Entrance Fee
$25.00
/ Entrance - Private Vehicle
Park Hours (Today)
8:00AM - 5:00PM
Rainbow Forest Museum: 8:00AM - 5:00PM
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About the Park
A landscape where deep time lies fully on display, Petrified Forest National Park blends colorful badlands, vast grasslands, and one of the world’s largest and most vivid collections of petrified wood. Spanning more than 200 million years of geologic history, the park protects ancient fossils, ancestral Puebloan sites, habitat for desert animals, and a sweeping stretch of historic Route 66.
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What to See & Do
Peek into the Paleo Lab
Visit the Museum Demonstration Lab at the Painted Desert Visitor Center Complex where you can ask questions and watch them work on fossils from the park.
Go Bicycling
Bicycle—including ebikes—use is permitted on paved park roads and parking areas open to the public as well as some areas listed in the main text. Be careful along park roads—everyone is looking at the view!
Collect Your Cancellation Stamps
Collect your cancellation stamp!
Walk Long Logs Trail
Explore this ancient log jam at the base of purple and gray badlands along a paved half-mile loop.
Walk the Tawa Trail
Enjoy the tranquility of the grassland as the paved trail leads you to scenic Tawa Point. The 1.2-mile one way Tawa Trail is a perfect place to stretch your legs after a long road trip.
Enjoy Horseback Riding
Bring your own horse and take a ride into the backcountry.
Self-Guided Tours
Off the Beaten Path: Billings Gap Overlook Route
This hike takes you to a great viewpoint of the Billings Gap area between Blue Mesa and the landform to the east. The route follows the steep edge of Blue Mesa and offers views of badlands to the east and the broad grassy valleys to the north and south. The badlands’ blues, purples, grays, and whites seem to shift throughout the day and with the seasons. The summer monsoon adds a touch of green vegetation and wildflowers.
Petrified Forest National Park North Audio Tour
This driving tour takes you through the entire park with multiple stops and information in between from north to south. There is a south version, too. Each stop has an audio file that can be downloaded ahead of time.
Petrified Forest National Park South Audio Tour
This driving tour takes you through the entire park with multiple stops and information in between from south to north. There is a north version, too. Each stop has an audio file that can be downloaded ahead of time.
Visitor Centers
Rainbow Forest Museum
Rainbow Forest Museum provides exhibits of petrified wood, fossils, and displays of prehistoric animals as well as information, book sales, and restrooms.
Painted Desert Visitor Center
Painted Desert Visitor Center is located at exit #311 off of I-40 is closed for construction. Follow signs to the Painted Desert Inn. This facility is serving as the north visitor center. The center provides information, brochures, book sales, exhibits, and restrooms.
Painted Desert Inn
In its almost 100 years overlooking the Painted Desert, the inn has undergone many changes. The original building from the early 1920s was made of petrified wood. Today's stucco façade dates to the 1930s renovation of the Painted Desert Inn. The national historic landmark functions only as a museum now, with no overnight accommodation and food service. Displays inside highlight the building's history, Route 66, and the Civilian Conservation Corps. There are also restored murals by Hopi artist Fred Kabotie.
Getting Here & Transit
How to Get Here
Petrified Forest stretches north/south between I-40 and Hwy 180. There are two entrances into the park.*** ***WESTBOUND I-40***Travelers should take Exit 311, drive 28 miles through the park to Hwy 180 at the south end. Travel 19 miles to return to I-40 via Holbrook.*** ***EASTBOUND I-40***Travelers should take Exit 285 into Holbrook then travel 19 miles on Hwy 180 to the park's south entrance. Drive 28 miles north through the park to return to I-40.
Park Amenities
Permits & Reservations
Permits may be required
Some activities in Petrified Forest National Park — including backcountry camping, certain trails, and climbing routes — require advance permits. Check the official NPS website for current requirements before your visit.
Entrance Fees & Passes
Standard Fees
Entrance - Private Vehicle
$25.00Admits one private, non-commercial vehicle (15-passenger capacity or less) and all occupants. Valid for 7 days.
Entrance - Per Person
$15.00Admits one individual with no motor vehicle (bicyclist, hiker, pedestrian). Youth 15 and under are admitted free of charge. Valid for 7 days.
Entrance - Motorcycle
$20.00Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers.
Commercial Entrance - Sedan
$25.00$25 flat fee + $10 per person (Sedans, SUVs, Minivans) If you are conducting an income generating tour of the park, you are subject to commercial tour fees. Fees for commercial vehicles are based on the capacity of the vehicle, not the number of passengers on board, and are valid for 7 days.
Commercial Entrance - Per Person
$10.00$25 flat fee + $10 per person (Sedans, SUVs, Minivans) If you are conducting an income generating tour of the park, you are subject to commercial tour fees. Fees for commercial vehicles are based on the capacity of the vehicle, not the number of passengers on board, and are valid for 7 days.
Commercial Entrance - Van
$50.00Capacity of 7 to 15 passengers - $50 (Vans). If you are conducting an income generating tour of the park, you are subject to commercial tour fees. Fees for commercial vehicles are based on the capacity of the vehicle, not the number of passengers on board, and are valid for 7 days.
Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus
$60.00Capacity of 16-25 passengers - $60 If you are conducting an income generating tour of the park, you are subject to commercial tour fees. Fees for commercial vehicles are based on the capacity of the vehicle, not the number of passengers on board, and are valid for 7 days.
Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach
$150.00Capacity of 26+ passengers - $150 (Large tour buses, motorcoaches). If you are conducting an income generating tour of the park, you are subject to commercial tour fees. Fees for commercial vehicles are based on the capacity of the vehicle, not the number of passengers on board, and are valid for 7 days.
Entrance - Non-commercial Groups
$15.00Capacity of 16 or more $15/person. Anyone that is 15 or younger is exempt from paying an entrance fee, in addition to anyone with a valid pass. A pass may cover immediate family members or up to 4 people traveling with the group. A non-commercial organized group is a group traveling together, such as scouts, a club, a church, or other group that has organized its own itinerary. Fees are based on the capacity of the vehicle, not the number of passengers on board, and are valid for 7 days.
Annual & Lifetime Passes
Annual Entrance - Park
$45.00Come here often? Consider purchasing an annual pass. The park's annual pass costs $45 and is valid at Petrified Forest National Park. It admits the pass owner and all accompanying passengers in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle. The pass is available to purchase in the park at the entrance stations and is good for one year from the month of issue.
Operating Hours
Park Road Hours
Park Road hours of operation may change due to weather or safety issues. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Monday8:00AM - 5:00PM
- Tuesday8:00AM - 5:00PM
- Wednesday8:00AM - 5:00PM
- Thursday8:00AM - 5:00PM
- Friday8:00AM - 5:00PM
- Saturday8:00AM - 5:00PM
- Sunday8:00AM - 5:00PM
Live Webcams
Click any camera to open the live feed on the NPS website.
Photos
Sunset lights up the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark west side.
Sunlight highlights the colorful petrified wood of Agate House
Masonry wall foundations are all that are left of a hundred room pueblo
Two visitors walk the Blue Mesa Trail between blue, purple, and grey badlands.
When to Go
Crowd CalendarPlan your trip around peak seasons to avoid crowds or embrace the energy of the busy months. Our crowd predictions are based on historical NPS Visitor Use Statistics.
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Best Time
May-September
Trip Length
2-4 days
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Planning Petrified Forest
These common questions go deeper into logistics and planning. For real-time updates on road closures and current conditions, always check the Alerts section above.