| |
|
 |
|
| |
Plan a Road Trip > Explore America > National Parks > Petrified Forest National Park |
|
|
| |
|
| |
1 Park Road, Petrified Forest, AZ 86028
Phone: 928-524-6228
Fax: 928-524-3567
Open All Year
Overview. Fallen agate giants amid a kaleidoscopic badlandlandscape make Petrified Forest National Park a favorite southwestern destination. In the late Triassic Period, 225 million years ago, this desert was a lush floodplain filled with a host of strange, prehistoric creatures. The huge conifers that grew in the higher elevations to the south were regularly uprooted by floods and carried onto the plain, there to be covered with volcanic ash and silt. Eventually, geologic forces lifted the land and erosion exposed the fallen logs, now turned to stone. Beside the petrified trees, the park's abundance of plant and animal fossils offer a glimpse into the close of the Triassic period. The colorful badlands of the Painted Desert are formed by the same relentless erosion that exposed the ancient trees, and the process continues every day.
The arid landscape, with its almost ten inches of rainfall yearly, may seem too forbidding for extended human habitation, but successive waves of Ancestral Puebloans lived here between 300 and 1400 CE. At Agate House, a short hike from the scenic drive through the park, you can see the partially restored rooms of a pueblo built of petrified wood. Army surveyors were the first non-natives to travel through the area in the mid-19th century, and their accounts of crystal forests and the vividly hued badlands lured droves of sightseers and souvenir hunters. Tons of petrified wood were carried off and many more logs were destroyed as entrepreneurs mined and even dynamited them to get at their quartz and amethyst cores. In 1906 the area was designated as a national monument and upgraded to a national park in 1962.
What to see and do. The scenic drive that passes through the park makes it possible to see some petrified logs and take in panoramas without straying more than a few feet from your car, but take the time to stroll a little farther down the many short trails along the route. From the Rainbow Forest near the southern park boundary to the Painted Desert's vistas in the north, many points of interest are less than a mile's hike from the park road.
At the Rainbow Forest Museum, you can view the fossilized remains of some of the extraordinary creatures that once roamed the area. Wander among some of the largest trees in the park on the half-mile Giant Logs Loop Trail. Don't miss "Old Faithful," almost ten feet in diameter at its base. A slightly longer trail will lead you to the Long Logs, the largest concentration of petrified trees in the park. Continue on to Agate House, a petrified wood pueblo. Farther along the scenic drive, a 0.8-mile loop trail winds through what is left of the Crystal Forest. Here one of the most beautiful groves of petrified wood was decimated by rockhounds and souvenir hunters.
As you drive north, the badland formations become more colorful and fantastic. At Blue Mesa, a one-mile loop trail takes you right into the middle of conical mounds, striated blue, purple, and gray. Stop and examine the abundant fossils along the trail, but leave them where you found them so that others can enjoy them, too.
There are many petroglyph sites in the park, several of them within an easy walk from the scenic drive. Newspaper Rock, two sandstone monoliths covered with ancient drawings, may be viewed from an overlook only steps from the drive. If you forget your binoculars, there are free telescopes at the site. A loop trail takes you right into the thick of the Puerco Pueblo, all that remains of a 100-room dwelling. One of the numerous petroglyphs has been linked to solar events. Rangers lead interpretive programs here year-round, most notably at the time of the summer solstice.
Near the northern end of the scenic drive, you can visit the Painted Desert Inn Museum, a hostelry that once served travelers along old Route 66. The trailhead for backcountry hikes into the Painted Desert Wilderness is located at Kachina Point, behind the Inn. Another intimate view of the Painted Desert can be yours along the Rim Trail connecting Tawa and Kachina Points. Hike this 1 mile trail (round-trip) and take in the glorious play of color and shadow on the vivid landscape. The scenic drive ends (or begins, depending on where you enter the park) at the Painted Desert Visitor Center near the north entrance. Here, you can see a film that explains how wood becomes petrified.
Backcountry hikers must obtain a free permit for overnight hikes into the wilderness areas, and must camp at least a mile from the access point within wilderness boundaries. There are no backcountry trails; most of the hiking here is pure cross-country, wander-as-you-will. Day hikes to such wilderness destinations as Onyx Bridge and Black Forest are possible, and horseback riding in groups of six or less is allowed with permit. Bring plenty of water and protect yourself from the sun. There are no developed campgrounds or other lodgings in the park, but ample accommodations are available in nearby communities.
Services at Rainbow Forest Curios include a seasonal snack bar and gift shop. There is a cafeteria, gift shop, and gas station at Painted Desert Oasis. The Petrified Forest Museum Association offers books, maps, and other publications for sale at both visitor centers and at the Painted Desert Inn Museum; proceeds benefit the park. The park is open year-round from 8 AM to 5 PM, with the exception of Christmas and New Year's Day. Hours may be extended in summer. Due to the high elevation, snow may close park roads temporarily in winter. Leashed pets are only permitted on paved trails.
Search All National Parks
Please call ahead to confirm details. We do our best to give you current information, but facts can change. Please let us know if you find something's changed.
|
|
|
|
