Petrified Forest

Petrified Forest National Park National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Trip Planner More Spectacular Than Ever! t h e r e i s a r e n a i s s a n c e u n d e rway at p e t r i f i e d We invite you to Find Your Park in Petrified Forest! Hello and Welcome Of all the wonderful attractions in Northern Arizona, thank you for visiting Petrified Forest National Park. This piece of America’s heritage was set aside in 1906 to protect it and to make it available for public enjoyment, as one of the largest petrified wood deposits in the world. But there are compelling human Forest National Park. The park itself has doubled in size. New hiking trails, building renovations, and updated exhibits are examples of improvements found throughout the park. Not to mention, our original attraction and namesake is still here in abundance: petrified wood! To counter the incorrect belief that massive amounts of petrified wood were stolen from Petrified Forest over time, we are continuing a re-photography effort to capture images of Petrified Forest’s most important and iconic areas. This project involves taking historic photographs in our collection (more than 200 so far) and reshooting those images from the same vantage points today. The results show the stories here, too. Several Native American tribal nations vast majority of petrified wood is right where it was when the pictures were first taken. Wood theft does occasionally occur. We do catch and fine people who attempt to remove petrified wood, and we will always continue our vigilance. But the underlying message of the old “massive theft” narrative—that today’s visitors experience something less than their grandparents saw—is simply not true. These images show that Petrified Forest is more spectacular than ever! We also know—and celebrate—that the overwhelming majority of our park visitors continue to respect the rules and leave petrified wood for the appreciation of all. Thank you for doing the right thing! Enjoy Petrified Forest National Park. have ancestral ties to this place. In recent times, Route 66 passed through the park. Many of the structures in use today, to support your visit and management 1899 activities, are now on the National Register of Historic Places; including the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark. Whatever your interest, please ask a ranger for more information or check out our website at www.nps.gov/ Today pefo. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. We want to make your visit informative and enjoyable. If we spark your continuing interest in the stories the park has to tell, we’re glad to help you find more information. The most popular way to experience the park is to drive the 28 mile long park road from one end to the other. There are many pullouts and several short trails to get you closer to the story. Please join the millions of visitors who have enjoyed the petrified wood and left it undisturbed for others to enjoy too. If you see illegal activity, please let our law enforcement staff know. Petrified wood collected legally from locations outside the park is available for sale in park gift shops. We hope you enjoy your connection with Petrified Forest National Park. We invite you to walk the trails amidst ancient petrified logs, take in the wide vistas of the Painted Desert, discover voices of the past in the petroglyphs, and listen to the silence of the wilderness. Left: Local rancher Adam Hanna reclines on petrified wood; Right: a match in Jasper Forest over 100 years later. What Should I See and Do? IF YOU HAVE ONE OR T WO HOURS: Decide which end of the park interests you and spend time there, saving the rest for another visit. • South End: Visit the Rainbow Forest Museum and watch the park film; walk Giant Logs and Crystal Forest Trails; drive the Blue Mesa Road • North End: Watch the park film at Painted Desert Visitor Center; select several overlooks to take in views of the Painted Desert; walk the Tawa Point Trail and visit the Painted Desert Inn. IF YOU HAVE HALF A DAY, DO THE ABOVE AND ADD: • • • • • • • Drive through the entire park (28 mi/45km main road). Walk the Painted Desert Rim Trail to Kachina Point. Enjoy the views and wayside exhibits at Route 66, Newspaper Rock, Agate Bridge, and Jasper Forest. Walk the Giant Logs Trail (pick up a trail guide at Rainbow Forest Museum). Visit Puerco Pueblo. Attend a ranger program (available seasonally). Explore Blue Mesa and walk the trail. Any time spent at Petrified Forest National Park is time well spent. The highest Enjoy your park, and thanks for your support! IF YOU HAVE A FULL DAY OR MORE, DO THE ABOVE AND ADD: • • • • Hike to Long Logs and Agate House. Choose an Off the Beaten Path hike (see page 2). Spend the night in the park’s Wilderness Area. Celebrate—you have the luxury of time to enjoy! concentrations of petrified wood are found in the southern end of the park, while the northern end showcases the human story and Painted Desert views. 2 Park Map National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Petrified Forest National Park Pilot Rock 6234ft 1900m Mailing Address Petrified Forest National Park P.O. Box 2217 Petrified Forest, AZ 86028 Painted Desert Visitor Center Stop for historic architecture, park film, information, bookstore, gift shop, food, and gas. Park Headquarters 928-524-6228 D sh Wa er igg E-mail PEFO_Superintendent@nps.gov W I L D E Website www.nps.gov/pefo A R W The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage. i ld r se a sh W Developed Developed Trails Trails ho Private land No public access Painted Desert Overlooks Enjoy spectacular views of the Painted Desert from many overlooks in this area. Tawa Trail: 2 mi (3.2 km) round trip A walk between Painted Desert Visitor Center Entrance Station and Tawa Point. Showcases grasslands and views. DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND Painted Desert Rim: 1 mi (1.6 km) round trip A walk between Tawa Point and Painted Desert Inn provides excellent views of the Painted Desert below. Puerco Pueblo: 0.3 mi (0.5 km) loop Walk among a partial excavation of a 100+ room village, occupied 1250–1380 CE. 40 Puerco Pueblo View ancestral puebloan homes and petroglyphs along a 0.3 mi (0.5 km) loop trail. Crystal Forest: 0.75 mi (1.2 km) loop Explore a beautiful scatter of colorful petrified logs. Giant Logs: 0.4 mi (0.6 km) loop See some of the largest and most colorful logs in the park. “Old Faithful” is the showcase log, at almost ten feet around at the base. Trail guide available at trailhead Painted Desert Visitor Center to Holbrook 26mi 42km Lith od e Blue Mesa: 1 mi (1.6 km) loop Steep path enters into vibrant blue, purple, and gray badlands dotted with colorful petrified wood. n ro nd His to ro u ric te 66 h Was 40 D r TWIN BUTTES co ve Pu Agate House: 2 mi (3.2 km) round trip* Walk to a seven-room reconstructedExit pueblo. 286 Blue Mesa Ri er Long Logs: 1.6 mi (2.5 km) loop* Site of a Triassic log jam, this area is covered in especially long petrified tree trunks. Exit 285 *Long Logs and Agate House Trails can be Holbrook combined, as they start Holbrook to from the same trailhead, South Rim, for a total of 2.6Grand mi Canyon (4.2 km) round trip. Walk the 1 mi (1.6 km) trail and/or drive the 3.5 mi (5.6 km) loop road to explore colorful geology. Private land within authorized park boundary National Park 177mi 285km 180 Off the Beaten Path Hikes With 50,000 acres of wilderness available, hiking off trail and “off the beaten path” is a great option for those interested. Some destinations can be found off an old road or trail no longer maintained; others may require route finding skills. For more information (including routes and maps), ask at Painted Desert Jasper Forest Enjoy a panoramic view of an area with a high concentration of petrified wood. 5476ft 1669m Rainbow Forest Museum to Holbrook 21mi 34km www.nps.gov/pefo/off-the-beaten-path. IN 2.5 mi (4 km) round trip on an old road among petrified wood Billings Gap 3 mi (4.8 km) round trip hike atop the Blue Mesa Rainbow Forest Museum and Giant Logs Trail Study paleontological exhibits in the museum and walk a 0.4 mi (0.6 km) loop trail. Cotton woo d Jim Jasper Forest Ca mp Entrance Station 2.4 mi (3.9 km) round trip along an unmaintained CCC trail 4 mi (6.4 km) round trip hike to a petrified wood “bridge” BO RA Old Blue Forest FO Giant Logs Top Off-the-Beaten-Path Hikes: Onyx Bridge Mile m (wi T Rainbow Forest Museum Visitor Center, Rainbow Forest Museum, or visit W ash W S RE Long Agate H ash W 180 Rain 3 P A h W as I CHINDE MESA Lit ho T den dr o N n E D Painted Desert Inn Painted Desert Visitor Center to Gallup 70mi 113km D E BL ACK E R N E S S F ORES T S Onyx Bridge E R R E A T Kachina Point to Pintado Point 6 te 6 40 Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark Hózhó Ri l er Entrance Station Exit 311 Route 66 Alignment Painted Desert Visitor Center Park Headquarters 5770ft 1759m No access to Interstate r Pu Tawa Tiponi Point Tra i ve co Tawa Point Nizhoni Point Whipple Point Lacey Point Route 66 His ro u ric A historic inn turned museum offers exhibits about the CCC, Fred Harvey Company, and more. A 1932 Studebaker sits where famed Route 66 once cut through the park. Access to these lands by guided tour only Painted Desert Visitor Center to Rainbow Forest Museum 26mi 42km lin gt on rt he rn nt a Fe ilw ay D ea d P Was h r Bu No Sa Ra A er PETRIFIED Newspaper Rock Ni N Adamana R iv I Pu o erc nem Look down from an overlook to see over 650 petroglyphs, some as old as 2000 years. ile Wash FOREST Puerco Pueblo T N AT I O N A L PA R K The Tepees Wa sh D Dr y E Newspaper Rock BLUE FOREST Bi Blue Mesa lli ng ’s G ap To Ganado -> E To Keems Canyon -> D 191 40 Black Knoll Park Road 180 Pa ys on 377 <- To Crystal Forest Martha’s Butte O C R E TH U E P FL marker 24 ilderness access) R <- To Show Low 77 ad rk Pa I D Ro South E G Entrance 180 To S t. Information Gift shop Restrooms Wheelchair Accessible John s -> Crystal Forest T AT Food service Water Picnic area Passport stamps Gas station Tight Turnaround - Not suitable for RVs or Trailers OP Self-guiding trail T Exit 285 Holbrook R <- To Flagstaff Jasper Forest PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK See a 110 ft (34 m) petrified log spanning a gully. -> 40 E Joseph City Agate Bridge Exit 311 Agate Bridge 191 Johns 77 Navajo Chambers ad Ro To St. Park s er nd Sa S North Entrance M -> p, N allu G To Many petrified logs glimmer with quartz crystals along a paved 0.75 mi (1.2 km) loop trail. S Logs WILDERNESS AREA House Private land nbow Forest Museum to St. Johns 41mi 66km North 0 0 5 Kilometers 1 5 Miles 1 Authorized park boundary Hiking trail NO ACCESS– Overlook/ Parking area Private lands within authorized park boundary Wilderness area (Permit required for overnight camping; no permit required for day use) Long Logs & Agate House A 2.6 mi (4.2 km) trail showcases petrified logs and a pueblo reconstructed of petrified wood. 4 Learn More Programs & Services Artist in Residence Program offers artists the opportunity to immerse in the inspirational landscape of Petrified Forest. www.nps.gov/pefo/getinvolved/artist-in-residence Bark Rangers know the rules of B.A.R.K. and receive a treat for a job well done! Pets on a leash are welcome on trails. Certified service animals only in buildings. Inquire at the visitor centers or entrance gates. Cultural Demonstrations occur throughout the year. Interact with demonstrators, learn about the people and places of the area, and purchase locallymade crafts. www.nps.gov/pefo/planyourvisit/culturaldemonstrations Dark Skies are a valued resource here at Petrified Forest. As a International Dark-Sky Park, the parks nightscape falls on the Bortel scale at 3 (1 being the darkest and 9 being the brightest). Astronomy events and wilderness camping are the best ways to experience the celestial wonders above. www.nps.gov/pefo/learn/nature/darkskies Educational programs offer curriculum-based education including field trips, off-site visits, and distance learning. www.nps.gov/pefo/learn/education/classrooms Petrified Forest Field Institute is proud to offer guided tours exploring fun and compelling subjects led by world class guides and field experts. www. petrifiedforestfieldinstitute.org Gas (including diesel) is available at Painted Desert Visitor Center. Gift shops are found near Painted Desert Visitor Center and Rainbow Forest Museum. We Can’t Do It Alone Donations are always appreciated! Donation boxes are found at park visitor centers. If a donation is made in someone’s honor, please include contact information so they may receive acknowledgment. Visitor Comment Forms are available at park visitor centers. Catch us doing things right and provide feedback on improving the park experience. Volunteers are valued and appreciated here! Opportunities exist throughout the year to volunteer in the park in a wide variety of capacities. www.nps.gov/pefo/getinvolved/volunteer Digital Apps Junior Rangers are special! Kids who complete activities in the park’s junior ranger activity booklet (available at park visitor centers) earn a badge. Ranger Guided Programs are available seasonally and as staffing allows. Ask at park visitor centers or check www.nps.gov/pefo/planyourvisit/calendar Wilderness encompasses over 50,000 acres in the park. There are no developed trails and hiking is cross-country. Be prepared—you are responsible for your own safety. Devils Playground is open by permit only, otherwise no permits are required for day hiking. A free permit is required for all overnight wilderness use and is available at park visitor centers. www.nps.gov/pefo/planyourvisit/hiking Park Hours of Operation The park is open every day except December 25. The park is open at least 8 am to 5 pm Mountain Standard Time (MST) year round, with extended hours spring through fall. Check www.nps.gov/pefo/planyourvisit/ Protect Yourself, Protect the Park hours.htm for specific information. Emergency call 911 or park dispatch at 928-524-9726 Note: Arizona does not observe Accessibility such as restrooms, visitor centers, and picnic areas are accessible (or accessible with assistance). The park film is open captioned. Free braille book is available at park visitor centers. Service animals are allowed everywhere in the park. exception is the nearby Navajo Bicycles are permitted on all paved roads. Several unpaved routes are also approved within the park; see www.nps.gov/pefo/planyourvisit/gettingaround Going Green benefits you, the park, and the planet. Examples include using park recycle containers, bringing your own water bottle (and refilling it for free), and enjoying a hike. Please do not idle your vehicle more then 5 minutes. Pets are welcome! Keep in mind, heat kills—do not leave pets unattended in your vehicle. Pets are allowed on the trails as long as they are leashed and their excrement is picked up and disposed of properly. Only trained service animals (not support animals) are allowed in the buildings. Ask about our Bark Ranger Program! Regulations All objects in the park are protected. Do not collect anything in the park except for photographs and memories. Obey all traffic laws, including speed limits. Drones, and all unmanned aircraft, are prohibited within the park. Firearms are prohibited in all park buildings. www.nps.gov/pefo/learn/management PARTNERS Avoid cliff edges and do not go beyond protective fencing. Always be aware of your surroundings. Petrified Forest Museum Association operates non-profit bookstores at park visitor centers. Your purchases here directly help the park with financial and staff aid. www.petrifiedforestbookstore.com Both apps are free and available on Apple App Store and Google Play. Visitor centers at Painted Desert and Rainbow Forest are open at least 8am–5pm daily. SAFET Y Ortega National Parks is the official park concessionaire that operates a restaurant, two gift shops, a convenience store, and a gas station within the park. www.ortegaparks.com Chimani app Park maps, trip planning, hiking trails, sunrise/sunset times, and more. Restaurants Painted Desert Diner at the north end of the park is open 8am–3pm daily (extended hours seasonally). Gift shop at Rainbow Forest Museum offers grab and go options. Your Dollars at Work that are generated by entrance fees are used to accomplish projects throughout the park. Friends of Petrified Forest is a non-profit partner that brings resources and expertise to natural and cultural park research projects. www.friendsofpetrifiedforest.org iNaturalist app Observe, learn, and share information about park plant and animal life. daylight saving time. An Nation, which does observe daylight saving time. Resource Theft “The idea of preserving in a national grouping such spots of scenic beauty and historic memory originated here in this country...In Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America, other countries have followed our pioneering example and set aside their most magnificent scenic areas as national treasures for the enjoyment of present and future generations.” -Dwight D. Eisenhower Resource theft includes but not limited to: petrified wood, fossils, rocks and soil, plants and animals (living and deceased); cultural resources such as pottery sherds, arrowheads, petroglyphs, and remains. Even feathers need to remain where they lay. If you witness resource theft in the park, please call 928-524-6025 and provide a thorough description of the event taking place. Lodging and Camping There is no overnight lodging available in the park, and camping in the park is limited to backpacking Keep a safe distance from all wildlife. Approaching or feeding any wildlife is dangerous and illegal. Use sunblock, stay hydrated, take your time, and rest to reduce the risk of sunburn, dehydration, and exhaustion. Water is available at park visitor centers and Painted Desert Inn. Petrified Forest’s high elevation (about 5,400 feet) and dry climate may affect you differently than your home environment. Weather varies greatly and changes suddenly. Be prepared to layer clothing for heat, cold, rain, wind, and snow. Beware of winter ice and summer lightning (seek shelter inside a vehicle or building). in the Wilderness Area. Nearby communities that offer lodging and camping options include Holbrook, Winslow, Gallup, and St. Johns. Several nearby national forest service areas and state parks also offer lodging and camping options. Permits Needed for Wilderness Camping Backpacking in the Wilderness Area of Petrified Forest is a great opportunity for solitude and adventure. There are no designated camping sites. Obtain a camping permit at Painted Desert Visitor Center or Rainbow Forest Museum (both facilities open at least 8 am to 5 pm daily) before embarking on your journey. Permits are free!