Katmai National Park is a popular location for bear watching, especially near Brooks Camp, and for the desolate landscape of the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, site of the 1912 Novarupta volcano eruption, the largest of the 20th century. It also includes the Brooks River National Historic Landmark, an archaeological site preserving prehistoric dwellings dating back up to 4500 years ago.
It is a remote park, with only the most basic visitor services available. It is not accessible by car.
It was established as a National Monument in 1918 to preserve the unique landscape of the volcanic eruption site. There was little development of the park before 1950. Greater appreciation of the surrounding wilderness areas led to boundary expansions over time. Today’s Katmai National Park & Preserve was finalized in 1980.
Hours of Operation
Petrified Forest National Park is open every day except December 25. Open hours are at least 08:00 to 17:00 daily, with extended hours offered spring through fall. The park is located in the Mountain Standard Time Zone.
Please note: Arizona does not observe daylight savings time, so plan accordingly.
Entrance Fees
(2017 Season)
7-Day Pass:
Vehicle including Passengers $20
Individual Motorcycle, bicycle, or on Foot $10
Annual Pass:
Petrified Forest National Park $30
All Parks $80
Active Military and dependents FREE
Lifetime Pass:
Senior (US Citizens 62+) $10
Individuals with Disability (US Citizens) FREE
Other Passes Honored:
Golden Age and Golden Access
Lodging and Camping in the Park
There is no overnight lodging available in the park. Nearby communities offering lodging include Holbrook, Winslow, Gallup, and St. Johns.
Camping is limited to backpacking in the park Wilderness Area. There are no designated campsites. Free camping permits are available at the Painted Desert Visitor Center and Rainbow Forest Museum. Please obtain a pass before beginning your journey.
Contacting Petrified Forest National Park
Mailing Address:
Petrified Forest National Park
P.O. Box 2217
Petrified Forest, AZ 86028
Park Headquarters: +1 (928) 524-6228
Email: [email protected]
Website: Petrified Forest National Park
Park Highlights Driving Tour
Petrified Forest National Park offers a well organized driving tour taking visitors to all of the most important features of the park. The whole drive can be completed in about 3-4 hours including short stops at each location, but to get the most enjoyment out of the tour you might want to allow a whole day and include some of the short hikes and supplemental road loops along the way.
At the north end of the park, the driving tour starts at the Painted Desert Visitor Center. This itinerary may be driven in reverse starting from the Rainbow Forest Museum and Visitor Center at the south entrance to the park.
- Painted Desert Visitor Center
- Painted Desert Inn
- Painted Desert Overlooks
- Route 66 Alignment
- Puerco Pueblo
- Newspaper Rock
- Blue Mesa
- Agate Bridge
- Jasper Forest
- Crystal Forest
- Rainbow Forest Museum and Giant Logs Trail
- Long Logs and Agate House
Developed Trails in Petrified Forest National Park
Painted Desert Rim Trail: 1 mi (1.6 km) round trip A walk between Tawa Point and the Painted Desert Inn, offering scenic views of the Painted Desert below.
Puerco Pueblo Trail: 0.3 mi (0.5 km) loop A short walk among Native American village remains dating from 1250-1380 CE. Interpretive signs.
Blue Mesa Trail: 1 mi (1.6 km) loop Explore the vibrant blue, purple and gray of these badlands dotted with colorful petrified wood.
Crystal Forest Trail: 0.75 mi (1.2 km) loop Wander around a large field of colorful petrified logs.
Giant Logs Trail: 0.4 mi (0.6 km) loop Impressive collection of large logs. Showcase specimen Old Faithful measures nearly 10 ft across at the base. Trail guide available.
Long Logs Trail: 1.6 mi (2.5 km) loop Site of a Triassic Era log jam with many long petrified tree trunks.
Agate House Trail: 2 mi (3.3 km) round trip Visit an eight room reconstructed pueblo constructed almost entirely out of petrified wood.
The Long Logs and Agate House trails start from the same trailhead and may be combined for a longer 2.6 mi (4.2 km) hike.
Backcountry Hiking in Petrified Forest National Park
Hoping to avoid the crowds? There are over 50,000 acres of wilderness waiting to be explored in the Petrified Forest National Park. Go off the beaten track onto an old road or unmaintained trail, or use map and compass to blaze a new path. More information available at the Painted Desert Visitor Center, Rainbow Forest Museum, or online at the National Park Service website.
Top 5 Off the Beaten Path Hikes
Old Blue Forest 2.4 mi (3.9 km) round trip Hike along an unmaintained CCC trail. Enjoy huge petrified logs, desert landscape. [NPS route guide]
Jasper Forest 2.5 mi (4 km) round trip Hike along an old 1930s road through a garden of petrified wood. [NPS route guide]
Onyx Bridge 4 mi (6.4 km) round trip Leaves from Painted Desert Inn. See how a 210 million year old fallen tree forms a natural bridge. [NPS route guide]
Billings Gap 3 mi (4.8 km) round trip Hike to the Billings Gap overlook for views across the badlands and grassy valleys. [NPS route guide]
Martha’s Butte 2 mi (3.2 km) round trip Walk through wash country to the butte and a solar petroglyph. [NPS route guide]
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The best times to visit Petrified Forest National Park are in the late spring and early fall, while days are still long, temperatures a moderate 70-80 degrees F, and sunshine dependable.
July is a popular month for to visit Katmai National Park for watching brown bears catch sockeye salmon from the viewing platforms near the Brooks Camp waterfall.
Winters offer cool days, with average daytime temperatures in the 40s and 50s F and cold nighttime temperatures in the 20s F.
Petrified Forest National Park is located 50 miles from the Arizona/New Mexico border along the I-40 interstate highway. There is no public transportation to or inside the park.
Arrival by Car
Almost all visitors to Petrified Forest National Park arrive by car or other motor vehicle.
Visitors driving from the west will approach the park on I-40. The park is about 110 miles east of Flagstaff, Arizona. Driving from the east, visitors will pas through Gallup, New Mexico about 70 miles east of the park.
From Phoenix, drivers follow AZ 87 North and AZ 260 East to AZ 277/377/77 North to Holbrook, then proceed East on I-40 to the north gate of the park, or East on US 180 East to the south gate.
Arrival by Air
Visitors to Petrified Forest National Park may choose to fly into a nearby airport and rent a car from there to drive to the park. The closest commercial flights are through Flagstaff, Arizona, 110 miles distant. For larger airports served by a wider variety of flights, try Phoenix, Arizona and Albuquerque, New Mexico, each about 200 miles away.
There is a small airport serving private planes in Holbrook, Arizona.
GPS Coordinates
Painted Desert Visitor Center and Park Headquarters
Latitude: 35.06543746738773
Longitude: -109.78153824806213
Rainbow Forest Museum
Latitude: 34.81517743163217
Longitude: -109.86576497554779
Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark
Latitude: 35.08343319608185
Longitude: -109.78861391544342
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