Petrified Forest National Park is located in northeastern Arizona about 10 miles outside of the city of Holbrook and about 40 miles west of the New Mexico border.
Petrified Forest boasts one of the largest and most colorful concentrations of petrified wood in the world.
On December 3, 2004 President George W. Bush signed a bill that authorized expanded boundaries for Petrified Forest National Park. The expansion increases park acreage from 93,533 acres to approximately 218,533 acres and includes land in both Apache and Navajo Counties.
This is an increase of 125,000 acres, more than doubling the size of the Petrified Forest Park.
The terrain changes quickly as you travel through the park, from the vistas of the
Painted Desert
,
into the grassland of a large plateau, through grand geologic formations, and arrays of richly colored petrified wood.
Visitors can drive the 28 miles of the Petrified Forest National Park, stopping at any number of overlooks to see petrified wood, petroglyphs, archeological sites, and
Painted Desert
vistas. Those with more time can explore the secrets of the backcountry. Permits are available for those visitors who wish to camp overnight.
The park has summer daytime average temperatures in the 90s F and summer overnight temperatures in the 60s F. Winters are mild, frequently freezing overnight but warming by mid-afternoon to an average of 40 F.
Visiting Petrified Forest and seeing the Painted Desert is truly an amazing experience. Seeing whole sections of trees that are made of solid rock and the colored bands of sand snaking through the desert is something you won't easily forget.
Plan your Petrified Forest vacation escape today. Here are some maps of the park and surrounding areas to help you get better acquainted with the Petrified Forest.
