Petrified Forest National Park
Location, Size and Access
| Petrified Forest National Park 1 Park Road, #2217 Petrified Forest, AZ 86028 Phone 928.524.6228 Website of Petrified Forest National Park at NPS |
Petrified Forest National Park is an American national park in Navajo and Apache counties in northeastern Arizona. Named for its large deposits of petrified wood, the park covers about 346 square miles of semi-desert shrub steppe as well as highly eroded and colorful badlands. On the north side of the park is the Painted Desert.
The Park is a favorite stop for those travelers riding on nearby Route 66. Petrified Forest National Park is the only park in the National Park System containing a section of Historic Route 66.
It is located on Interstate 40 near Holbrook, Arizona. Historic U.S. Route 66 also passed through the park. The park's north entrance is just off Interstate 40, and the south entrance off U.S. Highway 180. Visitors may enter at one end of the park and exit at the other.
The park is about 30 miles long from north to south, and its width varies from a maximum of about 12 miles in the north to a minimum of about 1 mile.
Averaging about 5,400 feet in elevation, the park has a dry windy climate with temperatures that vary from summer highs of about 100F to winter lows well below freezing. More than 400 species of plants, dominated by grasses such as bunchgrass, blue grama, and sacaton, are found in the park. Fauna include larger animals such as pronghorns, coyotes, and bobcats, many smaller animals, such as deer mice, snakes, lizards, seven kinds of amphibians, and more than 200 species of birds, some of which are permanent residents and many of which are migratory.
Let's Visit the Park!
The park offers a wide range of things to do and activities, from hiking, biking, camping, fishing, eco tours and winter sports. We have visited Petrified Forest on numerous trips, and have enjoyed its many attractions, tours, trails and outdoor activities
Often we stop there while road tripping on Historic U.S. Route 66 at nearby Holbrook, Winslow and Flagstaff.
Spend a day, or more, and enjoy and explore Petrified Forest National Park!
Map showing the location of the Petrified Forest & Painted Desert on U.S. Highway 66 in Arizona |
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Petrified Forest Entrance
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Petrified wood at the Park  |
Painted Desert Visitor Center
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Rainbow Forest Museum  |
Attractions in the Park
There is no shortage of activities for individuals, groups, or families to enjoy outdoors in Petrified Forest. The diverse habitats allow for enjoyable activities ranging from hiking, backpacking, geocaching, ranger talks & tours, and horseback riding.
There are fossils, badlands, buttes and mesas, ancient petroglyphs, wildlife and wildflowers, and vast vistas for more than a hundred miles! If you are craving some quiet solitude, the Petrified Forest is perfect for hiking and contemplation.
The Rainbow Forest Museum & Visitor Center is located on the south end of the park.
Driving the 28 miles (45 km) from one end of the park to the other takes about an hour.
| The beautiful colors of nature ... at Petrified Forest National Park (Staff Photo) |
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Rim Trail view
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Winding Blue Mesa Trail |
Scenes Around the Painted Desert
Adjacent to the Petrified Forest is the Painted Desert, through which Historic Route 66 passed through in earlier times.
The Painted Desert Visitor Center is located on the north side of the park, just north of Interstate I-40; the Painted Desert Inn is located nearby, a national historic landmark and museum. A film about the park is shown continuously throughout the day. The visitors center is adjacent to a restaurant, gift shop, and gas station; restrooms are available.
Driving west on Route 66, in the heart of the Painted Desert, travelers saw a pink edifice glimmering in the clear air. After long hours of travel, here was a special place to take a break, stretch their legs, sip a cold drink, and admire the view.
Painted Desert Trading Post
Cattleman Dotch Windsor and his wife Alberta opened the Painted Desert Trading Post along Route 66 during the early 1940s, about 6 miles east of the park. He sold rugs, jewelry, sundries, and Gulf Oil gasoline. Its location was remote, with no electricity or telephone service. Gravity gas pumps dispensed fuel. It was closed in the late 1950s after being bypassed by a new alignment of Route 66, and fell into disrepair.
The Painted Desert Trading Post has been purchased by a group of new owners, and has recently undergone extensive restoration by volunteers with the non-profit Route 66 Co-Op. However, access remains limited. Among the owners of the property is Route 66 advocate Roamin' Rich Dinkela.
Rich has been a strong advocate and publicist for any and all things about the community of Route 66 and other old US highways. His mission is to appeal to as many people he can all over the world. He wants to expose the world to the iconic landmarks, people, buildings, historic infrastructure, and the diverse culture that reside along the all old US highways all across this great country. Read more about Rich at HookedOnRoute66.com and Roamin' Rich on Facebook.
Rich is currently involved in the restoration of another historic Route 66 property, the Shamrock Court in Sullivan, Missouri.
| Overlook at the Painted Desert in Arizona near old U.S. Route 66 |
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Route 66 across the Painted DesertShown here is signage at the Painted Desert marking the path of Route 66 through eight states, and through this area. It reads, in part ... "Gaze down the long road and listen. You may hear echoes of the past ... echoes of Route 66"
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| The roadbed of Historic U.S. Route 66 along the telephone poles can still be seen as it passes through the Painted Desert near the 1932 Studebaker exhibit (Staff Photo) |
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Hotels Near the Petrified Forest ... from TripAdvisor
Hotels and lodging in Holbrook, Arizona with traveler reviews |
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Arizona Route 66 Passport
The Arizona Route 66 Passport is your guide into the heart of America. Cruise along the Mother Road, collecting stamps at locations along the way. Each passport comes with a free Traveler's Guide. It is published by the The Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, a non-profit organization, dedicated to the preservation, protection, and promotion of both the surface, and the memories along Arizona’s portion of Route 66. Proceeds from the sale of Passports benefit this cooperative marketing initiative. Purchase an Arizona Route 66 Passport online or pick one up at one of the locations where stamps are given.
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More Information about the Petrified Forest
Website of Petrified Forest National Park at NPS |
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