Trip to the "Petrified Forest" National Park
♦ Routes (free): Detailed travel itineraries in USA
General
The Petrified Forest National Park is a desert national park spanning an area of about 900 square kilometers in northeast Arizona, in the western United States. The central attraction is giant petrified trees that have been excellently preserved from a forest that stretched across this area about 220 million years ago. In almost every corner, petrified trees are scattered, looking like quartz rocks in various and spectacular colors.
Hundreds of millions of years ago, giant trees that reached a height of 60 meters grew in the area of the reserve. Upon their collapse, these trees were washed into the many stream channels that were in the area, were covered by earth, and became fossils in all colors of the rainbow thanks to the minerals covering them. This phenomenon was discovered at the beginning of the 19th century when an expedition of American soldiers arrived in the area and was greatly impressed by the remarkable phenomenon. Since then, a significant decrease in the amount of fossils occurred because many tourists used to take pieces of rock from the site as souvenirs. The park was declared a national monument as early as 1906 but only became a national park in 1962. Turning the site into a national park helped reduce the theft of the unique petrified trees, but even today, 12 tons of petrified trees are stolen from the park every year. The quantity and concentration of petrified trees in the park is among the largest in the world. Other petrified trees exist in North Dakota in the US, as well as in Egypt and Argentina. This is the only national park in the US that is closed at night. There are no camping sites in the park nor hotels. The park gates close at dark to try and prevent as much as possible the theft of the petrified trees.
In the northern part of the park, the ground is characterized by vibrant layers of color, and it is called the Painted Desert.
In order to preserve the appearance and character of the park in the best way, part of the park was declared a "wilderness area": an area where there are no trails or roads, and the construction of structures and any type of human marking is prohibited. Except for one structure from the year 900 AD, which is almost entirely built of petrified trees, there are no other structures in the Petrified Forest.
Park Location and Ways to Arrive:
The park is located a drive of about an hour (70 km) southwest of the city of Gallup, New Mexico, and about 1:40 hours (190 km) east of the city of Flagstaff, Arizona. Highway I-40 passes through the park, as does a section of the historic U.S. Route 66, which crosses the US from Chicago to Los Angeles.
The closest settlement to the park is the town of Holbrook, Arizona, located about 25 minutes (25 km) west of the park.
The closest international airports to the park are in Albuquerque, New Mexico – located about 3 hours (340 km) east of the park, and in Phoenix, Arizona – about 3:50 hours (400 km) southwest of the park.
It is worth dedicating a day's trip to the park on the way from Sedona or from Flagstaff to New Mexico. In the article: Trip and Vacation in Sedona, travel routes in the Sedona area and many accommodation recommendations in beautiful Sedona are provided.
Sedona:
♦ Recommended Accommodations in Flagstaff
Hampton Inn & Suites Flagstaff A family hotel with spacious rooms, an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, and gym. The price includes a buffet breakfast. Free internet and parking. SpringHill Suites by Marriott Flagstaff A hotel with spacious studio apartments suitable for families of up to 5 people. Each unit has a microwave and refrigerator. The price includes a buffet breakfast. Free internet. Parking for an additional fee. Sonesta ES Suites Flagstaff An apartment hotel with rooms in various sizes: from a double studio apartment to 2-bedroom apartments designed for 5 people. Each apartment has an equipped kitchen. The hotel has an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, and gym. Free internet and parking. Little America Hotel Flagstaff A high-quality 4-star hotel. The hotel has a bar and restaurant, an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, and gym. Free internet and parking.
♦ Recommended Accommodations in Gallup, New Mexico:
TownePlace by Marriott Suites Gallup An apartment hotel with units in various sizes: from double studio apartments to 2-bedroom apartments with a living room suitable for 6 people. All apartments have an equipped kitchen. The hotel has an indoor pool and gym. The price includes a buffet breakfast. Free internet. Best Western Plus Gallup Inn & Suites A 3-star hotel with rooms and suites in various sizes suitable for 2-6 people. Suites have an equipped kitchen. The hotel offers breakfast and has a pool, jacuzzi, and gym. Free internet and parking. SpringHill Suites by Marriott Gallup A 3-star suite hotel with spacious suites designed for 4-6 people. The price includes a buffet breakfast. The hotel has an indoor pool, jacuzzi, and gym. Free internet and parking.
♥ Recommended hotel near the Petrified Forest (Holbrook):
♦ La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Holbrook Petrified Forest
Weather and When to Visit the Park
The park is open year-round. The most recommended time to visit is in the spring when temperatures are comfortable and the whole area is filled with colorful blooming. Autumn is also an excellent season, though it should be taken into account that the weather can surprise and change quickly in both spring and autumn with sudden strong winds. The summer is hot with occasional thunder and lightning storms. The average night temperature in July-August, which are the hottest months, is 15-16 degrees Celsius, and during the day: 32-33 degrees. The winter is cold, especially the nights, with the possibility of light snow. The average night temperature in December-January is -6 degrees Celsius and during the day 8-9 degrees.
Park Description and Hiking Trails
The park is currently divided into two: the Painted Desert which is in the northern part of the park and where the ground is characterized by vibrant layers of color such as: light blue, pink, and gray; and the Petrified Forest which is in the south of the park and includes areas of colorful earth in addition to a high concentration of petrified trees. In this area of the park, there are also petroglyphs on the rocks painted by the Native Americans who lived in the area.
The park has a visitor center named Painted Desert Inn Museum with a display of petrified trees as well as the local flora and fauna. Every half hour, a movie titled "Timeless Impressions" is screened.
The park is indeed famous for its petrified trees, but it is worth knowing that it also contains 400 types of plants and 200 types of birds in addition to other animals including wolves, goats, bobcats, and of course lizards and snakes.
Collared lizard
As long as 8,000 years ago, residents lived in the area and their building remains can be seen at the site.
There are also many petroglyphs drawn primarily on the surfaces of the rocks in the park. It is estimated that the petroglyphs in the park are 500-2,000 years old.
Hiking Trails and Viewpoints in Petrified Forest Park
The park has 7 marked hiking trails. The most recommended are:
Giant Logs:
A circular path 0.6 km long starting near the park's visitor center. This is a beautiful and easy walk among especially large and impressive petrified trees.
Crystal Forest:
An easy circular hiking trail 1.2 km long located in the southern part of the park. The path passes between petrified trees in spectacular colors.
Blue Mesa:
An easy circular path 1.6 km long whose starting point is: Blue Mesa sun shelter. This is a lovely walk inside a wadi with colorful walls.
Painted Desert Rim Trail:
A circular trail 1.6 km long. Its starting points: Tawa Point and Kachina Point. Along the trail, many plants and animals can be observed, and it features impressive views of the "Painted Desert."
An excellent viewpoint of petrified trees, without the need for walking, at Jasper Forest overlook.
The most recommended places for a close-up view of many petroglyphs are "Newspaper Rock" and Puerco Pueblo—a very short 0.5 km circular hiking trail reaching the ruins of a structure built about 600 years ago.
