One Perfect Day in Petrified Forest National Park

Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona is one of the lesser-known of the 63 national parks in the United States.

Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona is a drive-through park that can easily be seen in two hours to a full day. There are two visitor centers (one at each end), several viewpoints, a few short hikes through petrified forests and painted deserts, Pueblo ruins, and even a Route 66 stop.

I’m Cheryl, and my husband and I have written travel itineraries to 22 national parks in the West. We have done every activity in Petrified Forest, and I can’t wait to help you plan your trip. Read on for the absolute “must-sees” as well as some stops you can skip.

About this Itinerary

This itinerary was written with the first-time visitor in mind. I’ll give you all the sites I think you need to see to know you have “done the park properly.” I’ll also let you know what ability level you need for each of the hikes. Don’t worry, you can have a great visit to this park, even if hiking isn’t your thing.

Because Petrified Forest is in Arizona, it gets hot! This itinerary will work year-round, but it’s important to consider what the temperatures will be like during your visit. Ideal times to visit include March-May or October-November.

If visiting when it’s hot, get started as early as possible to avoid the heat!

One Day Petrified Forest Itinerary

Because Petrified Forest is a drive-through park, most people start at either the North or South entrance and exit the other. It’s nice to see the whole park on one drive. We did it starting at the South Entrance and ending at the North Entrance, but do it in whichever order works well for the rest of your travel plans.

Stop #1 Petrified Forest Gift Shop. You will hit this shop on your way to the entrance gate. It may seem silly to pick up your souvenir BEFORE you enter the park, but this is the very best spot. They have tons of petrified wood available for purchase as well as rocks, crystals, jewelry, t-shirts, and pretty much anything a tourist could want. They actually were giving away a free sample to each customer when we visited.

Stop #2 Rainbow Forest Visitor Center and Museum. Here is where you can see the best displays that teach about the fossils and the petrified forest of this park. You can use the flushing toilets here, fill up your water bottle, grab a snack, and watch the park movie.

There isn’t a lot of signage around the park, so the movie is helpful in explaining what is in the park and how some of the cool formations were formed. It’s a newer movie and it’s a nice way to get out of the heat.

There are also a couple of trails you can take from here. The Giant Logs Trail is behind the visitor center and is a 0.5-mile loop. It’s easy and has 10 stops. You can pick up an interactive guide at the visitor center, which really enhances the walk. But… if you are pressed for time, we have a hike that we like a little better, you’ll come across later on.

Agate House and Long Log Trail is 2.5 miles round trip (for both), easy, paved, and exposed, and you walk here from the visitor center. It will take about an hour. The first of it is very boring and there isn’t much to see, but we love the Agate House. The Agate House is built completely of petrified wood and is over 700 years old. When it was discovered, they thought it was the only one in the park, but they have now found over 100 of them. I didn’t see any more of them in the park, and I think this is worth a stop if you have the hiking steps in you to do it. The Long Log Trail is an additional loop you can add, and we think it is worth it. Some of these petrified logs are over 30 feet long!

Stop #3 Crystal Forest Trail. This 0.7-mile, paved, easy loop is our favorite spot to view petrified wood! There are both long logs and big pieces that contain a rainbow of colors! There is also the beginning of the painted desert on this trail, where you can see purple, white, and bluish hills.

GOOD TO KNOW: Petrified Forest is dog-friendly! Leashed dogs are allowed on all the trails and at the viewpoints. There is even a dog park at the Painted Forest Visitor Center on the North end of the park.

As you continue the drive, you’ll pass a few small stops that are great if you have all day. If you are trying to see the park in a couple of hours, you have our permission to skip them.

Jasper Overlook is accessible and offers vast flat views as far as the eye can see. It’s kind of weird there isn’t a canyon or hills to look at. Agate Bridge is a petrified tree that fell across a small canyon. It is reinforced by cement underneath. It’s accessible and kind of fun ot see but not a must.

Stop #4 Blue Mesa Overlook and Trail. You have now moved on from the petrified forest portion of the park and are now in the painted desert! This is the very best hike to explore these beautiful purple and blue mounds! The trail is 1 1-mile loop, paved, and moderately difficult (the hike out is a bit of a butt-kicker). It’s a wonderful experience to be hiking among these colorful mud mountains! It will take about 45 minutes.

If hiking isn’t your thing, there are a few viewpoints you can enjoy. The best one is the last one.

PRO TIP: It will probably be around lunchtime when you hike this. There is a picnic table at the trailhead where you can enjoy lunch with a view!

Optional Stop: Newspaper Rock. This is an accessible lookout where you can view actual petroglyphs. You can see them with the naked eye, but the provided binoculars really enhance the experience. If you are heading to Arches, Canyonlands, or Canyon de Chelly, you can skip this.

Stop #5 Puerco Pueblo is a 0.3-mile, paved, easy loop. It has some ruins, a kiva, and foundations of Pueblo structures. There is also an outdoor mini-museum that teaches a bit about them. It probably takes about 15 minutes to see all of it. If you’ve seen ruins in other places in the West, this isn’t worth it, but if this is your one chance, this is pretty cool. There are also some pit toilets here.

Stop #6 Route 66. This is just an old Studebaker where you can snap a fun picture, but did you know that Petrified Forest is the only national park to preserve part of the historic Route 66? As you stop here, watch the cars zoom by on the freeway, oblivious to the great nature and piece of history as they get to their next destination in the most efficient way possible.

Stop #7 Painted Desert Inn. This historic site is a real highlight. This used to be a Harvey House where people traveling by train via the Santa Fe Railway would be treated to good food fast. It now has some great murals, recreations of a restaurant, and even a spot to get ice cream. Yum! You can enjoy this from the Kachina Point, where you can see the painted desert, which now has pink and white mounds.

If you have a few more steps in you, you can walk 0.5 miles along the rim to Tawa Point.

You will encounter a few viewpoints from the Route 66 stop and the Painted Desert Visitor Center. Stop at them if you are interested or skip them if you aren’t.

Stop #8 Painted Desert Visitor Center. There is actually a gas station and the Painted Desert Diner. Surprisingly, there aren’t many displays here, but there are a couple of shops and a little station where you can view a scientist uncovering fossils. There is also a dog park (I never thought I would see one of these in a national park!)

Final Thoughts

Petrified Forest National Park is a great stop, whether you only have a couple of hours or a full day! The variety of the painted desert, petrified forests, petroglyphs, Pueblo ruins, and Route 66 history gives it great variety and makes it enjoyable for all.

But this is just one of many great spots to visit in the Four Corners Region. For even more fun, check out Monument Valley, Mesa Verde, Chaco Canyon, and Canyon de Chelly!