Petrified Forest National Park Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
national park of the United States
About Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified Forest was set aside as a national monument in 1906 to preserve and protect the petrified wood for its scientific value. The monument became a national park in 1962, and legislation passed in 2004 more than doubled the park's area from93,533 acres (37,851 hectares)to218,533 acres (88,437 hectares). Petrified Forest National Park features one of the world's largest and most colorful concentrations of petrified wood, the multi-hued badlands of the Chinle Formation known as the Painted Desert, historic structures, archeological sites, and displays of 225 million-year-old fossils. The park is now recognized as protecting the best representation of the Late Triassic Period in the world, and on average paleontologists discover about two new animal species each year. The park features
Top Attractions in Petrified Forest National Park
Explore the best things to see and do in Petrified Forest National Park:
- ★Agate Bridge
- ★Agate House
- ★Blue Mesa
- ★Crystal Forest Trail
- ★Giant Logs Trail
- ★Jasper Forest
- ★Kachina Point / Painted Desert Inn
- ★Long Logs Trail
Petrified Forest National Park Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 12 sections including: