| Petrified Forest National Park | |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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| Location | Apache / Navajo counties, Arizona, USA |
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| Nearest city | Holbrook |
| Coordinates | 35°03′58″N 109°46′51″W / 35.06611°N 109.78083°WCoordinates: 35°03′58″N 109°46′51″W / 35.06611°N 109.78083°W |
| Area | 218,553 acres (341.5 sq mi / 885 km²) |
Petrified Forest National Park is along Interstate 40 between Holbrook and Navajo, in the United States. It features one of the world's largest and most colorful concentrations of petrified wood, mostly of the species Araucarioxylon arizonicum.
The park consists of two large areas connected by a north–south corridor. The northern area encompasses part of the multihued badlands of the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation called the Painted Desert. The southern area includes colorful terrain and several concentrations of petrified wood. Several American Indian petroglyph sites are also found in the southern area. Near the south end of the park is Agate House, a Native American building of petrified wood, reconstructed during the 1930s.
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The Petrified Forest area was designated a National Monument on December 8, 1906. The Painted Desert was added later. On December 9, 1962, the whole monument was made a national park.[1][2] It covers 218,533 acres (341.5 sq mi; 885 km²). Hiking opportunities are varied: the longest established trail in the park extends for only two miles; the others are one mile (1.6 km) or less, but there are exciting backcountry possibilities. 50,620 acres (204.9 km2; 79.09 sq mi) of the Painted Desert is protected as the Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area, accessible to anyone who wants to explore the stark, colorful, moonscapes of the badlands. This surreal playground is easily entered by a wilderness access trail at Kachina Point/The Painted Desert Inn. After a series of switchbacks the trail fades and visitors may explore wherever they would like. No permit is needed for day hikes, but a free overnight permit must be obtained at any of the visitor's centers for overnight adventures. A 28-mile (45 km) long road runs through much of the park. Landmarks include the Agate House, built of petrified wood, and the Agate Bridge, a petrified log spanning a wash.
The pieces of permineralized wood are fossil Araucariaceae, a family of trees that is extinct in the Northern Hemisphere but survives in isolated stands in the Southern Hemisphere. During the Late Triassic, this desert region was located in the tropics and was seasonally wet and dry. In seasonal flooding, the trees washed from where they grew and accumulated in sandy river channels, where they were buried periodically by layers of gravely sand, rich in volcanic ash from volcanoes further to the west. The volcanic ash was the source of the silica that helped to permineralize the buried logs, replacing wood with silica, colored with oxides of iron and manganese. Several major and many smaller concentrations of petrified wood occur in the park, corresponding to several stratigraphic intervals in the Sonsela Member and aptly named Petrified Forest Member of the Chinle Formation. The major concentrations have been termed "forests" (e.g. Rainbow Forest, Crystal Forest, Black Forest, etc.) although the vast majority of the fossil tree trunks are preserved in a prone position and have been transported at least some distance from their original growth areas. However, in-place stumps of trees do occur in several areas (not easily accessible to the casual visitor), and many of the logs probably did not travel far before burial.
The Chinle Formation at Petrified Forest National Park also has produced abundant fossil leaves, vertebrates (including giant crocodile-like reptiles called phytosaurs, large salamander-like amphibians called metoposaurs, some of the earliest dinosaur fossils from North America), and invertebrates (including freshwater snails and clams).
Much of the striking banded coloration of the Chinle Formation badlands that make up the Painted Desert region is due to soil formation (pedogenesis) during the Late Triassic. These paleosols (ancient soils) preserve evidence of conditions during the Triassic including the nature of the landscape and the paleoclimate. The Chinle paleosols suggest that the climate was dramatically seasonal, with distinct very wet and very dry seasons. This climate was probably similar to the modern monsoon of the Indian Ocean region, and was characteristic of tropical areas of Late Paleozoic and Early Mesozoic Earth when all the continents had assembled to form the supercontinent Pangaea.
The Petrified Forest National consists of the petrified remains of the trees of the Late Triassic period, which occurred 225 million years ago. Surrounding the petrified wood are millions of years of deposition, erosion, and uplift. This has created the Chinle Formation, which is spread across northern Arizona, Nevada, Utah, western New Mexico, and western Colorado. The Petrified Forest is situated near the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau with elevations ranging from 5300 feet to 6235 feet. It was the uplift of the Colorado Plateau, starting about 60 million years ago, and the erosion that followed and continues today, which carved the present landscape. The Painted Desert badlands are made up of bentonite, a type of altered volcanic ash. It absorbs huge amounts of water and cracks, over and over again, causing massive erosion and preventing plants from growing on the sides. Some say it resembles elephant skin. Other features created by erosion in the area are mesas and buttes.
Petrified Forest National Park is mostly badlands, a desert-like ecosystem characterized by scrubland and rock formations, but has several pockets of riparian areas where rivers and streams run through the dry landscape. The arid ecosystem is constantly worn down by wind and, less commonly, by water. The rocks gain their colors from impurities and mixtures of elements, from dark blue coal to bright clays to red volcanic rocks. The landscape is difficult to navigate because of steep slopes, loose soils, slick clay, and deep sand. Badlands, characterized by massive erosion, generally form in areas of heavy, but infrequent, rain showers, sparse vegetation, and soft sediments.
The climate of the park is very similar to that of stereotypical deserts. Summers daytime temperatures can be anywhere from 90 degrees to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The summer breezes are lighter than the winter winds, but the 10 mph average wind still causes frequent sandstorms and dust devils, some which reach 1000 feet high. Summer nights range from the low 50s to the high 60s, a 40 degree difference from the day. July through September is generally considered monsoon season for the park. During these summer months, scattered, but violent, thunderstorms are relatively common. The annual precipitation ranges from 8 to 12 inches, 40% of it coming from the summer storms. Fortunately, the average relative humidity of the area is very low, making the heat more tolerable. June usually holds a relative humidity at around 26%, while the average August humidity is 47%. At an elevation of over 5,000 feet, Petrified Forest National Park also has distinct winter, with a chance of snow. Average winter days are 40 to 50 degrees while nighttime temperatures range from below 0 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Light winter snows can start from as early as October to as late as March. It doesn’t stay on the ground for long, though, due to the temperature fluctuations. Winter winds can get up to 60 mph.
The seemingly unfriendly ecosystem is, nevertheless, home to a variety of animal and plant species. A variety of mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and birds have their homes within the national park. The soil itself is alive with lichens, mosses, algae, microfungi, and bacteria. The park is one of the best sources of cryptobiotic soil in the nation, and the fragile soil ecosystem must be protected from the shoes of tourists.
Petrified wood is not unique; it can be found all over the nation and the world. However, Petrified Forest National Park contains some of the largest and best-preserved petrified wood sites in the world. More importantly, the combination of the Petrified Forest and the Painted Desert provides us with an extraordinarily diverse fossil record that cannot be found elsewhere. Fossils can be found going back over 200 million years, representing the Late Triassic period. Most of the petrified trees are around 225 million years old. Aside from fossils, the park is also known for having thousands of prehistoric petroglyphs and pictographs, which are rock carvings and cave paintings left by ancient peoples. Anthropological research has shown many of the carvings to be solar calendars.
This park features one of world's largest and most colorful concentrations of petrified wood. Despite the dry conditions of the Petrified Forest, it has been inhabited for as long as 10,000 years. The Anasazi, Mogollon, and Sinagua all lived for a period in the area. By 1540, Spanish explorers passed through the area and in 1851, a captain of the US army, Lorenso Silgreaves, was the first person to publish any information about petrified wood around the park. In 1853, Julius Marcou visited the park, the first geologist to do so. The Whipple Expedition soon after led to the discovery of petrified wood in the actual park itself.
In the 1890s, people began to dynamite the pieces of petrified wood to look for gems inside. Charlers Lummis wrote about the destruction of the park by the end of the decade. This rapidly diminishing store of petrified wood alarmed the leaders of Arizona at the time and thus the impetus for creating a park came about.
Theft of petrified wood has remained a problem despite protection and despite the fact that nearby vendors sell wood collected legally from private land. Despite a guard force of seven National Park Service rangers, fences, warning signs, and the threat of a $325 fine, an estimated 12 tons of the fossil wood is stolen from the Petrified Forest every year.[3]
 North entrance sign |
 Cut and polished petrified wood |
 Petrified trees |
 Section of a petrified tree trunk, probably Araucarioxylon arizonicum. |
 Agate Bridge, a petrified log that spans a sandstone wash. |
 Petrified Forest National Park Wood Landscape |
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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 from 93,533 acres to 218,533 acres.
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 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, and displays of 225 million year old fossils.
The park includes a grassland ecosystem and the badlands of the Painted Desert. The terrain changes quickly as you travel through the park, from the vistas of the Painted Desert, into the grassland of a large plateau, through grand geologic formations, and arrays of richly colored petrified wood.
Animal life at Petrified Forest includes amphibians, birds, insects, spiders, mammals, and reptiles. Birds, lizards and some rodents are seen most frequently, though seasons and weather play a large role in determining what animals are active. Nocturnal animals include kangaroo rats, woodrats (also called packrats) and most other small desert rodents, skunks, foxes, bobcats, bats and owls. Animals that can be seen during the day include pronghorn, mule deer, coyotes, porcupines, desert cottontails, black-tailed jackrabbits, squirrels, hawks, snakes, lizards, golden eagles, and many songbirds.
The park has summer daytime average temperatures in the 90s F and summer overnight temperatures in the 60s F. Winters are mild, frequently freezing overnight but warming by mid-afternoon to an average of 40 F. Park closures for weather are possible but not frequent.
An automobile is the only feasible way of getting to the park, located off of Interstate 40 in northeastern Arizona, 106 miles east of Flagstaff and 178 miles west of Albuquerque. Westbound Interstate 40 travelers should take exit 311, drive through the park and connect with Highway 180 at the south end. Highway 180 north returns to Interstate 40 via Holbrook. Eastbound Interstate 40 travelers should exit at Holbrook and travel on Highway 180 south to the park's south entrance. Drive north through the park to return to Interstate 40.
Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (IATA: FLG) [2] has commuter service to Los Angeles on Horizon Air and to Phoenix on USAirways Express.
Albuquerque International Sunport (IATA: ABQ) [3] is a full-service airport served by most major US airlines.
The nearest city with an Amtrak station is Gallup, New Mexico, about 1 hour east of the park on Interstate 40. It is served by the Southwest Chief [4] Chicago - Los Angeles route.
Entrance fees are $5 for individuals on foot, bike or motorcycle, and $10 for private vehicles. The Petrified Forest Annual Pass is available for $20 and allows free park entry for one year. Alternatively, the America the Beautiful National Parks Pass is $80 and allows free entry to all national park areas for one year.
Petrified Forest National Park is open to the public every day of the year except for Christmas Day (December 25). Park access is prohibited at night without a permit. Park hours are:
Unlike most western states, Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings Time, remaining on Mountain Standard Time year-round. However, many visitors arriving from the Navajo Reservation (which does observe DST) travel with their clocks set an hour off. Check the time to make sure you don't accidentally get locked in at night.
A car is the easiest way of getting around in the park, with the park road allowing visitors to travel through the park from end to end without backtracking. Eastbound travelers should enter at the south off Highway 180, and exit at the north onto Interstate 40. Westbound travelers should enter at the north at Exit 311 off Interstate 40, and exit at the south onto Highway 180.
Bicycles are permitted only on the established paved roadway and cannot be used on paved or dirt trails or off road at any time. In addition, if planning to see the park from a bicycle be aware of the potential for extreme heat, thunderstorms, or high winds and plan accordingly.
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Be aware that it is illegal to remove petrified wood or any natural, archeological, or historical object from the park. When you enter and leave the park, rangers may ask you if have any petrified wood in your possession. The rangers are legally empowered to inspect your vehicle if they are suspicious of theft. Violators will be fined and/or imprisoned. |
There are stores just outside the park which sell petrified wood souvenirs. These specimens were (or were supposed to have been) collected outside the park boundaries. This is why rangers will ask about possession of petrified wood when you enter the park. Additional souvenirs may be purchased at the gift shops located near the Painted Desert Visitor Center or the Rainbow Forest Museum. Both of these areas also offer bookstores selling books of local interest.
There is a snack shop located near the Rainbow Forest Museum. The Painted Desert Visitor Center area offers a restaurant and travel store selling snacks. Additional restaurants and grocery stores can be found 30 miles west in the town of Holbrook.
The consumption of alcohol or the presence of open alcoholic containers is prohibited, except in picnic areas or concession food service facilities. Water and other beverages can be obtained either near the Rainbow Forest Museum or the Painted Desert Visitor Center.
Lodging is not available within the park, but numerous hotels can be found in the towns of Holbrook (20 minutes west), Winslow (1 hour west), Flagstaff (1.5 hours west), and Gallup (1 hour east).
There are no organized campgrounds within the park. Some of the souvenir shops located just outside of the park's southern entrance will allow camping or overnight parking on their properties as long as you purchase at least one item from them.
For those who wish to stay overnight in the park's wilderness area, a free permit must be obtained at least one hour before the park closes. Permits are issued from either the Painted Desert Visitor Center or Rainbow Forest Museum. Hikers must park their cars in the Painted Desert Inn parking area and use the access trail on the northwest side of the building. Backpackers must hike to a designated zone north of Lithodendron Wash before setting up camp. No campsites are maintained in the Wilderness Area, and you must carry all of your water in with you.
The primary dangers in the park are from the weather. Summer storms can bring lightning, high winds and flash floods, while the heat can cause dehydration and heat stroke. Avoid open areas during storms, and drink plenty of water (at least one gallon per day). Always be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions; from July through August expect afternoon monsoon thunderstorms, while from October through April expect cold temperatures and possibly snow. High winds are also common, and can bring blowing sand that makes hiking unpleasant if not dangerous.
| Routes through Petrified Forest National Park |
| Flagstaff ← Holbrook ← | W  E |
→ Gallup → Albuquerque |
| Flagstaff ← Holbrook ← | W  E |
→ Gallup → Albuquerque |
| This is a guide article. It has a variety of good, quality information about the park including attractions, activities, lodging, campgrounds, restaurants, and arrival/departure info. Plunge forward and help us make it a star! |
Category: Guide articles
   | National Park Service website - Petrified Forest National Park (U.S. National Park Service) |
| | Private website - Petrified Forest National Park |
| | Photos of Petrified Forest National Park - Terra Galleria - Petrified Forest National Park Pictures - US National Parks stock photos, fine art prints by QTL |
| | Photographic virtual tour of Petrified Forest National Park - Petrified Forest National Park in 1,519 Images |
| | Frommer's Arizona 2008. - Petrified Forest and Painted Desert : Introduction | Frommers.com |
| | National Park Service website, Petrified Forest National Park page - Petrified Forest National Park - Brief Administrative History (U.S. National Park Service) |
| | Mile By Mile: Parkway Highway #1 - Petrified Forest National Park Scenic Route - Arizona Road Map RV Travel Guide: Parkway #1 Petrified Forest National Park Scenic Route |
| | Petrified Forest National Park - Petrified Forest National Park - National Parks Gallery |
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