Petrified Forest NP
(Northeastern Arizona)
General info about the park...
With over 13,000 years of human history, hundreds of species of animals, and a 225 million year old fossilized forest, there is certainly more than meets the eye in Petrified Forest National Park. Occupying over 200,000 acres in northeastern Arizona, Petrified Forest was declared a national monument in 1906, then designated as a national park in 1962. Positioned along the famed cross country route 66, this park only sees 800,000 visitors per year making it one of the less crowded parks.
With a 5,400 foot elevation and positioned on the eastern plains of Arizona, this park can see extreme temperatures ranging from 100F in the summer to 20F in the winter.
Visitor's center and park roads
Petrified Forest has two visitors centers: the Painted Desert Visitor Center and the Rainbow Forest Museum & Visitor Center. Both offer basic services such as park orientation with maps, bookstores, gift shops, picnic tables, restrooms, and backcountry permits issued by park rangers. Painted Desert also has a restaurant and a gas station. Rainbow Forest has exhibits of pre-historic animals found in the park.
The main road in the park spans 28 miles from north to south. The northern end of the park features the Painted Desert and archaeological sites while the southern end features the highest concentration of petrified wood and nature trails.
What is a petrified forest?
The park's namesake feature are the fossilized fallen trees that are remnants of the Late Triassic period dating back to 225 million years ago. At the time, the forsest was closer to the equator on the supercontinent of Pangea. As that landmass broke up, and the forest moved towards what is today Arizona, it was surrounded by mountains and rivers. The forest was eventually fallen by the ancient river and deposited deep into the sediment where it was preserved. Minerals dissolved from debris and volcanic ash were absorbed by the wood and crystallized over hundreds of thousands of years.
Today, we can see magnificent colors within these petrified logs including quartz, purple amethyst, and yellow citrine.
Blue mesa
These spectacular desert badlands contain blue, purple, and gray bands among the clay and sandstone structures. Blue Mesa was originally formed as part of the Chinle Formation over 200 million years ago when rock sediment was deposited here from ancient rivers that occupied this region.
An easy 1 mile loop trail descends into the canyon between the interesting formations allowing visitors a closer look.
Crystal forest
This section of the park offers one of the best opportunities to observe the petrified logs up close and study their crystallized features and beautiful colors. An easy .8 mile loop trail will bring you within close proximity of dozens of these fossils.
Painted Desert
This surreal landscape in the northern section of the park is a stunning geological feature formed over 200 million years ago that extends over 150 miles to the eastern edge of the Grand Canyon. Also part of the afore mentioned Chinle Formation, these pastel colored mesas and buttes create a dramatic scene for visitors especially during sunrise or sunset.
The Painted Desert Rim Trail is a gradual 1.2 mile hike that offers great viewing opportunities of this popular attraction. The Painted Desert can also be seen from several roadside stops along the main park road.
Archaeological sites
Petrified Forest offers extensive archaeological opportunities that tell a story of human history dating back 13,000 years.
Puerco Pueblo is a single story, multi-room dwelling built of sandstone that could have housed 200 people at one time.
Another popular attraction is the Agate House which is an eight room pueblo built of petrified wood. Agate House was believed to be in use from 1050-1300 and seems to have served as a meeting place for local indigenous people. The site was excavated and reconstructed in 1933 and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975. A mostly flat, 2 mile loop trail will bring you to the Agate House from the Rainbow Forest Museum & Visitor's Center parking lot.
Petroglyphs
Petrified Forest offers viewing opportunities of ancient rock carvings called "petroglyphs" in two sections of the park.
Nearby Puerco Pueblo you can find an overlook at a rock face with clearly visible petroglyphs including solar markings.
Newspaper Rock features over 650 petroglyphs created by ancestral Puebloans dating back 2,000 years. Some of whom may have lived in Puerco Pueblo (1 mile from the site) or worked in nearby agricultural communities.
Camping & Lodging
Petrified Forest does not offer any frontcountry campgrounds. However, you can obtain a free backcountry permit for camping at least 1/2 of a mile from the main road.
If you are travelling west towards northern Arizona (Flagstaff, Sedona, or Grand Canyon) Homolovi State Park is about 50 minutes away which offers RV & tent camping plus showers. This state park also has 300+ archaeological sites to explore.
Petrified Forest does not have lodging, but you should check out the Painted Desert Inn. This historic lodge built in the 1920s now only serves as a museum but has a rich history as a stop along the famed route 66- popular with cross country drivers.
Nearby in Holbrook, you can find hotels and restaurants.
