Petrified Forest National Park in northeastern Arizona protects two landscapes in one: a desert scattered with 200-million-year-old fossilized logs that have turned to rainbow-colored stone, and the banded badlands of the Painted Desert glowing in reds, purples, and grays. We’ve driven the 28-mile park road end to end, walked among the giant logs at golden hour, and stood at the Painted Desert overlooks as the light shifted. We put together this ranked, honest guide to the best things to do in Petrified Forest and the Painted Desert, with the logistics you need before you go.
The park is compact and built around one road that connects every stop, which makes it easy to see in a half-day or a full, unhurried day. The activities below run roughly north to south, from the Painted Desert overlooks near Interstate 40 down to the giant logs near Highway 180. One rule above all: it is illegal to take any petrified wood from the park, even a pebble. For more in the region, see our guide to Arizona’s national parks.
At a Glance: 10 Things to Do in Petrified Forest
| Activity | Type | Effort / Time | Best Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive the park road | Scenic drive | 28 mi, half to full day | Anytime |
| Hike the Blue Mesa Trail | Hike | 1 mi loop, moderate, 1 hr | Morning / late day |
| Walk the Crystal Forest Trail | Hike | 0.75 mi loop, easy, 45 min | Anytime |
| See the Giant Logs and Rainbow Forest | Walk | 0.4 mi loop, easy, 30 min | Anytime |
| Hike Long Logs and Agate House | Hike | 2.6 mi, easy-moderate, 1.5 hrs | Morning |
| Stop at the Painted Desert overlooks | Scenic | Easy | Sunrise / sunset |
| Visit the Painted Desert Inn | History | Easy, 45 min | Daytime |
| See Newspaper Rock petroglyphs | Viewpoint | Easy | Anytime |
| Hike the Blue Forest wilderness | Backcountry hike | Varies, moderate | Cool months |
| See the Route 66 alignment | History | Easy | Anytime |
1. Drive the Park Road End to End
The 28-mile park road is the backbone of any visit, linking the Painted Desert overlooks in the north to the petrified log forests in the south with stops every few miles. Driving it slowly, with short walks at the pullouts, is how most people see the park, and it can fill anywhere from a few hours to a full day. There are two entrances, one off Interstate 40 in the north and one off Highway 180 in the south, so you can drive straight through. Note the park gates close in the evening; check the day’s hours so you do not get locked in.
2. Hike the Blue Mesa Trail
Blue Mesa is the best short hike in the park and the one we recommend first. A paved one-mile loop drops down among badland hills banded in blue, gray, and purple bentonite clay, with petrified wood scattered across the slopes. It is the most immersive way to walk inside the landscape rather than just look at it from above. Distance: 1 mile. Difficulty: moderate, with a descent and climb. Time: about an hour. The colors are best in soft morning or evening light.
Love Petrified Forest? It's one of 117 threatened public lands destinations we're tracking. Get the free briefing.
3. Walk the Crystal Forest Trail
The Crystal Forest Trail is a paved, nearly level 0.75-mile loop through one of the densest concentrations of petrified wood in the park, where logs glitter with quartz and amethyst crystals. It is easy enough for almost anyone and delivers the highest payoff of fossil wood per step. Distance: 0.75 miles. Difficulty: easy. Time: 45 minutes. Look closely at the cut log ends for the crystal colors.
4. See the Giant Logs and Rainbow Forest
Behind the Rainbow Forest Museum at the south end, the Giant Logs Trail is a short 0.4-mile loop among the largest petrified logs in the park, including Old Faithful, a massive log nearly ten feet wide at its base. The adjacent museum explains the Triassic world these trees grew in, complete with fossils of the strange creatures that lived alongside them. Distance: 0.4 miles. Difficulty: easy, with some steps. Time: 30 minutes plus the museum.
5. Hike Long Logs and Agate House
From the Rainbow Forest area, a combined trail of about 2.6 miles round trip visits the Long Logs, a field of some of the longest petrified trunks in the park, and Agate House, a small pueblo built around 700 years ago entirely from blocks of petrified wood. It is the best moderate hike here and adds a layer of human history to the geology. Distance: about 2.6 miles for both. Difficulty: easy to moderate. Time: about 1.5 hours.
6. Stop at the Painted Desert Overlooks
The northern end of the park strings together a series of overlooks across the Painted Desert, where layered badlands stretch to the horizon in shifting bands of color. Tiponi, Tawa, Kachina, and Pintado points each offer a slightly different angle, and the colors come alive at sunrise and sunset. It is the most dramatic scenery in the park and takes only as long as you want to linger. Effort: easy.
7. Visit the Painted Desert Inn
Perched on the rim of the Painted Desert, the Painted Desert Inn is a beautifully restored 1930s adobe building, now a National Historic Landmark and museum, with Hopi murals painted by artist Fred Kabotie and exhibits on the area’s history. It is a quiet, atmospheric stop with one of the best views in the park from its windows. Effort: easy. Time: about 45 minutes.
8. See the Newspaper Rock Petroglyphs
Newspaper Rock is a large sandstone boulder covered in more than 600 petroglyphs left by Ancestral Puebloan people over centuries. You view it from an overlook with spotting scopes rather than up close, which protects the carvings, and it is a powerful reminder that people have lived in and read this landscape for thousands of years. Treat it with respect; do not attempt to reach the rock. Effort: easy.
9. Hike the Blue Forest Wilderness
For those who want to get off the paved loops, the park’s wilderness areas allow open, route-find hiking across the badlands, and the Blue Forest area near Blue Mesa is a popular, scenic way in. There are no marked trails, so carry a map and water, and be back before the gates close. It is the best way to find solitude and your own petrified logs without crowds. Difficulty: moderate, navigation required. Check hiking info and conditions first; avoid the badlands when wet, as the clay turns treacherous.
10. See the Route 66 Alignment
Petrified Forest is the only national park that contains a section of historic Route 66, and a roadside pullout marks the old alignment with a rusted 1932 Studebaker and a line of telephone poles tracing where the Mother Road once ran. It is a quick, nostalgic stop that ties the park to America’s road-trip history. Effort: easy.
Planning Your Visit: Know Before You Go (2026)
- Do not take petrified wood: Removing any petrified wood from the park is illegal and carries fines. If you want a piece, buy it from a shop outside the park, where it is sold legally from private land.
- Entrance fee: A per-vehicle fee covers seven days (the America the Beautiful pass works). Confirm on the NPS fees page.
- Gates close daily: Unlike many parks, Petrified Forest closes its gates in the evening and opens in the morning, so plan your drive to exit before closing. Check the day’s hours.
- Two entrances: The north entrance is off Interstate 40; the south is off Highway 180 near Holbrook. Driving straight through is the most efficient route.
- Best time: Spring and fall are ideal. Summer is hot with afternoon storms, and winter can bring snow that makes the colors striking but the badlands slick.
- What to bring: Sun protection, plenty of water, and sturdy shoes. There is no lodging and limited food inside the park, so stock up in Holbrook. Check current conditions before you go.
Keep Exploring Petrified Forest
For more on planning your trip, visit our Petrified Forest National Park hub and our guide to Arizona’s national parks. You can also watch our cinematic national park films at the More Than Just Parks films library.
What to Bring to Petrified Forest
Gear we recommend for Petrified Forest. Affiliate links support our work at no cost to you.
More Than Just Parks may earn a small commission from purchases made through these links, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend gear we would actually use.
Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend gear we actually use.
