It might just be the rainbow in the rocks that’s visible on every visit. Or, it could be the feeling of walking through hundreds of millions of years of history, but Petrified Forest National Park is my all-time favorite park. Whether you drive through end-to-end or spend the day hiking, this park has something for everyone.

Choose Your Entrance

There are actually two different ways to enter the park. You will have a totally different experience each time. A third option is to enter and leave the park by the same entrance, stopping along the opposite side of the road on the way back. 

The North Entrance

The North Entrance has the big Insta-famous park sign, the Painted Desert Museum, and is the main park entrance. If history is your thing, this is the entrance to begin with. The north entrance is directly off of I-40. Take exit 311 and turn into the park’s entrance. If you want to stop at the famous Jim Gray’s Rock Shop after a tour of the park, then the North Entrance is the place to start.

The South Entrance

This is a good place to start if you want to get something to eat in Holbrook and stop at the rock shop before you enter the park. Both entrances to the park have a visitor’s center, restrooms, water, and gift shops. I’ve entered the park both ways and I think seeing the Painted Desert first, at the North Entrance, is my favorite.

The Painted Desert 

Today, your tour of the park starts at the North Entrance.  First stop: The Painted Desert. The Painted Desert takes my breath away. The colors don’t look real. You could easily spend hours here in a trance-like state watching the colors changing at the whims of the sun & clouds. Don’t forget to explore the museum (which used to be a hotel) and check out the visitor center and gift shop. I wish that there was a place to stay inside the park (other than backcountry camping by permit only) in order to spend more time at sights like this. Yes, you can see the park in one day, but if you want to experience the “magic,” multiple days and hiking trips are necessary.

Kachina Point

Be careful of getting lost here, in the views. This stop is one of my favorite places in the park. I admit there are a lot of “favorites” here. The views here are breathtaking? spectacular? amazing? You be the judge, and choose your own adjective. There’s a short scenic hike Tawa Point, about a mile round-trip.

Drive Into History

Route 66 Viewpoint

The pop culture icon runs right through the park and is a must-see for the history lover. When I stand there looking out over the vast expanse of the park, I try to imagine what it was like driving through in 1926 or even 1946. There’s an old abandoned car here, a  relic of a forgotten past. You probably won’t spend much time at this stop, but it’s worth a few minutes. 

Puerco Plaza as it would have looked in the 14th century by Scott Seibel NPS/Scott Seibel

Puerco Pueblo

As many as two-hundred people lived here in the 1300’s. One can’t help but wonder how life was carved out on the margins of existence. This is another one of my favorite spots in the park. It’s a short half-mile trail from the parking lot, but you could easily spend an hour or more here. One of the reasons why I moved to the southwest is the abundance of Pueblo history. My favorite being Chaco Canyon. One interesting fact about Pueblo life is that there are no windows and no doors on the outside. Entry was made by ladder on rooftops.

Newspaper Rock

This is just cool. Six-hundred-fifty petroglyphs carved between six-hundred and two-thousand years ago. Fun fact: petroglyphs are carved into the stone, pictographs are painted onto stone. Again, you can spend  ten-minutes or two hours here. This time I stayed about a half-hour watching people come and go. I spent some time just sitting behind the railing wondering what the symbols are, why they were carved, and who carved them. Back in the early days of the park, one could hike down among the petroglyphs. Today they are only viewable from a distance. You’ll want a good zoom lens.

The Blue Mesa

There’s a lot of blue here, hence the name. There’s a short mile-long trail, or you can just get out of the car and look. The trail is paved and gravel but it is a bit steep. I recommend doing this early in the day, especially during the summer. Worth the stop if for nothing else than to look at the beautiful pastel-painted formations.

Petrified Log Bridge

Also called Agate Bridge. Early in the park’s history, one could get their photo taken while standing on the bridge. While that’s no longer the case, a good view is still available from a covered shelter. This stop was once by the rail line, making it extremely popular. The bridge had to be stabilized by masonry in 1914 and concrete in 1917. Soon after, tourists were no longer allowed to stand on the bridge. It’s one of the largest logs in the park. There’s a covered shelter here, providing a welcome respite in summer. Definitely worth a stop. Eighteen miles from the north entrance, or ten miles from the south entrance.

Agate House (House of Rocks)

Another must-see, but it requires a bit of a hike. Two miles round-trip from the parking lot. This cute little stone house was built between 1050 and 1300. The house was excavated and inaccurately reconstructed in the 1930’s. Although only a single structure remains, it was once perhaps part of a larger complex like Puerco Pueblo. Agate house is another place to stop and ponder how life thrived in such an inhospitable environment.

Crystal Forest Trail

While just under a mile, this is the trail where I came close to heat exhaustion. It was late in the day, the end of our trip, and we had already walked for miles. On top of that it was the middle of June! This is another must-see but it is difficult in the late afternoon in summer. Some of the most beautiful rainbow colored crystal formations are on this trail. It’s also the first thing you’re going to see after the museum if you enter the park through the south entrance.

Rainbow Forest Museum

This is a natural first stop when entering the park through the south entrance. Or, a welcome rest after driving from the north entrance. Here you can find exhibits, fossils, a short trail, gift shop, restrooms, and water. If you still have the energy, there’s a short quarter-mile trail behind the museum. This is a great introduction or (finale) to what you will see at the park.

Of all the national parks and historic sites I’ve been to over the years, this is my favorite. I can’t exactly explain why. There’s something so monumental and so ancient about this place that it draws in the imagination. One day I’ll have the time to backcountry camp at the park. Until then, it will keeps calling me back. Since I live in Arizona, I will answer.

Don’t Forget Jim Gray’s Petrified Wood Co.

Whether you enter or exit by the south entrance, at the end of the road you will find Jim Gray’s Petrified Wood Co. This is a destination in itself. Here you will find petrified wood for sale by the ounce or by hundreds of pounds, a museum, rest stop, and much more. You could easily lose a couple of hours here. Here’s an entire blog post I found just about this shop. The shop has been here and operated by the same family for well over a half-century, making it a historic site on its own. It’s a great place to pick up a little piece of history to remember your visit to one of the best national parks in the United States. 

Have you been to Petrified Forest National Park? Share your experience in the comments.