Visiting Petrified Forest National Park: The Complete Guide for 2022

Post Summary: Visiting Petrified Forest National Park

A forest like no other. That is Petrified Forest National Park in a nutshell. This small park in eastern Arizona is home to one of the most unique forests in the National Park system. Unlike other forests, Petrified Forest’s trees are all dead. Its most famous trees are millions of years old and have been turned to stone.

If you are planning a trip to Petrified Forest National Park and need some help planning your trip, this is our started guide for visiting Petrified Forest National Park. We often have detailed in-depth guides reached to Petrified Forest Park trip planning and will link to these where appropriate to make your trip planning as easy as possible.

If you are feeling overwhelmed with trip planning and would like a national park expert to help plan your trip, we offer a Custom National Park Itinerary Planning Service. Fill out a simple questionnaire and let us do the planning for you.

The Quick Guide to Visiting Petrified Forest National Park

Map of Petrified Forest National Park

Click on the Petrified Forest Map above to download the official brochure map. If you’d like a PDF copy of this Petrified Forest Map click here.

Petrified Forest National Park Basics

Region: Intermountain / Southwest / West Coast

State: State of Arizona

Park Size: 221,391 acres (345.92 sq miles) (895.94 sq km)

Location: Navajo and Apache Counties

Closest Cities: Holbrook, Arizona

Busy Season: May to July

Visitation: 643,588 (in 2019)

Funniest 1-Star Review: “It’s basically a desert with some dead trees.“

Official Website: NPS.gov

How much does Petrified Forest National Park Cost?

Petrified Forest National Park costs the following:

• 7-day Passenger Vehicle Pass – $25
• 7-day Motorcycle Pass – $20
• 7-day Individual Pass – $15

An annual Petrified Forest National Park Pass costs $45 but it is not recommended you buy this pass. For an extra $35 you can get an American the Beautiful Pass. This $80 pass offers free admission to all 116 fee-charging National Park Units.

When is Petrified Forest National Park Open?

Petrified Forest National Park is open year-round.

Are dogs allowed in Petrified Forest National Park?

Yes, Petrified Forest National Park is one of the most dog-friendly National Parks. Dogs are welcome on most of the park’s trails and carriage roads. Please review the Petrified Forest Pet Policy before bringing your dog to Petrified Forest.

Where are Petrified Forest National Park’s visitor centers?

Painted Desert Visitor Center – Open Year Around

Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark – Open Year Around

Rainbow Forest Museum – Open Year Around

Land Acknowledgments for Petrified Forest National Park

The National Park known as Petrified Forest National Park sits on Hopi, Zuni (territory), Pueblos, and Western Apache land.

Thank you to the Native Land Digital for making the Indigenous territories accessible to all. They have mapped the known territories to the best of the current knowledge and is a work in progress. If you have additional information on the Indigenous nations boundaries, please let them know.

Native Land Digital is a registered Canadian not-for-profit organization with the goal to creates spaces where non-Indigenous people can be invited and challenged to learn more about the lands they inhabit, the history of those lands, and how to actively be part of a better future going forward together.

Related Articles: Land Acknowledgments for US National Park

When was Petrified Forest National Park created?

Petrified Forest National Park was first described by European visitors in the 19th century but the park has a rich historical history. There are more than 1,200 archeological sites dating back about 12,000 years ago.

As the United States expanded access to the region increased and tourism and commercial started to develop. The area was attracting attention for both its archeological and geological history. The Arizona Territorial Legislature wanted to preserve the region so they pushed for national park status in 1895. The effort failed but 11 years later, President Theodore Roosevelt created Petrified Forest National Monument as the second national monument.

In 1962, Petrified Forest National Monument became Petrified Forest National Park. The park was expanded in 2004.

The purpose of Petrified Forest National Park is to preserve and protect globally significant fossils, including petrified wood, nationally significant prehistoric and historic resources, as well as scenic values, in order to foster scientific research, public understanding, and enjoyment.

Petrified Forest National Park Foundation Document

Fun Facts about Petrified Forest National Park

• Petrified Forest is the ONLY National Park where the whole park closes at night.

• Petrified Forest National Park was the 2nd Monument.

• Petrified Forest is consider to be a Theodore Roosevelt National Park as he protected it as a National Monument.

• The park protects one of the largest concentrations of petrified wood in the world.

• The oldest fossils in the park are over 225 million years old.

• The highest point in Petrified Forest National Park is Pilot Rock which is 6,234 feet (1,900 m) above sea level.

• The lowest point in Petrified Forest National Park is BNSF Railway which is 5,200 feet (1,600 m) above sea level.

• Petrified Forest by the numbers
  • 28.6 miles of paved roads
  • 89.4 miles of hiking trails
  • 1,200 archeological sites

• Newspaper Rock has more than 650 individual petroglyphs.

• Animals of Petrified Forest
  • 30+ species of mammals
  • 258 species of bird
  • 18 species of repitles
  • 7 species of amphibians

• Petrified Fores is the only national park to contain part of Route 66.

• Despite being a desert, most of the park is shortgrass praire.

• There are nine sites in the park listed on the National Register of Historic Places
  • Painted Desert Visitor Center
  • Painted Desert Inn
  • Agate House Pueblo
  • Painted Desert Petroglyphs and Ruins Archeological District
  • Puerco Ruins and Petroglyphs
  • Newspaper Rock Petroglyphs Archeological District
  • Twin Buttes Archeological District
  • 35th Parallel Route
  • Flattops Site.

How to Get to Petrified Forest National Park

Getting to Petrified Forest National Park depends on where you live and how much time you have for your visit. If you live within 6-8 hours of Petrified Forest National Park, you are better off driving to the park. Outside of the 6-8 hour radius, flying may be your better option time-wise.

I recommend weighing the time you have versus the costs before deciding to fly vs. driving.

Where is Petrified Forest National Park Located?

Petrified Forest National Park is located in eastern Arizona near I-40.

Driving to Petrified Forest National Park

Distance from Major Cities