With one of the world's largest and most colorful concentrations of petrified wood, multi-hued badlands of the Painted Desert, historic structures, archeological sites, and displays of 225 million year old fossils, this is a surprising land of scenic wonders and fascinating science.
The Basics
Hours:
Open year round except Christmas, December 25.
Park hours are currently 7:00 am to 6:00 pm Mountain Standard Time (MST) through May 12, 2007. Painted Desert Visitor Center and Rainbow Forest Museum are also open 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, with hours changing to match those posted below. Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark (a museum and bookstore) is open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm year-round.
Address:
1 Park Road
PO Box 2217 Petrified Forest, AZ 86028
Phone:
928-524-6228
Fax:
928-524-3567
Map
Directions
Driving fromPhoenix you have several choices: 1) travel Interstates 17 North and 40 East, passing through Flagstaff (259 miles), or 2) travel Highways 87 North to Payson, 260 East to Heber, 377 North to Holbrook, and 180 South to the park (215 miles).
Driving from Albuquerque Travel 204 miles west on Interstate 40 to Exit 311.
Westbound Interstate 40 travelers should take Exit 311, drive the 28 miles through the park and connect with Highway 180 at the south end. Travel 19 miles on Highway 180 North to return to Interstate 40 via Holbrook.
Eastbound Interstate 40 travelers should take Exit 285 into Holbrook then travel 19 miles on Highway 180 South to the park's south entrance. Drive the 28 miles north through the park to return to Interstate.
Climate
Petrified Forest National Park has variable weather throughout the year. Summers are hot with thunderstorms from July through September. With an elevation of over 5,000 feet, winters can be quite cold and snow is a possibility. Spring and fall can be hot or cold with rapidly changing conditions during the day.
Walk the trails at Painted Desert Rim, Blue Mesa, Crystal Forest, Long Logs and Agate House.
Attend several Ranger Programs
If you have a day or more, add....
Hike into the Wilderness Area
Outdoor Camping
Petrified Forest National Park does not have campground facilities, and overnight parking is not allowed.
Backpack camping is allowed within the Wilderness Area, requiring, at minimum, a 1 mile hike away from developed areas. A free backcountry permit is available from one of the visitor centers during park hours. Permits may not be attained in advance and must be acquired 1 hour before park closing. Park hours are 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. MST in winter and 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. MST in summer.
The following are popular camping options outside the park. The list is not all inclusive, and the National Park Service does not endorse the use of any of the following facilities.
Outside the south entrance of the park, at the junction of the park road and Highway 180, two privately owned gift shops allow overnight parking in their parking lots.
Off Interstate 40, about 18 miles west of the north entrance to the park, Sun Valley has the “Root 66 RV Park” with hook-ups.
In Holbrook, 26 miles west of the park, there is both a KOA and a Good Sam’s RV park (the OK RV Park).
Near Winslow, 1 hour west of the park, is Homolovi Ruins State Park with a campground and facilities.
Near St. Johns, 1 hour southeast of the park, is Lyman Lake State Park with a campground, cabins, and yurts.
Near Gallup, New Mexico, 1 hour east of the park, is Red Rock State Park, with a campground and facilities.
For more primitive camping, Rock Art Ranch, 20 miles east of Holbrook or 13 miles west of Winslow, and accessed via 10+ miles of unimproved road, allows overnight stays at the top of a narrow canyon famous for its collection of petroglyphs (ancient rock carvings). This is a very special place where only pictures should be taken and hands kept off the walls. The canyon has water running year round and is a true oasis in this parched land. A toilet and shade shelter are provided at the camping area. Reservations must be made in advance as this is private land and access is denied without the owner’s permission. The number to contact is (928)288-3260 or (928) 386-5047.
One of the best ways to enjoy and experience Petrified Forest National Park is on foot. Maintained trails range in length from one-third mile to almost three miles.
You can also hike in the trail-less Wilderness Area, as a day hike or on an overnight backpacking trip.
Stay on designated trails in developed hiking areas. Off-trail hiking damages the fragile grassland environment and disturbs wildlife habitat, creating unsightly "social" trails. Leaving the designated trail can also be hazardous for hikers due to loose rock and dangerous cliffs.
Pets must be kept on leash and are allowed on maintained trails. Pets are not permitted in the park buildings or in Wilderness Areas.
Trails
The best way to enjoy and experience Petrified Forest National Park is on foot. Designated trails range in length from less than a half-mile to almost three miles.
Stay on designated trails in developed hiking areas. Off-trail hiking damages the fragile grassland environment and disturbs wildlife habitat, creating unsightly "social" trails. Leaving the designated trail can also be hazardous for hikers due to loose rock and dangerous cliffs.
Pets are allowed on most of the developed trails. Pets must be kept on leash at all times. Pets are not permitted in park buildings, in Wilderness Areas or on Wilderness access trails (except for service animals). Please clean up after your animal; use the trash receptacles.
Bicycles are not allowed on trails or off roads at any time.
At this time, none of the developed trails meet ADA requirements. Portions of some trails are accessible with assistance. Please see the descriptions below for more information.
Painted Desert Rim Trail Length: 1 mile round trip Trailhead: Tawa Point and Kachina Point This unpaved trail winds through the rim woodland, a place for chance encounters of many species of plants and animals and spectacular views of the Painted Desert. Please do not harm animals or plants in the park. Even though this trail does not have stairs, the waterbars and dirt-gravel surface may make this trail unsuitable for strollers.
Puerco Pueblo Length: 0.3 mile loop Trailhead: Puerco Pueblo parking area Walk amidst the remains of a hundred room pueblo, occupied by the ancestral Puebloan people between 1200 and 700 years ago. Petroglyphs are one of the mysteries left behind by these ancient people. Do not climb on the boulders or walls. Please do not touch the petroglyphs. This trail is paved and does not have stairs, making it suitable for strollers. It may also be negotiated in a wheelchair with assistance.
Blue Mesa Length: 1 mile loop, moderately strenuous Trailhead: Blue Mesa sun shelter Descending from the mesa, this alternately paved and gravel trail loops among badland hills of bluish bentonite clay and petrified wood. Plant fossils, including delicate ferns, have been found in the sedimentary layers of Blue Mesa. Please leave petrified wood and other fossils for all to enjoy. The top portion of this trail may be negotiated by strollers and wheelchairs with assistance. But where the trail begins to drop very steeply to its lower portion, strollers and wheelchairs should be turned around.
Crystal Forest Length: 0.75 mile loop Trailhead: Crystal Forest parking area Despite more than a century of collecting, beautiful crystals still hide in the colorful petrified logs at Crystal Forest. Please leave them for others to enjoy.Report anyone removing petrified wood, or any other materials, from the park. This paved trail may be negotiated with strollers, although there are a few steep hills. Wheelchairs may be used to access the shade shelter with assistance, but are not recommended on the loop.
Giant Logs Length: 0.4 mile loop Location: Behind Rainbow Forest Museum * Trail guide available inside Rainbow Forest Museum. Giant Logs features some of the largest and most colorful logs in the park. "Old Faithful", at the top of the trail, is almost ten feet wide! This paved trail has several sets of stairs and is not suitable for strollers or wheelchairs.
Long Logs and Agate House Trails can be combined for a total of 2.6 miles round trip. See below for individual trail descriptions.
Long Logs Length: 1.6 mile loop Trailhead: Rainbow Forest Museum parking area Long Logs is one of the largest concentrations of petrified wood in the park. Explore this ancient log jam at the base of gray badlands. Please leave petrified wood for others to enjoy. Report anyone removing petrified wood, or any other materials, from the park. The first half-mile of this trail is paved and suitable for wheelchairs and strollers. Strollers may be negotiated on the loop, but it is not recommended for wheelchairs due to its narrow width and very rough surface. Stairs up to the shade shelter can be avoided by using the Agate House trail to access the hilltop.
Agate House Length: 2 miles round trip Trailhead: Rainbow Forest Museum parking area Archeologists believe that this small pueblo was occupied for a short time about 700 years ago. Seasonal farmers or traders possibly built Agate House as a temporary home. Please leave all archeological artifacts for all to enjoy. Do not sit on fragile walls. The first half-mile of this trail is paved and suitable for wheelchairs and strollers. Strollers may be negotiated out to Agate House, but it is not recommended for wheelchairs due to its narrow width and very rough surface.
To stay overnight in the Wilderness Area, a free permit must be obtained at least one hour before the park closes. Permits are issued from the Painted Desert Visitor Center, Painted Desert Inn, and Rainbow Forest Museum.
Most backpackers hike into the Painted Desert at the north end of the park. Parking, facilities, and an access trail are available at Painted Desert Inn. Backpackers must hike north of Lithodendron Wash (1 mile from the access trailhead) before setting up camp.
Groups Group camping is limited to 8. Because of the fragile soils and landscape features, minimum impact camping is very important. This includes limiting the number of people within an area.
Horseback Riding Horses are allowed in the Wilderness Area. No permits are required for day trips but overnight camping requires a free permit (see above).
Rules, Regulations, and Safety Points:
Collection of plants, rocks, petrified wood, fossils, archeological objects or other materials is illegal anywhere in the park.
No pets, bicycles, motorized vehicles, or firearms are allowed.
No wood or charcoal fires are allowed. Please use fuel stoves.
Bury human waste.
Pack it in, pack it out. Leave no trash behind.
Be aware that elevations average 5,800 feet.
Temperatures vary greatly from extreme heat to bitter cold.
Take all water necessary - one gallon per person per day is recommended during summer months.
The Petrified Forest National Park Learning Center was established to bring park visitors and researchers together to foster understanding and appreciation of the natural and cultural resources of the park and the Colorado Plateau. Lectures are held the first Wednesday of each month on a variety of topics including geology, paleontology, archaeology, and biology.
Cultural Demonstrators Starting May 26, selected regional artists and craftspeople will share their culture, history and skills in the setting of Petrified Forest National Park. In addition to creating and selling artwork, the artists will provide a positive learning and interpretive experience for park visitors to better understand the rich diversity of cultures in the region. Each Saturday, from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, will feature a cultural demonstrator.
Horseback Riding
Horseback riding at Petrified Forest National Park can be a unique and rewarding experience. You can ride for a few hours or a few days. Be prepared, check the weather conditions, and know the limits of yourself and your horse.
Wilderness Access
Two miles north of the Painted Desert Visitor Center, is the Wilderness Access trail near Kachina Point, on the northwest side of Painted Desert Inn. Here you will find trailer parking and loading/unloading room. Please park your trailer so that it does not interfere with vehicle traffic flow.
Trail conditions
The first section of switchbacks descend 400 feet on an unstable surface, with steep drop-offs. Depending on your capability, you may want to lead your horse down. Once in the Painted Desert there is very little grade change and riding is easy.
There are no maintained trails in the Wilderness Area. To reduce the impact on fragile microbiotic crusts and other delicate resources, you should travel in dry washes as much as possible.
Summer monsoon rains frequently flood washes making access to some areas of the Wilderness difficult. When wet, the clay soils are slick and tend to accumulate on your feet. Quicksand may be present in washes.
Water
Water for horses may be obtained at the service station by the Painted Desert Visitor Center. No water is available in the Wilderness Area.
Overnight Camping
For those who wish to stay overnight in the Wilderness Area, a free permit must be obtained at least one hour before the park closes. Permits are issued from either the Painted Desert Visitor Center or Rainbow Forest Museum. You must be in a designated zone north of Lithodendron Wash before setting up camp. No campsites are maintained in the Wilderness Area. Group camping is limited to 8 people and 4 horses.
Rules, Regulations, and Safety Points
Do not leave horses unattended to prevent encounters with other park visitors.
Horses are prohibited on paved trails and paved roads, with the exception of park service horses on patrol.
Feed must be certified weed-free.
Clean up after horses when in developed areas.
Pack it in, pack it out. Leave no trash behind.
Collection of plants, rocks, petrified wood, fossils, archeological objects, or other materials is illegal anywhere in the park.
No pets, bicycles, motorized vehicles, or firearms are allowed in the Wilderness Areas.
Be aware that elevations average 5,800 feet. Temperatures vary greatly from extreme heat to bitter cold.
Take all water necessary. One gallon per person per day is recommended during the summer months. For overnight trips, take enough water for your horses, too.
Bicycles are a great way to travel through Petrified Forest National Park. The 28-mile park road and 3.5-mile loop around Blue Mesa offer scenic vistas without large changes in elevation. The park roads are relatively narrow, but long, straight passing areas allow motorized vehicles to pass bicyclists safely.
Bicycles are allowed on paved road surfaces only.
Bicycles may not travel off road and may not use paved walking trails.
