The best things to do in Petrified Forest National Park are easy to reach, and that surprises a lot of people. One 28 mile road runs the length of the park.
In fact, nearly every highlight sits a short walk from a parking lot.
In a few hours you can stand over the Painted Desert, walk past logs that turned to stone more than 200 million years ago and find the spot where Route 66 once crossed the park. Give it a full day and you can hike into badlands most visitors never see.
Holbrook is the closest town to the south entrance, and we send visitors to the park every week. This guide covers the 12 main stops, the trails, how much time you need and the mistakes that trip people up.
Is Petrified Forest National Park worth visiting?
Yes, and it’s one of the most underrated parks in the Southwest. The name fools people, because there isn’t a standing forest here.
Instead, you get a wide open painted desert covered with fallen trees that turned to stone. Some logs hold so much quartz that they glitter in reds, yellows and purples.
It’s also the only national park that protects a stretch of historic Route 66. On top of that, it’s an International Dark Sky Park with ancient villages, rock art and a museum full of Triassic fossils.
Best of all, it’s easy. You don’t need to be a hiker, and you don’t need a reservation.
Most visitors can see the top things to do in Petrified Forest National Park in two to three hours. Plan on half a day if you can.
How the wood turned to stone
The logs date to the Late Triassic period, when rivers crossed a warm, wet landscape here. Then floods buried fallen trees in mud and sand mixed with volcanic ash.
Over time, groundwater carried silica from that ash into the wood and slowly replaced it with quartz. In addition, iron and other minerals added the reds, yellows and purples you see today.
How the park came to be
When the railroad arrived in the 1880s, visitors started hauling off petrified wood by the wagonload.
That loss is why President Theodore Roosevelt protected the area as a national monument in 1906. Congress then made it a national park in 1962.
The 12 stops, north to south
One paved road connects the park’s two entrances. It’s 28 miles long, and driving it without stops takes about 45 minutes.
So when you plan the things to do in Petrified Forest National Park, the real question is how long you spend at each pullout. The National Park Service numbers 12 main stops, listed here in the order you’ll see them from the north entrance.
Coming from the south? Simply read the list from the bottom up.
The north end: the Painted Desert
1. Painted Desert Visitor Center
This is the first stop off I-40 at exit 311. Right now, though, the building is under construction.
For the time being, visitor center services have moved to the Painted Desert Inn, two miles past the entrance station. Check the park’s current conditions page before you go.
Meanwhile, the gift shop, restaurant and gas station at the north entrance stay open. It’s the only gas in the park, and it sells diesel too.
2. Painted Desert Inn
The Painted Desert Inn is a historic inn turned museum and a National Historic Landmark. Its exhibits cover the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Fred Harvey Company and more.
It sits right on the rim, so the views are among the best in the park. It keeps shorter hours than the road, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., so don’t save it for last.
3. Painted Desert overlooks
Between the visitor center and the inn, the road loops past Tiponi, Tawa, Kachina, Chinde, Pintado, Nizhoni, Whipple and Lacey Points.
Of course, you don’t need every one. Pick at least two, because the colors change with the angle of the light.
4. Route 66 Alignment
This pullout marks where Route 66 once cut through the park. A rusted 1932 Studebaker sits right on the old alignment.
For Route 66 fans, it’s certainly worth the entrance fee on its own.
The middle: petroglyphs and badlands
5. Puerco Pueblo
Ancestral Puebloan people lived in this village of more than 100 rooms from about 1250 to 1380 CE.
A flat, paved 0.3 mile loop then leads past the room blocks and petroglyphs carved into the boulders.
6. Newspaper Rock
From the overlook, you look down on boulders covered with more than 650 petroglyphs. In fact, some are as old as 2,000 years.
There’s no trail to the rock itself, so bring binoculars.
The Tepees
Between Newspaper Rock and Blue Mesa, the road passes cone shaped badland hills striped in bands of color. They don’t have a numbered stop, but they’re worth a slow drive past.
7. Blue Mesa
Blue Mesa is where the badlands turn blue, purple and gray. Drive the 4 mile loop road, walk the 1 mile trail or do both.
The trail drops steeply off the rim, so you’ll feel the climb back up at 5,400 feet.
The south end: the petrified log fields
8. Agate Bridge
Next, Agate Bridge is a petrified log about 110 feet long that spans a small gully. It’s a quick stop, and the log really does work like a bridge.
9. Jasper Forest
This short overlook looks down on a valley thick with petrified wood. It looks like someone spilled a load of lumber across the floor.
10. Crystal Forest
Similarly, Crystal Forest is a paved 0.75 mile loop through petrified logs lined with quartz crystals that catch the sun.
This is where people most want to pocket a piece. Don’t do it, and stay on the pavement.
11. Rainbow Forest Museum and Giant Logs
The Rainbow Forest Museum shows off Triassic fossils, including some of the earliest dinosaurs. Its gift shop also sells grab and go food.
Just behind it, the 0.4 mile Giant Logs loop holds some of the biggest logs in the park. The showcase is “Old Faithful,” almost ten feet around at its base.
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, you can watch paleontologists prepare fossils in the museum’s demonstration lab. It’s open 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., except on federal holidays.
12. Long Logs and Agate House
Long Logs is a 1.6 mile loop through a Triassic log jam. Agate House is a 2 mile round trip to a seven room pueblo built from petrified wood, which has since been partly rebuilt.
Both start from the same trailhead, so you can combine them into a 2.6 mile walk. It’s our favorite walk in the park.
Hikes and trails
Hiking is one of the best things to do in Petrified Forest National Park, and it comes in two kinds. There are short developed trails off the main road, and then there’s the wilderness, which has no trails at all.
Developed trails in Petrified Forest National Park
Generally, most have pavement or clear markers, and none takes more than about an hour.
- Tawa Trail: 2 miles round trip from the Painted Desert Visitor Center to Tawa Point, through open grassland.
- Painted Desert Rim: 1 mile round trip from Tawa Point to the Painted Desert Inn.
- Puerco Pueblo: 0.3 mile paved loop past the village and petroglyphs.
- Blue Mesa: 1 mile loop into blue and purple badlands.
- Crystal Forest: 0.75 mile paved loop among colorful logs.
- Giant Logs: 0.4 mile loop behind the Rainbow Forest Museum.
- Long Logs and Agate House: 1.6 mile loop and 2 mile round trip from one trailhead.
Short on time? Walk Crystal Forest or Giant Logs.
Off the beaten path hikes
The park’s wilderness covers more than 50,000 acres, and every hike there goes cross country. For guidance, the park offers these routes.
- Onyx Bridge: 4 miles round trip to a petrified log “bridge.”
- Wilderness Loop: 7 miles in the northern Painted Desert Wilderness.
- Deadwash Overlook: 4 miles round trip, with scrambling and steep climbs.
- Historic Blue Forest Trail: 3 miles round trip on an old Civilian Conservation Corps trail.
- Billings Gap: 3 miles round trip atop Blue Mesa.
- Red Basin Clam Beds: 8.5 miles round trip.
- Jasper Forest: 2.5 miles round trip on an old road.
- First Forest: 2.1 miles round trip on an old road.
These take some route finding, so grab the guide for your route at a visitor center first. Day hikes don’t need a permit, except in Devil’s Playground.
Stargazing in Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified Forest is a certified park with DarkSky International, and its sky rates 3 on the Bortel scale, where 1 is the darkest.
Because the road closes in the evening, astronomy events and backpacking are the best ways to see it. There’s no campground, but a wilderness permit is free at either visitor center.
More things to do in the park
Beyond the drive and the trails, there are more things to do in Petrified Forest National Park than most people realize.
- Take the audio tour. The free tour follows the road from either end. Download it before you go in case you lose signal.
- Collect passport stamps at either visitor center.
- Earn a Junior Ranger badge with the free booklet.
- Bring the dog. Leashed pets are welcome on the trails, and they can become Bark Rangers.
- Join a ranger program. They run seasonally, so check the park calendar.
- Watch a cultural demonstration and buy locally made crafts.
- Ride a bike or e-bike on any paved road.
- Ride a horse, as long as you bring your own.
- Go geocaching, which the park allows.
- Take a guided tour with the Petrified Forest Field Institute.
Plan your visit
How much time do you need at Petrified Forest National Park?
One or two hours will show you the park. A half day lets you enjoy it, and a full day gets you away from the crowds.
Here’s how the things to do in Petrified Forest National Park stack up by time.
For a short visit, the park’s own trip planner gives advice we agree with.
Decide which end of the park interests you and spend time there, saving the rest for another visit.
For example, the north end has the overlooks and the Painted Desert Inn, while the south end has the Rainbow Forest Museum, Giant Logs and Crystal Forest.
With half a day, add Route 66, Newspaper Rock, Agate Bridge, Jasper Forest, Puerco Pueblo and Blue Mesa. For most people, that’s the visit we recommend.
Finally, with a full day, add the Long Logs and Agate House hike and one off the beaten path route.
Which entrance should you use?
Can you just drive through Petrified Forest National Park? Yes, and most people do. You enter at one end and leave at the other, so pick the end that fits where you’re headed next.
- Westbound on I-40: Take exit 311 and drive 28 miles south through the park. Then turn right on Highway 180 and drive 18 miles back to I-40 in Holbrook.
- Eastbound on I-40: Take exit 285 into Holbrook and follow the signs to Highway 180. Drive 18 miles east, turn left at the south entrance, then drive 28 miles north to I-40.
- Heading north to Hubbell Trading Post, Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley or Four Corners: follow the eastbound route to Highway 191 North.
- Southbound on Highway 77: Enter at either end, then come back through Holbrook.
Eastbound I-40 travelers should take exit 285 into Holbrook or they may miss seeing the petrified wood.
Altogether, the full loop from Holbrook through the park and back on I-40 is roughly 75 miles.
Best time to visit Petrified Forest National Park
It’s open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. The road runs 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with longer hours from spring through fall, so check the park’s hours for your dates.
Arizona also stays on Mountain Standard Time all year. However, the Navajo Nation observes daylight saving time, so your phone may jump an hour as you drive north.
Overall, spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons. Summer brings monsoon storms from June 15 to September 30, usually in the afternoon, so plan your walks for the morning.
If lightning rolls in, head for your car, since the shade structures have metal roofs. Winter is quiet and beautiful, but ice can delay the park’s opening.
Fees, hours and services
The park is cashless, so bring a debit or credit card.
- Private vehicle: $25 for everyone in the car.
- Motorcycle: $20.
- On foot or by bike: $15 per person, age 16 and up.
- Petrified Forest annual pass: $45.
- America the Beautiful pass: $80 for a year of federal parks and lands.
Seniors, military members, visitors with a permanent disability and families with a fourth grader may qualify for a free or discounted pass. The park is also free on fee free days, and the last two for 2026 are October 27 and November 11. For hours and directions from town, see our Petrified Forest visitor info page.
You’ll find the only restaurant at the north entrance. The trip planner lists the Painted Desert Diner there, open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with longer hours in season.
Additionally, restrooms, picnic areas and water are at both ends. Visitor centers, restrooms and picnic areas are accessible or accessible with assistance, and the park film is open captioned.
What to pack
- A refillable water bottle. Fill it free at the visitor centers and the Painted Desert Inn.
- A hat and sunscreen, since there’s very little shade.
- Layers, because the wind and temperature change fast.
- Snacks or a picnic, since food options are few.
- Binoculars for Newspaper Rock and the overlooks.
- The NPS App, downloaded in offline mode before you arrive.
Rules and mistakes to avoid
A few rules here surprise people. The biggest one is simple.
Do not collect anything in the park except for photographs and memories.
In other words, it covers petrified wood, fossils, rocks, pottery sherds, plants and even feathers. Indeed, taking even a tiny chip is illegal.
If you want a piece to take home, buy legally collected wood in town instead. Jim Gray’s Petrified Wood Co. in Holbrook has sold it along Route 66 for decades, and the back of the store is a free fossil museum.
- Leave the drone at home. The park bans all unmanned aircraft.
- Stay on the paved trails at places like Puerco Pueblo and Crystal Forest.
- Keep your distance from wildlife. Feeding or approaching animals is illegal.
- Watch for RV limits. The lots at Pintado Point and Agate Bridge may be too small for RVs and trailers.
- Never leave a pet in the car. Heat kills, even on mild days.
- Keep firearms out of park buildings.
At about 5,400 feet, the dry air hits harder than people expect, so drink more water than you think you need. For emergencies, call 911.
If you want to see the park before your trip, this short video walks through a one day visit.
Where to stay and what’s nearby
Where to stay near Petrified Forest National Park
There’s no lodging inside the park. Instead, most visitors stay in Holbrook, Winslow, Gallup or St. Johns.
Holbrook is the closest town to the south entrance, and it also puts you right on Route 66. The most famous stay is the Wigwam Motel, where you sleep inside a concrete teepee built in 1950.
For more options, see our guide to the top places to stay in Holbrook. Staying close means you can reach the park when the gates open, while the light is soft and the lots are quiet.
Things to do near Petrified Forest National Park
In Holbrook, stop at Jim Gray’s for the giant logs and dinosaur statues out front, then take photos at the Wigwam Motel. The Navajo County Historic Courthouse Museum covers local history, and our historic Holbrook map walks you through 50 stops around the old railroad and cattle town.
Once you’ve covered the things to do in Petrified Forest National Park, keep exploring. Farther out, Hubbell Trading Post, Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley and Four Corners all lie to the north. Visit Arizona has more ideas for building a road trip around the park.
Our verdict
If you only have time for five things to do in Petrified Forest National Park, make them these.
First, stand at a Painted Desert overlook, walk Blue Mesa and see Newspaper Rock. Then walk Crystal Forest and finish on the Giant Logs trail behind the Rainbow Forest Museum.
Above all, give yourself at least half a day, and leave the wood where it lies.
When you’re ready to plan the rest of your trip, build your Holbrook itinerary. We’ll help you fit the park, a place to stay and a good meal into one easy visit.
