – 1.0mi / 1.6km
AGATE BRIDGE
While this doesn’t require any hiking, it is still worth noting, and visiting. The Agate Bridge is a petrified tree, which had formed a bridge. In the early 1900s, a cement platform was built underneath the bridge to preserve its place.
- DIFFICULTY – Easy
- LENGTH – 0mi / 0km
CRYSTAL FOREST
Can you guess why this tail is named as such? If you guessed the crystals in the wood, you guessed right! Along this hike, you’ll get up close views of some of the most colorful quartz that’s formed in these ancient wooden logs.
- DIFFICULTY – Easy
- LENGTH – 0.75mi / 1.21km
LONG LOGS & AGATE HOUSE
These last two trails, are connected, and we feel they both warrant exploring, so we’re combining them in to one. From the southern Rainbow Forest Museum, this hike takes you to the Agate House which “Archeologists believe that this small pueblo was occupied for a short time about 700 years ago. Agate House was an eight room home with entry through the ceiling.”
A short off-shoot from this hike takes you along a path giving you views of some of the longest petrified trees inside the park.
- DIFFICULTY – Easy to moderate
- LENGTH – 2.6mi / 4.18km
OTHER HIKES TO EXPLORE
- Painted Desert Rim Trail
- Giant Logs
- Puerco Pueblo
ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES
While hiking is our preferred activity, and we mentioned kayaking above, there are a number of other activities you can do in the park. Here’s a few notable options:
Scenic drives – The park has several scenic drives, including the Painted Desert Drive, which offers stunning views of the multicolored badlands and the Petrified Forest Loop, which takes you through some of the most beautiful areas of the park.
View the petrified wood – The park is home to one of the largest concentrations of petrified wood in the world. Take a walk along the Crystal Forest Trail or Blue Mesa Trail to see the colorful petrified logs up close.
Visit the museums and visitor centers – The park has two visitor centers and a museum, where you can learn about the park’s geology, paleontology, and cultural history. The Painted Desert Visitor Center and Rainbow Forest Museum are both excellent places to start your visit.
Wildlife viewing – The park is home to a variety of wildlife, including pronghorns, coyotes, and several species of birds. Keep your eyes peeled as you explore the park’s trails and drives.
Backcountry camping – If you’re looking for a more immersive experience, the park offers backcountry camping permits. You’ll need to bring your own supplies, but the experience of sleeping under the stars in this incredible park is worth it.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
The best time to visit Petrified Forest National Park depends on your preferences and interests. However, in general, the park is open year-round and offers unique experiences during each season.
SPRING & FALL
If you’re interested in outdoor activities like hiking, camping, and wildlife viewing, the best time to visit the park is during the spring and fall months, from March to May and September to November. During these months, the weather is mild, with temperatures ranging from the low 50s to the mid-70s Fahrenheit, making it perfect for outdoor adventures. You’ll also have the opportunity to see the park’s wildflowers and colorful foliage, which make for stunning photo opportunities.
SUMMER
Summer, from June to August, is also a popular time to visit Petrified Forest National Park, but it can be quite hot, with temperatures ranging from the mid-80s to the mid-90s Fahrenheit.
WINTER
If you’re looking to avoid the crowds, winter, from December to February, is a great time to visit. The park is typically less crowded during this time, and you can enjoy peaceful walks along the park’s trails. However, it can also be quite cold, with temperatures ranging from the mid-20s to the mid-50s Fahrenheit. The park may also experience occasional snowfall during the winter months, which can add a unique and beautiful aspect to the landscape.
We went in March, and it was still quite brisk, but we had no problems with crowds.
You can keep up with park updates HERE.
SEASONS
SPRING
- Avg Low temps: 31ºF / 0.5ºC
- Avg High temps: 64ºF / 18ºC
SUMMER
- Avg Low temps: 55ºF / 13ºC
- Avg High temps: 87ºF / 31ºC
FALL
- Avg Low temps: 42ºF / 6ºC
- Avg High temps: 73ºF / 23ºC
WINTER
- Avg Low temps: 24ºF / -4ºC
- Avg High temps: 50ºF / 10ºC
HOW MUCH TIME IS NEEDED
How much time you need to plan for in a place, is one of the most important questions to answer when planning a trip. Petrified Forest National Park is not a large park, and can easily be visited in one day. This is largely due to how accessible the park is. But it really depends on how many of the activities you want to do. Based on our experience, we would recommend a one-day trip to visit this park, which would easily allow you to tackle all of the hikes we mentioned above.
OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER
CELL PHONE SERVICE
Cell phone service inside the park is relatively decent, subject to your carrier. That being said, we’d still highly recommend downloading offline maps, trail info, and make sure to share your plans and itinerary with someone outside of the park in case of emergency.
PET FRIENDLY?
YES! One of the best things about this park, is that it is entirely pet friendly! Visitor centers, museums and gift shops excluded. Pets are allowed on all trails, but must be kept on a leash at all times. And since many of the trails are 1mi / 1.6km or less, it’s perfect for your furry friends!
You can find more info on the NPS website HERE.
LEAVE NO TRACE & 10 HIKING ESSENTIALS
This park is full of unique landscapes and fragile environments, both for plant life, and animals alike. So it is incredibly important to practice the 7 PRINCIPLES OF LEAVE NO TRACE, and follow the posted signage and guidelines of the park. If you aren’t familiar with Leave No Trace, here’s a breakdown:
- Plan ahead and prepare
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impact
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of others
There are additional and more in-depth details of what each of these means on the LNT website, so make sure to take a look at that!
Similarly, because of how harsh the weather conditions can be, and because there is virtually no cell-phone service anywhere, it is important to hike with the 10 Essentials of Hiking. If you aren’t familiar, here’s a breakdown:
- NAVIGATION – maps, guides, compass, GPS locator
- HEADLAMP – flashlight and extra batteries or charger
- SUN PROTECTION – body sunscreen, lip sunscreen, and clothing protection
- FIRST AID – including animal and bug repellents
- KNIFE – as well as knife repair kit
- FIRE – matches, lighter, tinder and striker
- SHELTER – tent, cover, or anything to protect and cover you
- FOOD – snacks and extra meal
- WATER – more than the minimum recommended amount
- CLOTHES – enough to handle night-time elements
Interested in knowing what gear we use for all our adventures? Check out our Rock Porch lockers which list all of the gear we use, and where to shop it!
ULTIMATE GUIDE TO PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK
Let us know what you thought of this, if we missed anything, and if you plan on taking a trek to Channel Islands National Park at some point, down below in our comments!
And if you’re looking for some other California or National Park inspiration, check out some of our other articles:
- ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK
- ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK
- ULTIMATE GUIDE TO DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
- ULTIMATE GUIDE TO YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
- 5 MUST-DO ACTIVITIES IN JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK
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Thanks for stopping by!
Ryan & Katy
