Petrified Forest National Park

The drive from Flagstaff to the Petrified Forest National Park can certainly serve as one long scenic tour. The mountains are breathtakingly arrayed in many different colors, layers, and textures. All around lay vast tracts of land with mysterious-looking canyons that have opened up right at ground level. Numerous species of cacti decorate the harsh landscape. This area of Arizona is known as the Painted Desert. It is thought that the first Spanish explorers had given it this name.

Off in the distance, the summer visitor will often see storm systems assaulting the desert. It is very easy to be caught right in the middle of a flash flood with no way to see, or know, what will happen next. Then, it is over almost as quickly as it began; only to find that there are still a few more, just like that one, lying in wait.

Arriving at Petrified Forest National Park

The very first thing to hit the visitor is the sense that something is missing. There is the expectation that one should see trees standing upright; petrified in some way. That is not the case. No trees are standing in this forest. However, stumps of petrified wood can be found in upright positions, in various places.

Touring The Park

Driving tours can take between 45 minutes and 3 hours. No walking tours are permitted for obvious reasons: the desert is a harsh and unforgiving environment. However, overnight camping is permitted, and there are walking trails that vary in length between 1/3 mile, to 3 miles. Dogs are permitted on the walking trails, provided they are kept on a leash. The park is also a good place to do some bird watching, thanks to the riparian forest along the Puerco River. In that respect, it is a lot like Hassayampa River Preserve.

The drive through the park is spectacular. There is one beautiful array of hills after another. They look like great, silent mounds of ash standing in mute testimony to the destruction that occurred there many thousands of years ago. At any point along the drive, visitors are free to get out of their vehicles and take a closer look. The expanse is breathtaking in its own way, and it is easy to feel compelled to stop quite often; in order to feast upon the view.

Historic Dwellings and Artifacts

There are a museum and a gift shop on the grounds. The petrified wood shards that are for sale have been purchased outside of the park. Collecting samples from the park is strictly forbidden, as thousands of tons of it are lost every year, due to theft. Petrified wood is also available in many shops in Arizona, where it is legally possible to buy even very large pieces.

There are also many artifacts scattered about the park, as this was the territory of the Zuni, Hopi, and Navajo nations, many years ago. Petrified Forest National Park has nine sites that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

As many as 650 native dwellings have been found in the park. One such dwelling is Puerco Pueblo, which had about 100 rooms. The park is also a good place to see historic illustrations that are etched in rock, such as the Newspaper Rock Petroglyphs, as well as fossil specimens that are over 200 million years old.

Rates and Hours of Operation

Petrified Forest National Park is open every day except Christmas Day. A vehicle permit can be purchased for $10, and is good for 7 days. Permits are given to those who wish to camp overnight. They are free of charge, and must be applied for at the Visitor Center, Museum, or Painted Desert Inn, at least one hour before the park closes. Dogs are not permitted on these overnight stays, however.