Best trails in Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified Forest National Park blends a surreal landscape of Triassic‑age petrified wood and Painted Desert vistas with living grassland, shrubland, and riparian habitats. Wander paved short trails like Giant Logs, Blue Mesa, Crystal Forest, or explore nearly 28 miles of scenic drive and overlooks. The Rainbow Forest Museum and Painted Desert Visitor Center both provide parking, restrooms, orientation films, exhibits, and trail info. Wildlife and native plants thrive in grassland, badland, woodland, and riverine zones.
Top trails
Visitor info
Admits one or two passengers on a single private, non-commercial motorcycle. Valid for 7 days.
Capacity 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.
Admits one individual with no motor vehicle (bicyclist, hiker, pedestrian). Youth 15 and under are admitted free of charge. Valid for 7 days.
Admits one private, non-commercial vehicle (15-passenger capacity or less) and all occupants. Valid for 7 days.
Come 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.
Join millions of people who enjoy our National Parks with the "America the Beautiful" National Park & Federal Recreational Lands Pass, otherwise known as the Interagency Annual Pass. The pass is valid for a year's worth of visits from the month of purchase at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the country.
No entrance pass required on these days:
Monday, January 20 — Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Saturday, April 19 — First day of National Park Week
Thursday, June 19 — Juneteenth National Independence Day
Monday, August 4 — Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
Saturday, September 27 — National Public Lands Day
Tuesday, November 11 — Veterans Day
The Interagency Access Pass is accepted here.
The Rainbow Forest Museum and Painted Desert Visitor Center are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers, and wheelchair accessible restrooms and drinking fountains are available. Orientation films include open captioning.
Additional information about accessibility at Petrified Forest National Park can be found on their website: https://www.nps.gov/pefo/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm.
The Rainbow Forest Museum and Painted Desert Visitor Center are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers, and wheelchair accessible restrooms and drinking fountains are available. Orientation films include open captioning.
The Chinde Point Picnic Area is wheelchair accessible with packed, level paths and surfaces and accessible restrooms.
There are accessible restrooms at the following locations: Painted Desert Diner, Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark, Puerco Pueblo, and the Rainbow Forest Curio Shop.
Service animals must be on-leash throughout the park.
Trail reviews for Petrified Forest National Park
The Devils Playground Loop is a 7.5-8 mile loop located within the Petrified Forest National Park. It requires a permit that can be picked up in the visitors center for free. But there are only 5 passes each day. After the first 1.5 miles you will lose all semblance of an actual trail and will need to have the route downloaded on your phone or I can almost guarantee you will get lost. It's absolutely gorgeous and unlike anything else you will see in Arizona or outside of Utah. Highly recommend!! Video of my hike. https://youtu.be/7SICfU9YQ9Y?si=EXWglNOe0UZa4MqM
Hiking at the Petrified Forest National Park. It was a beautiful day hiking around the trails. Bring water and sunscreen.
Really wonderful trail. Probably the best in the whole petrified Forest national Park. It's a very easy trail to walk, but the view is just amazing. And dear the colorful rocks really are something else
The trail is well maintained and offers great views of the petrified wood. However, the trail can be crowded with people, so this is not the place to seek peace and solitude.
Great, well maintained trail that is right behind the visitors center. Dog friendly and easy! Lots of cool petrified wood!
Petrified Forest National Monument- at one of the pull outs before the Blue Mesa! Explore!! It was so fun and I climbed as high as I could! Ground can move easily like marbles under feet- be careful but have a blast!!!