National Parks Journal
Photo: Finetooth · CC BY-SA 3.0
Petrified Forest National Park
A landscape where deep time lies fully on display, Petrified Forest National Park blends colorful badlands, vast grasslands, and one of the world’s largest and most vivid collections of petrified wood. Spanning more than 200 million years of geologic history, the park protects ancient fossils, ancestral Puebloan sites, habitat for desert animals, and a sweeping stretch of historic Route 66.
Entrance Fees
Getting There
Roads and entrances can close temporarily. Check current conditions on nps.gov (opens in a new tab) before you go.
Entrances
- Directions to North Entrance (Painted Desert) (opens in a new tab)
North Entrance (Painted Desert)Main
Holbrook, AZ · Open daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas; park road hours vary by season
- Directions to South Entrance (Rainbow Forest) (opens in a new tab)
South Entrance (Rainbow Forest)Main
Holbrook, AZ · Open daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas; park road hours vary by season
Airports
- SOW
Show Low Regional Airport · Show Low, AZ
ClosestSmall airportSmall airport. Contour Airlines flies to Phoenix (federally subsidized service).
- PHX
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport · Phoenix, AZ
Major airport
Distances are approximate road distances; tap a distance for live driving directions.
Activities
Top Hikes
1 mi · 150 ft gain · loop
Descends through badlands of bluish bentonite clay with petrified wood and fossils scattered throughout.
Starts at: Blue Mesa sun shelter
1.6 mi · 50 ft gain · loop
One of the largest concentrations of petrified wood, exploring an ancient log jam with massive fossilized trees.
Starts at: Rainbow Forest Museum
2 mi · 80 ft gain · out & back
Trail to an eight-room pueblo built from petrified wood, occupied about 700 years ago by ancestral Puebloan people.
Starts at: Rainbow Forest Museum
0.75 mi · 30 ft gain · loop
Best opportunities to see petrified wood up close, named for visible quartz crystals in the ancient logs.
Starts at: Crystal Forest parking
Upcoming Events
No upcoming events scheduled for Petrified Forest National Park. Events are updated daily — check back soon or visit nps.gov for the latest.
Best Time to Visit Petrified Forest
Best time to visit: April–May, September–October
The best time to visit Petrified Forest National Park is April–May and September–October. Temperatures are mild for walking the trails, avoiding summer heat with monsoon storms and cold, windy winters.
In those months, average highs are 69–83°F at Painted Desert Visitor Center. Visitor numbers peak in June, though May is nearly as busy.
Monthly averages at Painted Desert Visitor Center (5,770 ft). Climate normals (1991–2020): PRISM Group, Oregon State University.
Weather & Climate
Petrified Forest National Park is a semi-arid grassland. Temperatures range from above 100° F (38° C) to well below freezing. About 10 inches (25.4 cm) of moisture comes during infrequent snow in the winter and often dramatic summer thunder-storms. Animals and plants are adapted to extremes in temperature and moisture. You should be ready too. Check out the forecast before you arrive and plan accordingly.
