Petrified Forest National Park blew me away! Before visiting Petrified Forest National Park, my expectations were low. I’d seen petrified (fossilized) wood before and I wasn’t too impressed, but that totally changed after coming to this park. Here you’ll see literal purple hills and fossilized wood in a muted rainbow of colors. It was so cool! The rocks are made up of different minerals, like iron and manganese. There are a couple shorter trails you can hike and some stops with sweeping overlooks and opportunities to see petrified wood.

This park does close on the early side – 5 PM in winter. You’ll see signs in the parking lot reminding you to be in your vehicles by a certain time since they lock the gates when they close.

How Much Time Do You Need at petrified forest

Petrified Forest National Park can easily be explored in a day.

Sites in petrified forest National Park

– Stop at Tawa Point for panoramic views of the Painted Desert and Kachina Point to see stunning vistas.
-Take a photo of the iconic Painted Desert Inn, a historic landmark that served as a lodge and restaurant on Route 66.
-See the remains of a broken down car. You’ll spot it on the side of the road, but here are the coordinates that you can plug into your navigation app: 35°03’04.3″N 109°48’18.9″W
-Newspaper Rock has petroglyphs etched into the rockface. To preserve the petroglyphs, you must use binocular stands at an overlook point.
-At the Teepees viewpoint you can see a series of canonical shaped rock formations with various colors.

Canyon de Chelly
Distance from Petrified Forest National Park: 90 minutes
Canyon de Chelly is basically a labyrinth of different canyons. You drive down a singular road around the rim of Canyon de Chelly and park at the pullouts to see the different views and overlooks.

Access to the canyon floors is heavily restricted. If you want to explore the canyon floor, you’ll need to book a Navajo-lead tour. There is one trail, the White House Ruin Trail, which allows visitors to independently hike down to a cliff dwelling; however is has been closed for a bit, so please check their site to see if it’s open before attempting the hike.

If you’re coming from or going to Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly is a perfect half-way stopping point. It is free to visit Canyon de Chelly.

Wigwam Motel
Distance from Petrified Forest National Park: 25 minutes
If you’re driving to Meteor Crater, you’ll pass right by the Wigwam Motel. The Wigwam Motels were a novelty hotel chain built across the United States in the 1930s – 1940s. Each room is shaped like a wigwam, a traditional dwelling used by some indigenous peoples. Outside many of the rooms you’ll see vintage, classic cars parked. This is the first one built, capitalizing on the popularity of Route 66; however, the decline of Route 66 led to most of the hotels being shuttered. It’s an interesting stop to get a unique glimpse into the past.

A note on cultural appropriation: The use of the term “wigwam” in the context of these motels has been criticized for cultural appropriation. Therefore, while the Wigwam Motels hold historical significance and offer a unique glimpse into the past, it’s important to be mindful of the cultural context surrounding them.

Meteor Crater
Distance from Petrified Forest National Park: 1 hour 15 minutes
If you’re driving to Flagstaff, this is a great place to stop. Meteor Crater is the site where a massive meteorite came crashing into Earth an estimated 50,000 years ago. It is one of the best preserved craters on Earth! The impact is estimated to have been equivalent to the detonation of 15 million tons of TNT, leaving behind a colossal crater.

There are a couple things you can do at Meteor Crater – walk along the rim and listen to a guided tour, walk around the interactive museum and learn about the site, watch the 4D movie, and visit the gift shop.

Tickets are $30 and I’d plan to spend 2 hours here. We incorrectly thought we’d be simply looking at the crater and didn’t realize how much more the center offers.

Drive Historic Route 66
Historic Route 66 is the original highway that went from Chicago, Illinois on the east coast to Los Angeles, California on the west coast. At the time it was created, it helped bolster the American economy by creating travel opportunities that supported smaller towns. As more highways emerged, Route 66 declined, but it has experienced a semi-revival in recent years. While much of the highway has been decommissioned, today visitors can stop at old school diners, gas stations, gift shops, and other quirky roadside attractions. 

NOT DONE TRAVELING?

Check out our guides of nearby areas:
Page, Arizona
Saguaro National Park
Sedona
Phoenix
Monument Valley
Scottsdale
Havasupai
Grand Canyon