Petrified Forest National Park, located in northeastern Arizona, safeguards one of the world's largest and most colorful concentrations of petrified wood, along with vast Painted Desert badlands, petroglyphs, and fossils dating back more than 200 million years. The park offers scenic drives, hiking trails, and opportunities to explore both prehistoric and living desert ecosystems. It is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm MST, with Arizona time year-round (no daylight savings) .

Overview

Established as a national park in 1962, Petrified Forest protects approximately 230 square miles of desert scenery, an extensive array of Triassic fossils, and colorful badlands. The landscape includes massive logs of petrified wood, hues of the Painted Desert, and archaeological sites linked to ancient Native cultures. It is both a geologic showcase and a living desert environment with unique flora and fauna .

Geologic Wonders

The park's most famous feature is its petrified wood, formed over 200 million years ago during the Late Triassic period. Minerals, mainly silica, replaced the organic material in fallen trees, creating vibrant, fossilized logs and stumps that resist erosion. The Painted Desert, with its layered hues of pink, purple, red, orange, and ochre, reflects ancient sedimentary deposits and erosion processes .

Archaeology and Fossils

Petrified Forest contains petroglyphs, ancient dwelling ruins, and fossils of Triassic plants and animals, including early dinosaurs and amphibians. The park offers insight into prehistoric life and human history dating back thousands of years .

Ecosystems

While best known for its fossil record, the park is also home to contemporary desert-adapted plants and animals, including cacti, lizards, birds, and mammals. Its high desert environment demonstrates survival strategies in arid conditions .

Plan Your Visit

Petrified Forest National Park features two main entrances—North Entrance off Interstate 40 and South Entrance off Highway 180—and a scenic road that traverses its main attractions. Visitors can enjoy overlooks, hiking trails, museums, and petroglyph sites. The park is pet-friendly, with specific guidelines for leashed pets .

Scenic Drives and Overlooks

The park road takes visitors through iconic sites such as Crystal Forest, Agate Bridge, Blue Mesa, and the Painted Desert Vista. These areas feature accessible trails and overlooks for viewing petrified wood and colorful desert formations .

Hiking Trails

Petrified Forest offers multiple hiking options, ranging from short, paved paths to longer backcountry hikes:

Crystal Forest Trail: View abundant, colorful petrified wood along a 0.7-mile loop.
Blue Mesa Trail: A 1-mile loop through unique blue and purple mounds of petrified shale.
Giant Logs Trail: A 0.4-mile walk to some of the largest petrified logs in the park.
Agate House: A 0.5-mile loop to a partially restored prehistoric stone dwelling.
Long Logs Trail: A 0.6-mile path highlighting a concentration of huge petrified logs.
Crystal Forest Trail: A 0.7-mile trail featuring vividly colored petrified wood on the ground and in ruins .

Visitor Centers and Museums

The Painted Desert Visitor Center and Rainbow Forest Museum are the park's major hubs. They provide orientation, exhibits, fossil displays, and bookstore facilities. The Rainbow Forest Museum also features a scenic trail to see massive petrified logs and an overview of the park’s history and geology .

Pet Policy

Petrified Forest is pet-friendly. Leashed pets are permitted on most trails and in developed areas but not inside buildings. Owners must carry water for their pets and never leave them unattended in vehicles. There are shaded areas and designated pet exercise zones for breaks .

Management and Contact

Petrified Forest National Park is managed by the National Park Service. The main contact information is:

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2217, Petrified Forest, AZ 86028-
Phone: 928-524-
Website: https://www.nps.gov/pefo/
The park is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm MST (no daylight savings) .

Related Parks

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument (CO): A fossil site preserving 34 million-year-old insect, plant, and vertebrate fossils, including petrified redwoods. Offers hiking trails, visitor center exhibits, and fossil tours .
Pipe Spring National Monument (AZ): Preserves Native American, Mormon, and cowboy history with a historic fort, museum, and scenic hikes .
Saguaro National Park (Tucson, AZ): Home to the giant saguaro cactus, featuring desert landscapes and scenic hikes .
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument (Flagstaff, AZ): Showcases volcanic landscapes formed 1,000 years ago, with lava flows and unique plant recovery zones .
Grand Canyon National Park (AZ): World-famous canyon with awe-inspiring vistas, hiking trails, and Colorado River adventures【Parent pages】.
Mesa Verde National Park (CO): Preserves ancestral Pueblo cliff dwellings and offers archaeological tours and scenic views .
Dinosaur National Monument (CO/UT): Known for dinosaur fossils, canyons, and petroglyphs with numerous outdoor activities .

Additional Resources

These links and summaries provide a comprehensive guide to Petrified Forest National Park and related fossil and desert parks in the Southwest .

Hours

Monday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Next Up: Saguaro National Park

Last updated: Sat Jun 7, 2025

National Parks

Petrified Forest National Park