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

Park Pass

Join the National Parks Club

Half a day covers the full scenic drive, easily extended to a full day with more stops and short trails.

No special permit is required to enter.

Holbrook is the closest town with real services, right off the interstate near the park.

The entrance fee is $25/vehicle (7-day), or purchase a National Parks Yearly Pass.

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.

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.