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Plan Your Visit to Petrified Forest National Park Travel Guide
Petrified Forest National Park is known for its landscape of painted hills and 225 million-year-old jeweled logs. You will also find Badlands and a 1932 Studebaker. Petrified Forest National Park is one of three national parks in Arizona, along with the Grand Canyon and Saguaro.
READ 13 Incredible Day Trips from Flagstaff Arizona
Plan Your Visit to Petrified Forest National Park
Where is Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified National Forest sits between I-80 and I-40. The park is 3 hours from the Grand Canyon, 1.5 hours from Flagstaff, 3.5 hours from Phoenix, and 3 hours from Albuquerque. The 28-mile Petrified Forest Road runs directly through the park.
Facts About Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified National Forest became a national monument in 1906 and a national park in 1962.
Petrified Forest National Park receives 650,000 visitors each year.
The word petrified is from the Latin petro and means stone.
Petrified Forest National Park has the most petrified wood in the world.
The area was a rainforest 200 million years ago and dinosaurs once roamed here.
This park contains 100s of fossils from the Late Triassic Period.
Petrified Forest National Park is the only national park that contains a section of historic Route 66.
Best Time of Year to Visit Petrified Forest National Park
Winter is chilly in the park with daytime temperatures in the 50s. There may be a dusting of snow during the winter months. Summer is hot and dry, expect temperatures in the 90-100s. July – September is monsoon season and thunderstorms are common. There is little rain and moderate temperatures in the fall. Spring brings wildflowers.
Accommodations at Petrified Forest National Park
There are no campgrounds at Petrified Forest National Park. Backcountry camping permits are available. If you are not taking a day trip from Flagstaff Arizona, Holbrook is the closest town for lodging. Check into staying at the famous Route 66 Wigwam Hotel.
Things to Do at Petrified Forest National Park
Hike the 1-mile RT Painted Desert Rim Trail.
Have a picnic lunch and browse the exhibits at the Painted Desert Inn.
Stop at Tawa Point and Kachina Point for panoramic photos of the desert.
Take a selfie with the 1932 Route 66 Studebaker.
View the petrographs on Newspaper Rock.
See the foundation of the Puerco Pueblo.
Photograph the zebra-striped Teepees.
Hike the 3-mile Blue Forest Trail or 1-mile Blue Mesa loop through the Blue Mesa.
Drive the Blue Mesa Scenic Road and stop for photos.
Get off the beaten path and walk through Jasper Forest.
Explore the petrified wood on the .8-mile Crystal Forest loop.
Take the 1.6-mile RT Long Logs Trail past the longest trees in the park.
Check out the huge logs on the .4-mile Giant Logs loop.
Browse the fossil exhibits at the Rainbow Forest Museum.
Stop at the Little Painted Desert outside the park’s boundaries.
Be sure to check the Petrified Forest National Park Service for current events
Tips for Visiting Petrified Forest National Park
Dogs are allowed on the trails in Petrified Forest National Park.
It is ok to touch but do not remove the petrified bark.
Petrified wood souvenirs from private property can be purchased in Holbrook.
Fill up your gas tank in Holbrook before entering the park.
There is no food in the park, bring a picnic lunch, snacks, and plenty of water.
The park is gated and hours vary by season.
Be sure to visit the National Park Service website for hours, updates, and closures before arriving.
Practice Leave No Trace Principles
Purchase an America the Beautiful Pass and keep exploring National Parks
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Plan Your Petrified Forest National Park Trip
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