National Parks of China
Overview
| Designation | US National Park |
| Location | Northeastern Arizona, USA |
| Latitude, longitude | 35.0, -109.8 Google Maps |
| Nearby citiesHolbrook, Flagstaff | |
| Highlights | Petrified wood, prehistoric petroglyphs |
| Areaabout 221,000 acres | |
| Nearby sites | Grand Canyon National Park, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright |
| Themes | Prehistory, Desert, Stone |
About
Petrified Forest National Park is in northeastern Arizona. It was established as a US national park in 1962.
Travel tips
Getting there: The park lies along I-40, one of the few national parks entered directly from an interstate. It is about 1.5 hours east of Flagstaff, 3 hours west of Albuquerque and 4.5 hours from Phoenix.
The road: A park road of about 28 miles (45 km) runs from I-40 at the north end to US-180 at the south, with a dozen or so pull-offs; driving is the only way to see it.
Sights: The north has Painted Desert overlooks and the Painted Desert Inn; the middle has Puerco Pueblo and the petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock; the south has Giant Logs, Crystal Forest and the Blue Mesa trail.
Rules: Petrified wood may not be taken, and offenders are fined; there are checks at the exits.
Time: Half a day to a day is enough to drive the whole road and make a few short walks.
Season: Spring and autumn are best; midday summer is hot, with thunderstorms in the afternoon; winter can bring snow, and the road may close when icy.
Where to stay: There are no hotels in the park; Holbrook, to the south-west, has motels. Backcountry camping inside the park needs a permit.
Caution: Do not touch the ruins or the rock art. Carry water; there is little shade.
Photo credits: Petrified Forest National Park: Photo by Hallie Larsen, US National Park Service. (public domain)