Best trails in Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified Forest National Park is located in Arizona, about 1.5 hours' drive from Flagstaff. This underrated park has a lot to explore! Here, you'll encounter the largest petrified trees in the world, set in a beautiful desert landscape. The striped hills of the Painted Desert, formed by the erosion of sandstone deposits from millions of years ago, gives everything an otherworldly appearance. Trails like Blue Mesa let you explore the blue and purple badland hills up close. You'll also find interesting rock formations, desert plants and wildlife, Pueblo ruins, and petroglyphs here!
The colorful fossilized wood you see in the park formed from trees that lived more than 220 million years ago! After the trees fell, they got covered with sediment. Then, very slowly, their organic matter got replaced by minerals like quartz and opal. Several short trails in the park lead to the most vibrant and largest examples of petrified wood. Many of these hikes are family-friendly and easily accessible from Petrified Forest Road.
Spring and fall are the best times to visit the park to avoid the hottest temperatures, but it's beautiful to visit year-round. Plus, Petrified Forest is one of the few national parks that allow dogs, so feel free to bring your dog along for the adventure!
There is an entrance fee to visit Petrified Forest National Park, which you can pay in person at the park entrances.
Top trails
- (3433)•Easy•1.0 mi•Est. 0.5–1 hrThe Blue Mesa Trail, located within Petrified Forest National Park, offers an immersive encounter with the region's geological artistry. The journey begins with a descent into a valley, where hikers are met with sweeping panoramas of the multicolored badlands. These clay hills, rich in mineral deposits, display a spectrum of hues that shift with the light. Interpretive panels are placed along the route, providing insights into the geological history of this area and the powerful natural...
- (2415)•Easy•0.8 mi•Est. 0.5–1 hrThis is a short paved trail with fascinating views of the petrified forest. Accessibility: This trail is likely accessible for visitors using wheelchairs, mobility equipment, or strollers. Accessible Parking: Number of designated accessible spaces: 2 at the trailhead; Number of van-accessible spaces with access aisles: 1; Parking lot surface: paved. Trail Details: Trail surface: paved asphalt, bumpy, cracks; Average trail width: 6 feet; Estimated average grade category: mostly gentle...
- (1543)•Easy•1.2 mi•Est. 0.5–1 hrThis scenic route winds along the rim of the Painted Desert, offering stunning panoramic views of the park's vibrant and otherworldly landscape. You can admire the ancient petrified wood and unique geological formations as you go. The trail is marked with interpretive signs that provide insights into the park's rich natural and cultural history.
- (1335)•Moderate•2.4 mi•Est. 1–1.5 hrThis is a great trail with spectacular views, and a great one if you are looking to escape the crowds. Some of this route is off-trail and may require some scrambling and exposed sections, so only take this on if you are looking for more of a challenge. Downloading offline maps is recommended to navigate the off-trail sections. This can also be hiked as an out and back to avoid the off-trail section.
- (1337)•Easy•2.6 mi•Est. 0.5–1 hrLong Logs is one of the largest concentrations of petrified wood in the park. Explore this ancient log jam at the base of gray badlands via this winding paved path. Make sure to bring water as shade is limited. Accessibility: Visitors using wheelchairs, mobility equipment, or strollers may need all-terrain tires or adaptive/motorized equipment for the surface type on the loop to the east about 0.6-1.3 miles. Accessible Parking: Number of designated accessible spaces: 2 at the...
- (1261)•Easy•0.5 mi•Est. 0.5–1 hrGiant Logs is part of Rainbow Forest in Petrified Forest National Park. Once an ancient log jam in a Late Triassic river, Giant Logs was the heart of the original national monument set aside in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt. This area is located behind the Rainbow Forest Museum. Rainbow Forest was first called the Third Forest (based on tours leaving the once closest town of Adamana). An interpretive trail passes through the area and major features include some of the largest, most...
- (851)•Easy•0.3 mi•Est. 0.5–1 hrPuerco Pueblo is located at mile marker 11 (11 miles from the north entrance of Petrified Forest National Park), the only ancestral Puebloan village that is easily accessible to the public. The 1/3 of a mile loop trail meanders through the ancient site, complete with exhibits along the pathway as well as in the mini-museum located in the historic check station half way around the loop. The stabilized masonry walls are only a fraction of the archeological site. Petroglyphs can also been seen...
- (669)•Moderate•4.0 miThis hike takes you to the Onyx Bridge, which is a unique piece of petrified wood. This hike can require navigational skills. Downloading offline maps is recommended. You can also pick up a paper map from the visitor center. The beginning of the hike is steep but then it levels out a bit. This is a challenging walk through the badlands, with plenty of beautiful views.
- (435)•Moderate•28.6 miEmbark on a picturesque drive that offers breathtaking sights and short hikes, along with well-maintained facilities throughout the route. You'll find numerous informational panels at viewpoints and trailheads that provide additional details about the area. This is a wonderful option to explore the park and is ideal for families.
- (391)•Easy•3.7 mi•Est. 1–1.5 hrOne of the "Off the Beaten Path Hikes" in this park, it loosely follows an old park road built in the 1930s which is mostly eroded away. The hike goes through incredible amounts of petrified wood, large and small, and ends at what was/is Eagle Nest Rock. The top part of this unique feature fell in 1941.
Visitor info
Admits one or two passengers on a single private, non-commercial motorcycle. Valid for 7 days.
Capacity of 16 or more $15/person. Anyone that is 15 or younger is exempt from paying an entrance fee, in addition to anyone with a valid pass. A pass may cover immediate family members or up to 4 people traveling with the group.
A non-commercial organized group is a group traveling together, such as scouts, a club, a church, or other group that has organized its own itinerary. Fees are based on the capacity of the vehicle, not the number of passengers on board, and are valid for 7 days.
Admits one individual with no motor vehicle (bicyclist, hiker, pedestrian). Youth 15 and under are admitted free of charge. Valid for 7 days.
Admits one private, non-commercial vehicle (15-passenger capacity or less) and all occupants. Valid for 7 days.
Come here often? Consider purchasing an annual pass. The park's annual pass costs $45 and is valid at Petrified Forest National Park. It admits the pass owner and all accompanying passengers in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle. The pass is available to purchase in the park at the entrance stations and is good for one year from the month of issue.
Join millions of people who enjoy our National Parks with the "America the Beautiful" National Park & Federal Recreational Lands Pass, otherwise known as the Interagency Annual Pass. The pass is valid for a year's worth of visits from the month of purchase at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the country.
No entrance pass required on these days:
Monday, January 20 — Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Saturday, April 19 — First day of National Park Week
Thursday, June 19 — Juneteenth National Independence Day
Monday, August 4 — Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
Saturday, September 27 — National Public Lands Day
Tuesday, November 11 — Veterans Day
The Interagency Access Pass is accepted here.
The Rainbow Forest Museum and Painted Desert Visitor Center are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers, and wheelchair accessible restrooms and drinking fountains are available. Orientation films include open captioning.
Additional information about accessibility at Petrified Forest National Park can be found on their website: https://www.nps.gov/pefo/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm.
The Rainbow Forest Museum and Painted Desert Visitor Center are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers, and wheelchair accessible restrooms and drinking fountains are available. Orientation films include open captioning.
The Chinde Point Picnic Area is wheelchair accessible with packed, level paths and surfaces and accessible restrooms.
There are accessible restrooms at the following locations: Painted Desert Diner, Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark, Puerco Pueblo, and the Rainbow Forest Curio Shop.
Service animals must be on-leash throughout the park.
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Frequently asked questions
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Attractions
- Easy trails in Petrified Forest National Park
- Historic site trails in Petrified Forest National Park
- Moderate trails in Petrified Forest National Park
- River trails in Petrified Forest National Park
- Short trails in Petrified Forest National Park
- Scenic viewpoint trails in Petrified Forest National Park
- Wildlife trails in Petrified Forest National Park
Points of interest
- Kachina Point
- Agate House
- Agate House
- Giant Logs
- Shade Shelter
- Stephen T. Mather Memorial Plaque
- Petroglyphs
- Jasper Forest Viewpoint
- Jasper Forest Overlook
- Newspaper Rock Viewpoint
- Puerco Pueblo
- Depot Tank
- Newspaper Rock
- Jim Camp Wash
- No Name Point
- Pintado Point
- Crystal Forest Viewpoint
- The Tepees Viewpoint
- Historic Route 66 - Studabaker
- Long Logs
