A Day In Petrified Forest National Park

If you love your America National Parks, then you will love this one! The park is just incredible! It felt as though I had left planet Earth and headed onto Mars for the day. The landscape with nothing like anything I had ever seen before.

Petrified Forest National Park is located in the northeast of Arizona. Route 66 used to once travel right through the area. But when the area became a National Park, the old Mother Road got closed off, creating a new Route 66 around the edge of the park. Today, on your visit to the National Park, you can see where the old road use to go.

Park Fees

To visit the park, you do have to pay. At the time we visited, it cost just $10 per vehicle. If you have the ‘America the Beautiful Pass’, you can use it to gain free entry.

Opening Hours

Petrified Forest National Park is open from 8 am to 6 pm.

Best Time To Visit

Winter will be the coolest time to visit. Summer, I personally would avoid, because of the heat. February is the busiest time of the year, so probably a time to avoid, unless you like crowds. We visited in May, it was quiet but very windy. April/May time is known to be the windy season. So you could argue Autumn is the best time to visit?

What To See And Do

The park isn’t a massive National Park. Personally, I feel like you only need one day to explore it all. We actually only had half a day in the park, as we were travelling along Route 66, coming from Albuquerque in the morning.

When visiting Petrified Forest, you will be handed over a map at the entrance. On it will be marked all the viewpoints in the park. Depending on how much time you have, depends if you want to stop off at everyone. If you are short of time, or only want to choose a selective few, below are my top recommendations. I’ve done them in order, coming into the National Park via the northeast entrance. If you are coming in by the southwest entrance, follow them back to front.

Tiponi Point

Tiponi Point is the first viewpoint you will come to. This is the first view you will get of Petrified Forest. A view that will blow you away! Don’t miss this one out!

Kachina Point

Stop at this one if you are after seeing another view like Tiponi Point, but at a slightly different angle. The views are incredible but similar to Tiponi Point.

If you are interested in the history of the park, there is a museum located here, inside the Painted Desert Inn.

Pintado Point

Pintado Point is the highest point in the park. The view overlooks a volcanic crater, and views for miles and miles.

Route 66

Driving Route 66? Then this stop is a must! Here you will see the last reminds of the old Mother Road, which used to travel through the park.

Tepees

This is a ‘must’ stop! Honestly, I’ve never seen anything like it before!

Blue Mesa Trail

If there’s one walk to do in the park, this is the one to do! It’s only a short 1-mile loop, on a very well-marked, paved path. It’s a route that provides 360-degree views of the badlands. I honestly felt like I was walking on Mars. Absolutely incredible from start to finish!

Agate Bridge

An impressive 110-foot petrified log!

Crystal Forest

This is the most popular trail to do in the park! Why? Because it’s where you get to see all the petrified wood up close. The route is a mile-long loop, easy to follow, on a well-marked path.

For more information on the park, including some of the other viewpoints you can visit/walking trails to do, please head to their website: https://www.nps.gov/pefo/index.htm

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