Petrified Forest

• Hours: Open daily except December 25
• Reservations: Not required
• Cost: National Park entry fee
• Location: Northeast Arizona, directions below
• How Long: Allow a couple of hours, longer if you hike or take lots of pictures
• Best Time to Visit: Any time, but mid-day in summer is very hot
• See It Now: Photo Tour
• Discover more sites on our Northeast Arizona Circle Tour

One of the world's largest and most colorful concentrations of petrified wood, Arizona's Petrified Forest is easily accessible, just off I-40 east of Flagstaff. The Petrified Forest and Painted Desert are administered together as a single National Park.

Petrified Forest Review

225 million years ago, the land under northeastern Arizona was located near the equator, a wet, tree-covered terrain. As fallen trees landed in or near rivers, many rotted and disappeared, but in a few cases, colorful minerals gradually replaced the wood, creating fossilized logs. Today, the land has drifted northward, and these logs-turned-stone lay scattered across the desert floor.

This isn't the only petrified forest, but it is one of the largest. However, its most outstanding feature is the beautiful red and amber colors of the Petrified Forest wood, and its easy accessibility, just a short hike from the parking area.

Painted Desert Visitor Center is a good place to begin your visit, with hands-on exhibits and a 20-minute video. Park Rangers can help you plan your exploration of the Petrified Forest, with driving and hiking tips.

Getting to Petrified Forest

Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified Forest, AZ
928-524-6228
Petrified Forest Website

Located in northeastern Arizona, Petrified Forest National Park is about 3.5 hours' drive from either Phoenix, AZ or Albuquerque, NM. It lies between Interstate 40 and U.S. Highway 180. Exit I-40 at exit 311.

If You Liked the Arizona Petrified Forest, You May Also Like:

• Petrified Forest, Calistoga, CA