Petrified Forest National Park

Petrified Forest National Park is one of the most underrated national parks in the United States. It offers a completely unique landscape filled with colorful badlands, ancient petrified wood, and rich history that many people don’t expect. The park stretches between two entrances (North and South), and it’s highly recommended to drive through the entire park to experience all the major highlights. The scenic drive itself is peaceful and very well maintained. In the Painted Desert area (North side), you’ll find stunning overlooks with layered colors that look especially beautiful during sunrise or sunset. The Painted Desert Rim Trail is an easy walk with excellent views. The southern section features the most famous petrified wood areas such as Crystal Forest, Giant Logs, Jasper Forest, and Agate Bridge, where you can see massive petrified logs up close along short walking trails. Blue Mesa is a must-visit spot with vibrant blue, purple, and gray badlands. You can either drive the loop road or walk the short trail to fully experience the colors and formations. The park also includes important cultural and historical sites like Puerco Pueblo, where you can see ancient pueblo remains and petroglyphs. Most trails here are short and easy, making the park suitable for families and casual visitors. You can explore the main highlights comfortably in half a day, or spend more time if you enjoy hiking and photography. Overall, Petrified Forest National Park is a peaceful, scenic, and educational destination and is absolutely worth visiting, especially if you appreciate unique landscapes and history.

This has to be one of the most underrated parks in the US. It is a perfect day trip with such amazing views, geology, history, and more. You get to see 200 million year old trees and fossils but more than that, I dont think people talk enough about how beautiful the painted desert portion is. The layers in the mud stone ranging from purple to red to blue to yellow. There is really nothing like it in the world.

Petrified Forest National Park is fascinating and truly one of a kind. Seeing massive trees turned into colorful stone feels almost unreal. Millions of years ago, fallen trees were buried by sediment and volcanic ash, and mineral-rich water slowly replaced the wood with silica—preserving the trees in stone form while keeping their original structure. The park is very well organized, with helpful rangers and excellent viewpoints along the scenic drive. It’s both educational and visually stunning, making it a great stop for families and anyone interested in natural history. Pro tip: Visit later in the day—the colors of the petrified logs and desert landscape really stand out in the softer evening light.

Epic Desert Colors and Timeless Landscapes A Must-See Stop Along I-40 🌄 Driving from Phoenix to Taos, NM we couldn’t resist stopping at Petrified Forest National Park, and it turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip! We planned to enter from Highway 180 South, but that entrance was closed, so we reached it via Holbrook, AZ and entered from the north gate along I-40. The whole area is incredibly well organized free parking, a small visitor center, souvenir shop, clean restrooms, gas station, and a quick-service café for coffee or snacks before heading inside. Entry is $25 per car, valid for a week, and totally worth it. At the main visitor center we got a map, brochures, and a short orientation from the rangers very friendly and informative. Inside you’ll find a gift shop, ice-cream counter, and shaded seating. Once you start driving through the park, every overlook feels like a different planet layers of red, purple, and grey stretching to the horizon. We stopped at Tiponi Point, Route 66 marker, and Newspaper Rock, where you can see ancient petroglyphs and unreal desert views. Highly recommended for photographers, road-trippers, and anyone who loves natural beauty and peaceful open landscapes. Plan at least 2–3 hours if you want to stop and take photos. Amazing spot to stretch your legs between Arizona and New Mexico! 📸🌵

We've been to this park four or five times and still find it enjoyable. There are plenty of great sights, some hiking (more like easy walking) and the main road exits at a different point so you don't have to backtrack, which can be convenient. The park almost seems like two parks, the northern half, the Painted Desert and then the southern half, the Petrified Forest. The exit to the north is right off Interstate 40. There is also the history of old Route 66 going thru the area. There is also the rusted out old body of a '32 Studebaker located in this northern area. The Visitør Center was an old historical inn. There are a few overlooks in this area as well. The road heads south into the Petrified Forest part of things. At one of the first overlooks, there is one of the famous Newspaper Rocks. This one has about 650 petroglyphs on it. Soon after that, there are three wonderful examples of the park's namesake. There is the Agate Bridge (probably the weakest of the three), Jasper Forest and Crystal Forest (with about a mile walking trail) all of which have great photo opportunities. Continuing south there are some areas including Long Log's and Agate House. There is also a small museum and another Giant Log's short trail in this area, which is near the southern exit. We really like the petrified logs in the park. They are simply beautiful and it is a great place to bring children. One thing is that we would like to see more rangers on the trails. A lot of the resources seems to "walk" away from people with no respect.

The Petrified Forest is truly amazing and absolutely worth the visit. The landscape feels otherworldly, and the colors and formations are stunning from the moment you enter the park. One of the most beautiful parts of the park is the Blue Mesa trail. It is a must see. The blue and purple hues, combined with the winding trail through the badlands, make this area unforgettable. It feels peaceful, unique, and visually striking in a way that stays with you long after you leave. If you have limited time after visiting the main areas of the park, this is the best place to go. Do not miss it. Blue Mesa captures the beauty and magic of the Petrified Forest perfectly.

Petrified Forest National Park is a must-visit place. We were truly in awe of the landscape—every spot is beautiful and rich with history and natural wonder. The clearly marked viewpoints and stops were very helpful and made exploring easy and enjoyable. 100% recommend..!!

We didn't do hiking but we stoped along the road and explored some areas of the park which was really amazing. I'd recommend the great america pass as it was a $45 entrance fee