National Park · Arizona, United States
Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified Forest National Park is a national park in Arizona, United States, covering 221,390 acres (89,594 ha), established in 1962; it recorded 315,951 visits in 2025.
Photo: Jeffhollett via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Park facts
| Park type | National Park |
|---|---|
| Location | Arizona, United States |
| Area | 221,390 acres (89,594 ha) |
| Established | 1962 |
| Annual visits (2025) | 315,951 |
| Highest point | Pilot Rock — 1,897 m (6,224 ft) |
| Coordinates | 35.0700° N, 109.7800° W |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
About Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified Forest National Park is a national park of the United States in Navajo and Apache counties in northeastern Arizona. Named for its large deposits of petrified wood, the park covers about 346 square miles (900 square kilometers), encompassing semi-desert shrub steppe as well as highly eroded and colorful badlands. The park's headquarters is about 26 miles (42 km) east of Holbrook along Interstate 40 (I-40), which parallels the BNSF Railway's Southern Transcon, the Puerco River, and historic U.S. Route 66, all crossing the park roughly east–west.
Description from the park's Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA), linked in the sources below.
Planning your visit
Best time to visit
March to May and September to November — mild temperatures; summers are hot
What to do
Getting there
| Nearest town | Holbrook, Arizona |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Flagstaff Pulliam Airport |
| Getting there | From eastern side of greater Phoenix travel Highways 87 North to Payson, 260 East to Heber, 377 North to Holbrook, and 180 South to the park (215 miles). |
Where to stay
| Campgrounds | No |
|---|
Famous trails
- Blue Mesa Trail — 1.0 miles (1.6 km) — Moderate
Like Petrified Forest National Park? Visit Petrified Forest National Park’s official park page for hours and current conditions before you travel.
Airports near this park
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Show Low Regional Airport (SOW) · Show Low, United States · 57.2 miles away
- Gallup Municipal Airport (GUP) · Gallup, United States · 63.7 miles away
- Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG) · Flagstaff, United States · 106.9 miles away
Parks nearby
More parks in Arizona
Frequently asked questions
Where is Petrified Forest National Park?
Petrified Forest National Park is in Arizona, United States (35.0700° N, 109.7800° W).
When was Petrified Forest National Park established?
Petrified Forest National Park was established in 1962, per the source listed at the foot of this page.
How big is Petrified Forest National Park?
Petrified Forest National Park covers 221,390 acres (89,594 ha).
How many people visit Petrified Forest National Park each year?
It recorded 315,951 recreation visits in 2025, the latest published figure.
What is the highest point in Petrified Forest National Park?
The highest point is Pilot Rock, at 1,897 metres (6,224 ft).
When is the best time to visit Petrified Forest National Park?
March to May and September to November — mild temperatures; summers are hot.
Does Petrified Forest National Park have campgrounds?
No — Petrified Forest National Park has no campgrounds.
How do I get to Petrified Forest National Park?
The nearest town is Holbrook, Arizona. The nearest airport is Flagstaff Pulliam Airport. From eastern side of greater Phoenix travel Highways 87 North to Payson, 260 East to Heber, 377 North to Holbrook, and 180 South to the park (215 miles).
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_United_States_National_Park_System_official_units — Wikipedia list of National Park System official units — unit name, state, official designation.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_areas_in_the_United_States_National_Park_System — Wikipedia list of National Park System areas — year established and gross area.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_parks_of_the_United_States — Wikipedia list of US national parks — coordinates, established date, area, recreation visitors (2025), description.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrified_Forest_National_Park — Wikipedia article — description (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.nps.gov/pefo/ — Official park page.