-: Colorful badlands strewn with 200-million-year-old fossilized logs, plus Painted Desert overlooks along a single scenic drive.

Park Pass

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Why Visit?:

Petrified Forest protects colorful badlands strewn with 200-million-year-old fossilized logs, alongside Painted Desert overlooks along a single, easy-to-drive scenic road. It's one of the most efficient national parks to visit — the entire scenic drive can be done in half a day, making it an easy add-on for anyone road-tripping through Arizona.

The petrified wood itself is genuinely striking up close, with mineral deposits creating rainbow-like coloring in what were once ordinary fallen trees, now solid stone.

To use this map - use the buttons on the bottom right to toggle between the Parks, Places to stay (lodging), and Spots to visit in the parks (Spots)

Things to Do:

Driving the park's single scenic road, with stops at Blue Mesa and the Painted Desert Inn overlook, covers the full park experience in a few hours. The Giant Logs Trail near the visitor center offers an easy, short walk among some of the largest and most colorful petrified wood in the park.

A quick reminder worth taking seriously: removing petrified wood from the park is illegal and actively enforced — buy a small polished piece from the gift shop if you want a souvenir, rather than risking a fine.

Get the Full Itinerary

Closest airports: Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG) is about 2 hours away; Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), roughly 3.5 hours, offers more flight options.

Nearby Attractions:

Grand Canyon National Park is about 2.5 hours away and pairs naturally with a Petrified Forest stop on an Arizona road trip.