🥾 Painted Desert Rim Trail (1.2 miles, 49 feet elev. gain): This hike traverses the mesa rim above the Painted Desert, a beautiful portion of Petrified Forest first with colorful red badland formations. Those seeking a longer alternative that navigates the Painted Desert below the rim should try the Onyx Bridge (4.6 miles, 442 feet elev. gain) hike.
🥾 Puerco Pueblo (0.3 miles, 13 feet elev. gain): This trail circles an Ancestral Puebloan village for which the short hike is named. Exhibits along the path discuss the history of the village, providing context and information for visitors.
🥾 Blue Mesa (1.0 miles, 111 feet elev. gain): Descending from the road into a colorful collection of eroded buttes, this is perhaps the best trail in Petrified Forest National Park. The blue, purple, gray, and orange colors that define the formations around this trail are stunning, making for a memorable (if brief) hike.
🥾 Crystal Forest (0.8 miles, 36 feet elev. gain): This paved trail navigates a collection of blue and purple buttes covered in a collection of petrified wood. Exhibits along the trail explain the history of the ancient forest that once covered the park.
🥾 Giant Logs (0.6 miles, 36 feet elev. gain): This short, crowded trail near the park’s southern entrance offers up-close views of many petrified trees. If you’ve already done the Crystal Forest hike, skip this one.
🥾 Long Logs and Agate House (2.6 miles, 98 feet elev. gain): This is a longer, more interesting, less crowded alternative to the neighboring Giant Logs hike. On this hike, you’ll find the largest concentrations of petrified wood in the park. You’ll also get to see Agate House, an ancestral Puebloan structure made out of petrified wood.

🚗 Petrified Forest Scenic Drive: This 28-mile road is the only road that traverses Petrified Forest National Park. Along the way, there are a number of scenic stops – be sure to check out the Tepees, Agate Bridge, and Jasper Forest. I recommend driving the road north-to-south, then turning around and driving back to the north. If you time it right, you’ll catch the late afternoon sunlight bathing the park in brilliant colors.
🛣️ Historic Route 66: Though this is technically just another stop along the park’s scenic drive, it deserves a callout. The pull-off features a 1932 Studebaker sitting alongside the remnants of historic Route 66, which once ran directly through the park.

☄️ Meteor Crater: This tourist attraction is overhyped and overpriced to some, but to others it’s a chance to see a fascinating natural wonder. If you’re towards Flagstaff from Petrified Forest, it’s only a few minutes out of the way.
🏞️ El Morro National Monument: This small national monument is overlooked by most but totally worth the visit if you are driving to Petrified Forest from the east. Its centerpiece – Inscription Rock – features a collection of historic signatures and petroglyphs left by travelers from previous centuries. Consider doing the park’s 2-mile Headland Trail loop.
🏞️ Grand Canyon National Park: One of America’s most popular national parks sits only 3 hours from Petrified Forest. If you’re in the area, you’d be remiss not to visit this natural wonder of the world. Budget a couple of days to fully enjoy the South Rim and embark on a hike into the canyon.
🌋 Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument: Extinct volcanic fields are somewhat common in the Four Corners region of the US. This national monument is part of the San Francisco Volcanic Field, near Flagstaff. A few short trails explore the nature around the park’s lava field.
🏙️ Flagstaff, AZ: Those looking for some fun in the city should look no further than Flagstaff, the closest major city to Petrified Forest.
🏙️ Sedona, AZ: Sedona is popular with tourists and hikers thanks to its vibrantly-colored landscapes, sandstone rock formations, and famous hikes. The city is also known for its art scene and culture, which provides plenty of fun in addition to its stellar outdoor offerings.

📅 When to Visit: Spring and fall are the best seasons to visit Petrified Forest. Summer temperatures are commonly above 90 °F, making afternoons in the park uncomfortably (and dangerously) hot. April and May see pleasant temperatures and little precipitation, and October and November are cool months as well.
⌚ How Long to Visit: It’s easy to hike and see the highlights in Petrified Forest in a day or less. I managed to drive the park road (twice) and complete 4 short hikes in only a few hours. If you’re determined to spend the night in the park’s backcountry, plan for two days.
🚗 How to Get There: Interstate 40 runs directly through Petrified Forest, making the park very easy to access by car. Flagstaff, AZ is 1.5 hours west of the park, and both Phoenix and Albuquerque are a 3-hour drive from the park.
🛏️ Where to Stay: There are no campgrounds or lodging in the park. Petrified Forest allows overnight backpacking in its backcountry if you obtain a free wilderness permit. For lodging, look to the nearby Holbrook or Flagstaff, both to the west of the park.
🧳 What to Bring: Unless you plan to backpack overnight, you don’t need much to enjoy your time at Petrified Forest. A small hiking pack, 1-2 liters of water, and sun protection are all you need to explore the park’s highlights.

✅ DO plan to visit Petrified Forest as part of a longer road trip or national park excursion. The park itself isn’t much of a destination, but it can be a neat stop as part of a larger, more memorable trip.
❌ DON’T forget to bring water, especially if you visit in the summer.
❌ DON’T underestimate the park’s elevation. The park’s average elevation is around 5,800 feet, so you may find yourself out of breath more easily than usual.