Have only one hour to explore Petrified Forest National Park? Half a day? One full day? I have itineraries to meet your need! Some focus on hiking, while others on scenic driving and viewpoints (who wants to hike when it’s over 100F in August?)
In this post, I’ll talk about what to do with 1 full day in Petrified Forest National Park, as well as how to hike the very best trails and routes in the park. To minimize scrolling, if you want to read about how to spend 1 hour or half a day in the park, click here.
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Before we begin, a few important things about Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified Forest National Park is only open during operating hours. These vary across the year (they’re based on daylight and historic visitation levels). When the park is closed, you cannot enter it, and park staff asks that you be in your vehicle on the way to the exit by closing time. (And yes, they do sweep the park.)
The entry fee for Petrified Forest National Park is currently (2026) $25/vehicle, valid 7 days. America the Beautiful National Parks & Federal Public Lands Passes and Petrified Forest Annual Passes are accepted. Despite being legal tender, the park does not accept cash payments.
There is no lodging inside the park. Backpackers can get a free permit to camp in the park’s wilderness areas at the Visitor Center or the Rainbow Forest Museum (there are places you can park overnight, for example, at the Painted Desert Inn, but only if you have a backpacking permit and are actually backpacking – boondocking or sleeping in your vehicle is not permitted).
There are snack bars at the Rainbow Forest Museum and the Visitor Center. However, you should plan to bring your own food, as options are limited and expensive. At some times of year, the Painted Desert Inn sells ice cream.
Restrooms and water can be found at the Visitor Center and the Rainbow Forest Museum. Vault toilets are available at Puerco Pueblo.
And with all that out of the way, let’s get to the itineraries!
1 Full Day in Petrified Forest National Park (Official Trails Variant)
There are only about 6 miles of official trails in Petrified Forest National Park, so you can easily hike them all in a day. If you need more miles, there are off-trail routes (outlined in the next section).
Visit the Visitor Center (for souvenirs+the park film)
Drive to the Painted Desert Inn. Walk out to Kachina Point, then take the Rim Trail to Tawa Point (or as far as you want)
Keep driving on the Main Park Road. Stop at Lacey Point and the Route 66 Exhibit to see the old car.
Hike around Puerco Pueblo
Stop at Newspaper Rock (not very exciting after Puerco Pueblo, but we’ll let that fact lie)
Drive the Blue Mesa Drive and hike the Blue Mesa Trail (consistently ranked as the best hike in the park by visitors). You can also see the view down on the trail from the Blue Mesa Overlook.
Stop at Agate Bridge (very exciting… or something like that)
Walk the Crystal Forest Trail (the best official trail in the park for petrified wood in my highly biased opinion)
Drive to the Rainbow Forest Museum (for restrooms – you’ll want them by this point)
Walk around the Giant Logs (because you might as well not have a downer as your last hike – if you’re doing the itinerary in reverse, start with Giant Logs and then do Long Logs & Agate House)
Hike the Long Logs Trail & Agate House
1 Full Day in Petrified Forest (Best Hikes Itinerary… you might end up off trail)
If you’re comfortable following social trails, and you know how to self-rescue, and it’s not more than about 80F outside, this would be my dream day hitting as many park features as possible.
Visit the Visitor Center (for souvenirs+the park film)
Drive to the Painted Desert Inn. Walk out to Kachina Point, then take the Rim Trail to Tawa Point (or as far as you want)
Keep driving on the Main Park Road. Stop at Lacey Point and the Route 66 Exhibit to see the old car.
Can stop at Puerco Pueblo (to use the restrooms – and if you like rock art, definitely take the trail)
Hike the Blue Forest Route and the Blue Mesa Trail (the NPS staff recommend against descending the final hill to the Blue Mesa Trail from the Blue Forest Route due to the steep grade and loose stones, but I didn’t find it too bad – you can hike the two routes separately by driving the Blue Mesa Road to the Blue Mesa Trailhead)
Hike the Jasper Forest Route
Walk the Crystal Forest Trail OR the Long Logs & Agate House Trail (or both if you’re an overachiever and have time to spare)
Don’t forget to visit the Rainbow Forest Museum and look up at the dinosaur skeletons!
How to Hike the Very Best of Petrified Forest (over multiple days)
Day 1: Painted Desert
Slam dunk your first day by hiking to Onyx Bridge and the Wilderness Trail from the Painted Desert Inn. A GPS unit is encouraged.
Total distance: 8.3 miles
Day 2: All The Pretty Little Hikes
Park at the Painted Desert Inn again and walk the Rim Trail
Stop at the Route 66 Exhibit to see the old car
Walk around Puerco Pueblo
Hike the Historic Blue Forest Route (combine it with the Blue Mesa Trail if possible – if not, do the Blue Mesa Trail after Billings Gap Overlook)
Drive the Blue Mesa Road and hike to the Billings Gap Overlook
Total Distance: 6.8 miles
Day 3: Red Basin
Hike the Clam Beds and Red Basin Route, my personal favorite trek in the park
Total Distance: 7.8 miles
Day 4: Petrified Wood!
Hike to First Forest Point and the Jasper Forest Route from the same parking area
Total Distance: 7.4 miles
Day 5: Everything Else Worth Seeing
(Are you tired of petrified wood yet? I hope not!)
Walk the Crystal Forest Trail
Trek out to Martha’s Butte
Hike the Long Logs & Agate House
Total distance: 3.7
If you’re desperate for a little bit more hiking on Day 5, you can drive up to the Dead Wash Overlook Route, which will almost double your Day 5 hiking mileage.
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