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Petrified Forest National Park

National Park · Arizona, 🇺🇸 United States
Area 899 km²
Time zone America/Phoenix
Official website www.nps.gov/imr/pefo/
Petrified Forest National Park

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Joyradost / CC BY-SA 3.0

Petrified Forest National Park Essentials

Petrified Forest National Park showcases a landscape shaped by 225 million years of geological history. This selection covers the park's two distinct regions: the northern Painted Desert, known for its colorful badlands and the historic Painted Desert Inn, and the southern Rainbow Forest, characterized by dense concentrations of fossilized wood. Key highlights include the ancestral Puebloan ruins at Puerco Pueblo, the extensive petroglyphs of Newspaper Rock, and unique geological formations like the Blue Mesa badlands and the 110-foot-long fossilized span at Agate Bridge.

12 places
roulitto / CC-BY-SA

Best Overlooks

Petrified Forest National Park's overlooks provide access to the colorful Chinle Formation and vast expanses of the Painted Desert. These viewpoints showcase distinct geological features, including the striped badlands of Blue Mesa, the concentrated petrified logs of Jasper Forest, and the 650 petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock. Visitors can observe the park's transition from the high-altitude northern desert to the southern fossil-rich plains, with many sites featuring historic architecture and paved accessibility.

13 places
Moondigger / CC BY-SA 2.5

Petrified Forest Wonders

Explore the geological and archaeological highlights of Petrified Forest National Park in northeastern Arizona. This collection features the remnants of a 100-room ancestral Puebloan village at Puerco Pueblo and the Agate Bridge, a 110-foot fossilized log spanning a sandstone gully. Discover over 650 ancient petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock and the vibrant, multi-hued badlands of the Painted Desert. The area preserves late Triassic fossils, historic Route 66 landmarks, and diverse desert landscapes.

5 places

Petrified Forest National Park — Map

Petrified Forest National Park — Map

Climate & when to visit

Best time to visit: April, May, September, October

Select a month

Typical weather in January

Poor
  • 10° (feels like 5°) · extremes -7°–17°
  • -3° at night
  • 4 rainy days
  • 20 sunny days
  • 7 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 3 · moderate

Typical weather in February

Poor
  • 12° (feels like 7°) · extremes -6°–20°
  • -2° at night
  • 4 rainy days
  • 19 sunny days
  • 8 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 5 · moderate

Typical weather in March

Fair
  • 17° (feels like 11°) · extremes -5°–24°
  • 1° at night
  • 4 rainy days
  • 22 sunny days
  • 10 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 7 · high

Typical weather in April

Great
  • 21° (feels like 16°) · extremes -3°–28°
  • 4° at night
  • 3 rainy days
  • 25 sunny days
  • 11 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 9 · very high

Typical weather in May

Great
  • 27° (feels like 22°) · extremes 3°–33°
  • 9° at night
  • 2 rainy days
  • 26 sunny days
  • 12 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 10 · very high

Typical weather in June

Good
  • 33° (feels like 29°) · extremes 10°–38°
  • 15° at night
  • 2 rainy days
  • 26 sunny days
  • 13 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 11 · extreme
Up to 10 days above 35°

Typical weather in July

Poor
  • 34° (feels like 32°) · extremes 16°–39°
  • 19° at night
  • 12 rainy days
  • 17 sunny days
  • 10 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Calm winds
  • UV index 11 · extreme
Up to 13 days above 35°

Typical weather in August

Fair
  • 32° (feels like 31°) · extremes 15°–37°
  • 18° at night
  • 12 rainy days
  • 18 sunny days
  • 10 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Calm winds
  • UV index 10 · very high
Up to 6 days above 35°

Typical weather in September

Great
  • 29° (feels like 27°) · extremes 8°–34°
  • 14° at night
  • 6 rainy days
  • 22 sunny days
  • 10 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Calm winds
  • UV index 8 · very high

Typical weather in October

Great
  • 23° (feels like 19°) · extremes 0°–29°
  • 7° at night
  • 4 rainy days
  • 25 sunny days
  • 9 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 6 · high

Typical weather in November

Fair
  • 16° (feels like 11°) · extremes -5°–23°
  • 1° at night
  • 4 rainy days
  • 23 sunny days
  • 8 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Light breeze
  • UV index 4 · moderate

Typical weather in December

Poor
  • 10° (feels like 5°) · extremes -7°–17°
  • -2° at night
  • 4 rainy days
  • 20 sunny days
  • 7 hours of sunshine per day
  • Dry air
  • Calm winds
  • UV index 3 · moderate

Climate data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2) · 1996–2025

Practical information

Currency
US Dollar USD $ · Card payments · Widely accepted
Emergency numbers
911 Police · Ambulance · Fire brigade
Electricity
Type A / Type B
120 V · 60 Hz
Languages
English
Tap water
Safe to drink
Driving side
Right
Calling code
+1
Learn more

Tours & Activities

Painted Desert
Drive
Painted Desert Inn
Drive
Blue Mesa Viewpoint

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