What a cool park!…read more We have a lifetime parks pass, so it's been great to be able to explore when we can. We spent about 1/2 day here - drove to many of the overlooks for some very cool views. Followed someone recommendation to hike the Blue Mesa and truly felt like we were walking on the moon. Very cool colors and petrified logs lying around. It's about a mile; so quite a short hike but you are 'up close and personal' with nature. Take the time to walk thru the museum at the Inn (there's also clean restrooms here and an ice cream shop). They've done a great job preserving the original furniture and such. The parking lots at many of the stops had several spots for RV's and could accommodate towing as well. Clean restrooms thru out the park too A tip would be to hike in the morning as the afternoons can get pretty toasty and windy

I am a big fan of national parks and am also a big fan of keeping them fully budgeted and staffed…read more If you have ever been to a national park, you know that they get a ton of visitors from other countries. These foreign folks love our national parks for good reason. Americans should also appreciate them. Now, this is probably not one of the "must do" national parks. It is not a Yosemite or a Yellowstone. There is no camping here and much of the park is entirely experienced by driving around in your car. There are a few hiking spots, some better than others. There are two entrances and there is only one road between them. It is impossible to get lost, although there are a few turnoffs. You drive from one entrance to the other and then you are done. Apparently, some people drive through the park, never leave their car, and spend about an hour in total here. It seems crazy to me to visit a national park in one hour and I do not recommend it. Do one or more of the hikes. Get out and experience a few of the overlooks. The Blue Mesa portion of the park is incredible. That was probably the highlight of the park for me. The color of the hills is just surreal. It is like you landed on Mars. You will, of course, see petrified (or "fossilized") wood here. It is multi-colored beautiful stuff. The visitor center on the north end is much better than the one at the south end. There is a cafe at the north visitor center, better souvenirs, and also the Painted Desert Inn where you can experience a bit of history from about a 100 years ago. Spend some time here whether you are just entering the park or leaving it. I would plan on spending about three or four hours here, especially if you do at least one good hike and stop at most of the overlooks. If you did all the hikes and all the overlooks and bring a lunch (there are no picnic or lunch areas, by the way), you could probably spend the entire day here. Half a day, including one long hike, was fine for us and I feel like we saw all of the highlights. I hate to give any area of land less than 5 stars through no fault of its own but this is not one of the more spectacular national parks in the country. But if you are in the area, it is worth a visit.

The Painted Desert is a badlands area in the northern part of Petrified Forest National Park. I…read morelove this beautiful part of the park. This colorful Chinle Formation consists of a variety of sedimentary rocks on cliffs, hills, mesas and buttes. Its pretty colors is why it is called the Painted Desert. The Painted Desert stretches all the way to the east end of Grand Canyon National Park. There are some overlooks off the main road that allow you to see an overview of the area. There are also some hiking trails. The map at the overlook gives you information on far away many of points of interest are. Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark is nearby and has a lot of history to it. The original building from the early 1920's was made of petrified wood. Today it is a museum that showcases the history of the building, historic Route 66 that once passed through here and the Civilian Conservation Corps. The Painted Desert Visitor Center is also nearby with park rangers on hand for information.

Painted Desert is the highlight of Petrified National Park besides the most famous Blue Mesa…read more There's couple viewpoints you can stop the car and get out take photos...but in order to get the full experience of the Painted Desert, you have to walk the 1.2 mile round trip Painted Desert Rim Trail! It's easy, short, with 49 ft elevation gain. The trail is out and back and ends at Painted Desert Inn (From Tawa Point to Kachina Points). Painted Desert Inn was closed due to covid otherwise from peak through the window there's few exhibitions. The outside restroom was still open to public (and with heater inside!) The Painted Desert was so beautiful the day I went when it's dusted with snow. The trail could be muddy and icy at some point but did not find its dangerous:P The rich colors and the rock formation all will take your breath away. - Dog is allowed on the trail with a leash.

Wow! First impression, we never felt this intense volume of quiet ever! You don't even hear the…read morewind blowing. The middle of nowhere! I mean really nowhere! Second impression - how could such a sophisticated culture live in such a desolate area? Yes, there is water nearby, but the vastness and isolation of it all is intriguing and astonishing. This vast 4k acre area is a preserve, research and archeological hub, of a more than 1,100 to 900-year-old Hopi civilization, and holds an overwhelming amount of specimens of Pueblo/Hopi debris, pottery and dwellings paraphernalia. At an estimated 4,900 feet above sea level, your 360° panoramic view of the surrounds and plateaus below to the far horizon are nothing but spectacular, miles and miles of nothing but desert. The small yet well-endowed and instructional little museum offers a great insight of what your surrounded by at Homolovi Ruins - and the staff are exceptionally nice folk. It is a terrific starter before going out on your own to encounter southwestern antiquity at its most natural. As a whole, this is a unique, intriguing and instructional excursion into the realm of the past when taken and that will never be forgotten.

A very remote ancient settlement and current campground. I think it's quite "spooky "'but some may…read morejust enjoy the historical nature of this spot unbothered by such "vibes" it certainly is quite

Well worth the very easy, leisure .8 mile walk. Beautiful views of petrified wood. Just a beautiful…read morejourney back into time.

This was my favorite trail when I visited Petrified Forest National Park. The Blue Mesa Trail is a…read morebeautiful scenic trail that is located in the center of the park. To get there, you take Blue Mesa Scenic Road eastbound from the main road. The road goes over the top of a mesa and turns into a loop. Along the way are scenic overlooks of the landscape, badlands and hoodoos. The trailhead is halfway around the loop and has a small parking lot. Blue Mesa Traill is a one mile loop trail that goes through hills of bluish bentonite clay. The trail itself is on a mixed paved and gravel path. You will occasionally see some petrified wood deposits scattered along the way. I found the hike pretty easy to do but very windy. The colors of the surrounding area is just beautiful. There are lots of blue, purple and gray stripes on the hills. Each layer represents the many years that have gone by. Blue Mesa Trail is a great spot for photographs because the blue sky in the background really brings out the colors in the hills. This is one of Petrified Forest's most popular hikes. So expect to see a decent amount of people on the trail.

It's a beautiful place with space between each site. There are great sunrise and sunset views,…read morealmost every morning we were there. The Homolovi ll was a great trail early in the day, it was exciting to see all the ruins, imagine what the buildings looked like and what life was like back in the day. The washrooms were decent, the shower heads could use some work as water went everywhere. But the pressure was good and it was nice and hot. I would definitely recommend this park to others. It's a quick jump into Winslow if anything is needed.

Historic spot with an informative visitor's center. Pay the State Park fee of $7 at the center, get…read morea map, and head out on a couple of trails to see ruins of one of the largest native American settlements, abandoned in the 1300s. There was also a mormon settlement nearby. Be sure and check out the diorama in the restroom at the center. Inside the state park is a nice view campground with full hookups, pull through sites, and water at each site. Flush toilets and showers are available.

The Painted Desert is one of my favorite areas of Petrified Forest National Park. I love the…read morebeautiful colors on the cliffs, hills, mesas and buttes. There are a number of overlooks for people to enjoy the Painted Desert. The Painted Desert is a badlands area in the northern part of the park. It stretches all the way to the east end of Grand Canyon National Park. The Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark is located here and has a lot of history to it. We made a stop here and checked out the gift shop and some of the artifacts that they have on display. The Painted Desert Inn was called the Stone Tree House back in the 1920s. It was a place for visitors to buy food, drinks and American Indian arts and crafts. It was built of mostly petrified wood. Petrified Forest National Monument (before it became a national park) purchased the building once it started showing signs of wear and tear. It was redesigned with a Pueblo Revival Style design to it and reopened in 1940. The Painted Desert Inn supplied Route 66 travelers with lodging, meals and souvenirs during its heydey. It went through more renovations and repairs to look like what it is today. Today, the Painted Desert Inn is a museum that showcases the history of the building, information about the historic Route 66 that once passed through here, and the Civilian Conservation Corps. The Painted Desert Visitor Center is nearby with a park ranger on hand if you need information about Petrified Forest National Park. There is also a park ranger here at Painted Desert Inn.

Painted Desert Inn is a lodge complex in the Petrified Forest National Park in eastern Arizona. It…read moreis located off of Interstate 40 and historic U.S. Route 66. We went to the the lodge with friends while visiting the Petrified Forest National Park. The original building from the early 1920s was made of petrified wood. The Painted Desert Inn supplied Route 66 travelers with meals, souvenirs, and lodging. It was popular with local residents as a place for meetings and special events. The Fred Harvey company had its famed (I never heard of them until going here) Harvey girls wait on customers making it special. Today, no food or drink is sold here. The lodge is a museum preserving the history of the lodge. It is opened year round with shorter hours than the rest of the park. During the summer there is an ice cream parlor downstairs harking back to its past service. Unfortunately, there were no signs so we never went downstairs. I didn't know they even sold ice cream until someone else told me. Unfortunately, they renovated in the 1930s to the adobe facade you see today. The one negative is that there is no air conditioning. It was on a hot summer day and ac would have been nice. It is still a beautiful building. The ceiling tiles and hanging lamps are gorgeous. The displays are informative. They do have two Native American women who sell beautiful jewelry. One reason to stop is the art inside the lodge. Hopi artist, Fred Kabotie, was hired to paint murals on the dining room and lunchroom walls. The scenes show Hopi culture: the Buffalo Dance, a trek to a sacred salt lake, planting time, and Tawa--the Hopi sun god. These were beautiful and worth the stop alone. Another reason to stop is the view overlooking the Painted Desert was fabulous and gave a different perspective of the terrain and colors. It's great for a short stop, stretching your legs and experiences history. And maybe, because you hear it here, going downstairs to get that ice cream.

Wonderful park with a 2 mile scenic scenic loop trail taking you by inscriptions in the rock dating…read moreback to the 1800's.

El Morro is an unexpected and therefore under visited national park site. Because of this, it is…read moreeven more worth the visit. Well off the modern beaten path, it was much less so over 150 years ago. Travelers of all kinds "pasó por aqui" (passed through here), leaving inscriptions on the rock face while seeking refuge from the harsh desert environment. The water pool oasis at the base of the jutting rock face fills only from precipitation and never dries. It's been a waypoint for at least a millennium. If you are less inclined to the post-colonial history, you'll still be happy to visit here. Pueblo dwelling walls of stone still remain just beside the Headland/Mesa Top Trail that takes you up to the top of this landmark for a high view over the surrounding plains and even down into the so-called Box Canyon. The original carvings in the sandstone predate settlers as petroglyphs featuring animals that once roamed here. The visitor center is very informative with friendly staff, a small museum, and a short film about site history. Naturally, a gift shop seals the deal with plenty of gifts and books to send or carry back home. With no fee entry, it's absolutely worth a step off the beaten path to "pass through here".

I went to an immaculately maintained trail along a creek and meadow of horses and cows that backed…read moreup to the mountains. Beautiful, beautiful and the small town charm of it is amazing! I loved the rocks people paint and leave behind as well. I have done that in the past with my 3 boys. Love the idea and charm of it! Reminds me to do it again. I felt refreshed and enjoyed my 3 mile run!! The trails were marked with little white signs and I didn't feel unsafe. It got tight a couple times with some kind folks walking dogs and I'm a huge dog person- so doesn't bother me and I was able to squeeze past them without them needing them to move much in the skinny portion of the trail we happened to be crossing at the same time. I think they appreciated. Anyway, beautiful hike and is do it again! Looking for another trail to do today before we leave back to the Valley in the AM. I don't want to leave!

Just FYI, using GPS location from this does not lead you to a trail. It just lads you to a general…read moreresidential area that happens to be within the white mountains area.

We decided to see some "Arizona" fall leaves and experience an Arizona autumn. The trailhead is…read moreabout a mile off a dirt road. A restroom is located at the trailhead and the trail wasn't busy during the middle of the week when we drove up. The hike did not disappoint! The trees we saw on the hike were maple, oak, and cottonwood with the leaves turning colors in late October. The trail is 7.4 miles/out and back with an elevation gain of 2017. Part of the hike has a creek alongside it which was running when we were there. Several trees were down that we had to climb over. This by far was my favorite hike of the year. I can see doing this hike again when it's too hot in the valley to hike in Phoenix. Limited parking/no parking fee - there is parking along the forest if needed and there was an empty spot about a hundred yards from the main parking that we took advantage of.

When it starts warming up the valley its time to go up north for hiking and one of my favorite day…read moretrips is headed out by Payson and hitting up See Canyon Trail along Christopher Creek. From Payson head east on Hwy 260 to Christopher Creek Loop, turn left and head to Forest Rd 284, this is a dirt rd and part of it does become one lane, so be mindful of other cars. You don't need a 4x4 . Take the forest rd to the parking area. You start out on the trail and go under a mile you will come to a fork and you can either stay on See Canyon Trail or head off to See Spring. Either hike is great, and there is a sign that point which direction to go. It's apx 7 miles round trip, and a good elevation gain. The views are beautiful, this is one of my favorite hikes. I love that you get to do some creek crossing, some climbing, all within big beautiful trees. If you haven't been, go give it a try!

I finally made it to this side of the Petrified Forest National Park…read more.. We missed entering by a half hour on November 22, 2025, but I still have big love for this area of Arizona. The colors of this desert remarkably rich and beautiful. If you plan on visiting, I encourage you to figure out which national park pass is for you and apply in advance - just keep it in your vehicle if you're the main driver: https://shop.usparkpass.com/ Get out. Walk around. Explore. Take only photos. Pack it in, pack it out. LNT - Leave No Trace.

My husband has been eager to visit this place since our move to Arizona, and it took us a few years…read moreto finally have the opportunity. Experiencing this place in person is truly special, as neither photographs nor videos can fully capture its remarkable beauty. It is a must-see destination, and dedicating a morning or afternoon allows for a comprehensive exploration of all it has to offer.