Must see stops at Petrified Forest National Park

A rusted car in a field near I-40 marks a section of the old U.S. Route 66. Despite the length of the 'mother road'  – it ran from Chicago, Ill. to Santa Monica, Ca. – Petrified Forest was the only national park site the road went through.The historic Painted Desert Inn, once the park’s first visitor center, gift shop and restaurant, is now a museum. The murals inside were painted by Hopi artist Fred Kabotie in the 1930s. The Inn is a registered  national historic landmark building.Start your visit at the Painted Desert Visitor Center. Watch the park film, shop the bookstore, have lunch at the Painted Desert Oasis restaurant or check out the souvenirs at the Fred Harvey gift shop.View the list »
The park's southern entrance is located off State Route 180 east of Holbrook.

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A visit to the Petrified Forest National Park can be filled with surprises as one discovers the beauty of the Painted Desert of northern Arizona. The park is a very photogenic area, so you’ll want to be sure to have a camera ready when you make stops along the park’s 28-mile long scenic drive. While the park road can be driven straight through in less than an hour, you’ll get the most out of your visit by seeing it at a leisurely pace.

Located off Interstate 40 at Exit 311, the Petrified Forest is approximately 250 miles away from the Phoenix metropolitan area. An alternate beginning for the scenic drive for those traveling north via State Route 77 is the park’s southern entrance on State Route 180. [Note: the list is based on north-south travel; reverse the stops if traveling south-north.]

Petrified Forest National Park is open for daylight visits only. Hours change with the seasons; for more information, click here. Admission is $10 per vehicle and is valid for seven consecutive days. Federal interagency passes are accepted.

View the list
  • Start your visit at the Painted Desert Visitor Center. Watch the park film, shop the bookstore, have lunch at the Painted Desert Oasis restaurant or check out the souvenirs at the Fred Harvey gift shop.
  • The historic Painted Desert Inn, once the park’s first visitor center, gift shop and restaurant, is now a museum. The murals inside were painted by Hopi artist Fred Kabotie in the 1930s. The Inn is a registered  national historic landmark building.
  • A rusted car in a field near I-40 marks a section of the old U.S. Route 66. Despite the length of the 'mother road'  – it ran from Chicago, Ill. to Santa Monica, Ca. – Petrified Forest was the only national park site the road went through.
  • At Puerco Pueblo, stabilized ruins of an Ancestral Puebloan village give visitors a glimpse into the life of the Ancestral Puebloans. Rocks just below the rim of the paved trail hold numerous petroglyphs, including this solstice marker.More than 600 petroglyphs are visible at the nearby Newspaper Rock stop, located on the west side of the scenic road. 
  • The Blue Mesa area is one of the prettiest sections of the park. Thousands of pieces of wood and even whole petrified logs are located below the rim on the Blue Mesa Trail. 
  • The Rainbow Forest Museum has displays about animal life in the Triassic age. Behind the Museum, take a short walk along the Giant Logs Trail. Old Faithful, the largest log along the easy path, is almost nine feet in diameter.
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Suggested by the author:

, Phoenix National Parks and Federal Lands Examiner

After spending two decades living and working in many of America’s beautiful national parks, Karen Sweeny-Justice now calls Surprise, Arizona home. Inspired by the beautiful landscapes of the southwest, she enjoys exploring the great outdoors.

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