Petrified Forest National Park

Year Established: 1962
Annual Visitors: 590,000
Size: 221,390 Acres
State: Arizona

Best Time to Visit Petrified Forest National Park

April to September

If you are planning to visit more national parks, check out our complete list of all US National Parks.

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Best Experiences in Petrified Forest National Park

  • Painted Desert
  • Tour Puerco Pueblo
  • Blue Mesa
  • Agate House Hike

A Brief History

About 200 million years ago, in the Late Triassic period, dinosaurs first appeared. The animals lived in a tropical forest of conifers, tree ferns, and ginkgoes. As the trees died and fell, some of them floated down the large river system and clogged it up with their trunks.

Over many years, the wood soaked up silica. The silica crystallized, turning the wood into stone with the colors of the minerals it was made of: pink (manganese), red (iron), and green-blue (silicon) (chromium, cobalt, and copper).

This is the only national park that closes at night, so thieves don’t take samples. The northern part of the park is home to the Painted Forest, which is made up of bumpy, colorful hills. Overall, less than 10 inches of rain fall in the park each year. This is just enough to keep cacti, mariposa lilies, and animals like the rock wren alive.

Petrified Forest RV Camping

If you are looking for nearby RV camping options for Petrified Forest National Park or in Arizona, consider checking out our other post:

Visitor Information

Fees

Weekly Park Passes

$15.00 per person/cyclist

$25.00 per vehicle

$20.00 per motorcycle

Passes valid for up to 7 days

Annual Park Pass

Petrified Forest Annual Park Pass – $45

America The Beautiful Annual Park Pass

You can also get an annual park pass to ALL National Parks in the United States for $80.
Keep in mind they have Senior, Military, and other discounts available!

Contacting Petrified Forest National Park

Phone Number

(928) 524-6228

Visitor Centers

Painted Desert Visitor Center

Near the northern entrance to the park, at the Painted Desert Visitor Center, you can get information about the park, watch a movie about it, learn about its historic architecture, and talk to a park ranger. You’ll also find restrooms, a gas station, a restaurant, a bookstore and gift shop with lots of souvenirs, and an outdoor picnic pavilion.

Address

1 Park Rd,
Petrified Forest National Park, AZ 86028

Hours of Operation

  • Sunday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
  • Monday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
  • Tuesday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
  • Wednesday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
  • Thursday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
  • Friday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
  • Saturday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM

Be sure to check for seasonal closures.

Rainbow Forest Museum

At the Rainbow Forest Museum And Visitor Center, you can learn all about petrified wood, watch an movie about the park, and chat with park rangers about the things to do in the park. Even with all the research we do before a trip, I always like to start at the Visitor Center with a quick conversation with a ranger to get their recommendations, make sure I didn’t miss anything, and see if any trails are closed.

Address

6618 Petrified Forest Rd,
Holbrook, AZ 86025

Hours of Operation

  • Sunday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
  • Monday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
  • Tuesday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
  • Wednesday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
  • Thursday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
  • Friday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
  • Saturday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM

Be sure to check for seasonal closures.