The Painted Desert
&
The Petrified Forest National Park
Near Holbrook, Arizona
Hikes, Travels, & Tours
Pictures, Photos, Images, & Reviews.
George & Eve DeLange
March 15, 2010
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Entrance To The Petrified Forest National Park, & Painted Desert.
Near Holbrook, Arizona. Near I - 40. Photo Taken March 15, 2010.
Map Of The Petrified Forest National Park
Courtesy: National Park Service.
Google Map To Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona.
View Larger Map
Painted Desert Tiponi Point.
Petrified Forest National Park Near Holbrook, Arizona. Photo Taken March 15, 2010. 
Painted Desert Tawa Point.
Petrified Forest National Park Near Holbrook, Arizona. Photo Taken March 15, 2010. 
Painted Desert Inn At Kachina Point.
Petrified Forest National Park Near Holbrook, Arizona. Photo Taken March 15, 2010. 
Old Highway 66 Memorial.
Petrified Forest National Park, & Painted Desert Near Holbrook, Arizona. Photo Taken March 15, 2010.
The Painted Desert & the Petrified Forest are found in one National Park known as the Petrified Forest National Park.
This page will start its tour by going into the Painted Desert and end by entering the Petrified Forest National Park. To see the Petrified Forest National Park go to that web page. A link is at the bottom of this page, below.
President Theodore Roosevelt created Petrified Forest National Monument on December 8, 1906. Petrified Forest was designated as a national park on December 9, 1962.
The Painted Desert entrance to the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest National Monument is located closest to Highway I - 40 at the northern end of the entrance to the Petrified Forest National Monument.
A Google Earth Map search marks the Painted Desert Visitor Center and Park Headquarters at about: 35o 03' 55.57" N 109o 46' 53.54" W. At about 5,767 feet elevation.
A Google Earth Map search marks the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark at about: 35o 05' 00.36" N 109o 47' 19.01" W. At about 5,834 feet elevation.
A Google Earth Map search marks the Painted Desert - Rainbow Forest Museum at about: 34o 48' 54.64" N 109o 51' 56.75" W. At about 5,479 feet elevation.
The Painted Desert - Rainbow Forest Museum is located closest to Highway AZ - 180 at the southern end of the entrance to the Petrified Forest National Monument.
We recommend entering the Painted Desert & the Petrified Forest from the northern entrance off of I - 40. We will place an itinerary of places to visit by taking that route on the following parts of this page. There will be a seperate page describing the Petrified Forest.
From Interstate 40, take exit 311 and head north to the Painted Desert Visitor's Center.
1. At the Visitor's Center you will be able to eat, buy souvenirs, get gas for your car, and learn more about the Painted Desert Wilderness Area, or register for a free backcountry permit, if you plan to do any hiking.
2. Driving about 1/10 of a mile north of the Visitor's Center you will enter the gate to Petrified Forest National Park.
The current entrance fee's are $10 US for a vehicle, $5 for pedestrians, or free with a Golden Eagle pass.
Also if you have any petrified wood that you purchased or collected outside of the park, you should declare it at this time to the park ranger at the gate.
3. Your first stop on the park's paved access road is Tiponi Point.
Looking to the north and northeast, you will be thrilled by the red, pink and white rock formations.
4. Your next stop is Tawa Point; which is also the location of the trailhead to the half-mile Rim Trail.
If you walk to the northwest on the trail, it will end at Kachina Point where the Painted Desert Inn is located.
5. Your next stop on the paved road would also be Kachina Point where the Painted Desert Inn is located.
The Painted Desert Inn is a National Historic Landmark used as a ranger station, store (no groceries) and restrooms. This reconstructed classic southwestern adobe building provides the visitor with some incredible views of the nearby deep red formations and the Black Forest region of the Painted Desert.
The Painted Desert Inn also provides the visitor with some increadable views of the artwork of the period when the Inn was in use by the general public including some of the art of the Hopi artist Fred Kabotie.
The nearby Kachina Point trail is unimproved but well maintained and almost flat. A bench is located roughly at the half way point and offers a place to enjoy the view. It is an easy walk.
6. Your next stop along the paved road is to Chinde Point. Driving from Kachina Point, the paved road turns to the west and you will see the clearly marked side road leading to Chinde Point.
Chinde Point has toilets and picnic areas. It also is the location to the trailhead to access the Painted Desert Wilderness Area. The Painted Desert Wilderness Area is an approximate 50,000 + acre region of desolation lined with various rock formations called the "Badlands."
From Chinde Point, you could hike for about eleven miles round trip to the northwest and visit Pilot Rock, which stands over 6,200 feet in the northwestern corner of the park.
7. Your next stop along the paved road is to Pintado Point. Simply Continue your drive from Chinde Point and the road turns to the south, and you will soon arrive at Pintado Point that faces west towards Flagstaff.
On a very clear day you can see the San Francisco Mountains in the background.
Continuing south on the paved Petrified Forest Road you will also come to:
8. Nizhoni Point,
9. Whipple Point, and
10. Lacey Point. Each of which offers differing views of the western Painted Desert.
Once you reach Lacey Point, the paved Petrified Forest Road turns to the south and crosses over I - 40 along the narrow strip of land that connects the Painted Desert with the Petrified Forest region of the park.
Note: You can not access I - 40 at this point.
Write to:
Superintendent, Petrified Forest National Park
PO Box 2217
Petrified Forest, AZ 86028
Phone General Park Information
(928) 524-6228
Fax
(928) 524-3567
Park Open: Open year round except Christmas, December 25.
Jan 1 - Feb 27 8am to 5pm
Feb 28 - May 8 7am to 6pm
May 9 - Sept 6 7am to 7pm
Sept 7 - Oct 23 7am to 6pm
Oct 24 - Dec 31 8am to 5pm
NOTE: Most of Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings Time. Petrified Forest National Park stays on Mountain Standard Time year-round.
Be prepared for variable and extreme weather conditions: snow in winter, hot sun in summer with afternoon thunderstorms from Mid June To Mid September.
Pets are not allowed on the trails, in the backcountry, in buildings, or tied to objects in the area. They are welcome in the parking areas on a leash. Warning: Summer temperatures may be fatal to pets left in vehicles.
How To Get There:
From Phoenix. Driving from Phoenix you have several choices:
1) travel Interstates I-17 North and I-40 East, passing through Flagstaff (259 miles), or
2) travel Highways 87 North to Payson, 260 East to Heber, 377 North to Holbrook, and US 180 South to the park (215 miles).
From Phoenix. Driving from Albuquerque travel 204 miles west on Interstate 40 to Exit 311.
We have enjoyed this beautiful place since about 1945.
If you are planning to visit the Petrified Forest National Park. And if you are coming from outside of Arizona, the nearest major airports are in Phoenix, Arizona and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Once you get to one of the airports, you may want to rent a car and drive to the park.
If you fly into the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport there is a Sky Harbor - Flagstaff flight that can be arranged and there is also a Sky Harbor - Flagstaff shuttle. You could rent a car at Flagstaff and drive to the Petrified Forest National Park.
You also could fly into the Albuquerque International Sunport (IATA: ABQ, ICAO: KABQ, FAA LID: ABQ) which is a public airport located 3 miles southeast of the central business district of Albuquerque, New Mexico. You could then rent a car at Albuquerque and drive to the Petrified Forest National Park.
There are many hotels and motels in both areas and if you need a place to stay; Priceline.com can arrange that for you.
We have some links to Priceline.com on this page since they can arrange all of your air flights, hotels and car.
In addition, you may need to purchase some outdoor camping gear and clothing.
We also have some links to Altrec.com on this page since they are a good online source for any outdoor camping gear and clothing that you may need.
We of course, appreciate your use of the advertising on our pages, since it helps us to keep our pages active.
Painted Desert Visitor Center
Petrified Forest National Park Entrance To Painted Desert
Petrified Forest National Park 
Painted Desert Tiponi Point.
Petrified Forest National Park Painted Desert Tiponi Point.
Petrified Forest National Park 
Painted Desert Tawa Point.
Petrified Forest National Park Painted Desert Tawa Point.
Petrified Forest National Park 
Painted Desert Inn From
Painted Desert Tawa Point.
Petrified Forest National Park Painted Desert Inn From
Painted Desert Tawa Point.
Petrified Forest National Park 
Black Forest Regions Of The
Painted Desert Kachina Point
Petrified Forest National Park Black Forest Regions Of The
Painted Desert Kachina Point
Petrified Forest National Park 
Inside Painted Desert Inn
Hopi Artist Fred Kabotie
Petrified Forest National Park Inside Painted Desert Inn
Glass Paintings
Petrified Forest National Park 
Inside Painted Desert Inn
Hopi Artist Fred Kabotie
Petrified Forest National Park Inside Painted Desert Inn
Hopi Artist Fred Kabotie
Petrified Forest National Park 
Inside Painted Desert Inn
Petrified Forest National Park Inside Painted Desert Inn
Petrified Forest National Park 
Inside Painted Desert Inn
Petrified Forest National Park Inside Painted Desert Inn
Petrified Forest National Park 
Chinde Point View
Petrified Forest National Park Chinde Point View
Petrified Forest National Park 
Pintado Lookout Point
Petrified Forest National Park Pintado Lookout Point
Petrified Forest National Park 
Pintado Lookout Point View
Painted Desert
Petrified Forest National Park Pintado Lookout Point View
Painted Desert
Petrified Forest National Park 
Pintado Lookout Point View
Painted Desert
Petrified Forest National Park Pintado Lookout Point View
Painted Desert
Petrified Forest National Park 
Nizhoni Lookout Point View
Painted Desert
Petrified Forest National Park Nizhoni Lookout Point View
San Francisco Peaks.
In Background
Petrified Forest National Park 
Whipple Lookout Point View
Painted Desert
Petrified Forest National Park Whipple Lookout Point View
San Francisco Peaks.
In Background
Petrified Forest National Park 
Lacey Lookout Point View
Painted Desert
Petrified Forest National Park Lacey Lookout Point View
San Francisco Peaks.
In Background
Petrified Forest National Park 
Old Highway 66 Memorial
Painted Desert
Petrified Forest National Park Old Highway 66 Memorial
Painted Desert
Petrified Forest National Park 
Burlington Northern.
Santa Fe Railway
Painted Desert
Petrified Forest National Park Burlington Northern.
Santa Fe Railway
Painted Desert
Petrified Forest National Park 
Crossing The Puerco River
We Leave The Painted Desert
Entering The Petrified Forest Crossing The Puerco River
We Leave The Painted Desert
Entering The Petrified Forest
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For Books, & Videos About Touring Arizona. No Obligation!
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Back To DeLange Home Page
Petrified Forest National Park Web Page
You Will Leave delange.org
George & Eve DeLange
March 15, 2010
For Books, & Videos About Touring Arizona. No Obligation!
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| Entrance To The Petrified Forest National Park, & Painted Desert. Near Holbrook, Arizona. Near I - 40. Photo Taken March 15, 2010. |
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| Map Of The Petrified Forest National Park Courtesy: National Park Service. |
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Google Map To Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona.
View Larger Map
|
| Painted Desert Tiponi Point. Petrified Forest National Park Near Holbrook, Arizona. Photo Taken March 15, 2010. |
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| Painted Desert Tawa Point. Petrified Forest National Park Near Holbrook, Arizona. Photo Taken March 15, 2010. |
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| Painted Desert Inn At Kachina Point. Petrified Forest National Park Near Holbrook, Arizona. Photo Taken March 15, 2010. |
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| Old Highway 66 Memorial. Petrified Forest National Park, & Painted Desert Near Holbrook, Arizona. Photo Taken March 15, 2010. |
The Painted Desert & the Petrified Forest are found in one National Park known as the Petrified Forest National Park. This page will start its tour by going into the Painted Desert and end by entering the Petrified Forest National Park. To see the Petrified Forest National Park go to that web page. A link is at the bottom of this page, below. President Theodore Roosevelt created Petrified Forest National Monument on December 8, 1906. Petrified Forest was designated as a national park on December 9, 1962. The Painted Desert entrance to the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest National Monument is located closest to Highway I - 40 at the northern end of the entrance to the Petrified Forest National Monument. A Google Earth Map search marks the Painted Desert Visitor Center and Park Headquarters at about: 35o 03' 55.57" N 109o 46' 53.54" W. At about 5,767 feet elevation. A Google Earth Map search marks the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark at about: 35o 05' 00.36" N 109o 47' 19.01" W. At about 5,834 feet elevation. A Google Earth Map search marks the Painted Desert - Rainbow Forest Museum at about: 34o 48' 54.64" N 109o 51' 56.75" W. At about 5,479 feet elevation. The Painted Desert - Rainbow Forest Museum is located closest to Highway AZ - 180 at the southern end of the entrance to the Petrified Forest National Monument. We recommend entering the Painted Desert & the Petrified Forest from the northern entrance off of I - 40. We will place an itinerary of places to visit by taking that route on the following parts of this page. There will be a seperate page describing the Petrified Forest. From Interstate 40, take exit 311 and head north to the Painted Desert Visitor's Center. 1. At the Visitor's Center you will be able to eat, buy souvenirs, get gas for your car, and learn more about the Painted Desert Wilderness Area, or register for a free backcountry permit, if you plan to do any hiking. 2. Driving about 1/10 of a mile north of the Visitor's Center you will enter the gate to Petrified Forest National Park. The current entrance fee's are $10 US for a vehicle, $5 for pedestrians, or free with a Golden Eagle pass. Also if you have any petrified wood that you purchased or collected outside of the park, you should declare it at this time to the park ranger at the gate. 3. Your first stop on the park's paved access road is Tiponi Point. Looking to the north and northeast, you will be thrilled by the red, pink and white rock formations. 4. Your next stop is Tawa Point; which is also the location of the trailhead to the half-mile Rim Trail. If you walk to the northwest on the trail, it will end at Kachina Point where the Painted Desert Inn is located. 5. Your next stop on the paved road would also be Kachina Point where the Painted Desert Inn is located. The Painted Desert Inn is a National Historic Landmark used as a ranger station, store (no groceries) and restrooms. This reconstructed classic southwestern adobe building provides the visitor with some incredible views of the nearby deep red formations and the Black Forest region of the Painted Desert. The Painted Desert Inn also provides the visitor with some increadable views of the artwork of the period when the Inn was in use by the general public including some of the art of the Hopi artist Fred Kabotie. The nearby Kachina Point trail is unimproved but well maintained and almost flat. A bench is located roughly at the half way point and offers a place to enjoy the view. It is an easy walk. 6. Your next stop along the paved road is to Chinde Point. Driving from Kachina Point, the paved road turns to the west and you will see the clearly marked side road leading to Chinde Point. Chinde Point has toilets and picnic areas. It also is the location to the trailhead to access the Painted Desert Wilderness Area. The Painted Desert Wilderness Area is an approximate 50,000 + acre region of desolation lined with various rock formations called the "Badlands." From Chinde Point, you could hike for about eleven miles round trip to the northwest and visit Pilot Rock, which stands over 6,200 feet in the northwestern corner of the park. 7. Your next stop along the paved road is to Pintado Point. Simply Continue your drive from Chinde Point and the road turns to the south, and you will soon arrive at Pintado Point that faces west towards Flagstaff. On a very clear day you can see the San Francisco Mountains in the background. Continuing south on the paved Petrified Forest Road you will also come to: 8. Nizhoni Point, 9. Whipple Point, and 10. Lacey Point. Each of which offers differing views of the western Painted Desert. Once you reach Lacey Point, the paved Petrified Forest Road turns to the south and crosses over I - 40 along the narrow strip of land that connects the Painted Desert with the Petrified Forest region of the park. Note: You can not access I - 40 at this point.
Write to:
Park Open: Open year round except Christmas, December 25.
NOTE: Most of Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings Time. Petrified Forest National Park stays on Mountain Standard Time year-round. Be prepared for variable and extreme weather conditions: snow in winter, hot sun in summer with afternoon thunderstorms from Mid June To Mid September. Pets are not allowed on the trails, in the backcountry, in buildings, or tied to objects in the area. They are welcome in the parking areas on a leash. Warning: Summer temperatures may be fatal to pets left in vehicles. How To Get There:
From Phoenix. Driving from Phoenix you have several choices:
2) travel Highways 87 North to Payson, 260 East to Heber, 377 North to Holbrook, and US 180 South to the park (215 miles). From Phoenix. Driving from Albuquerque travel 204 miles west on Interstate 40 to Exit 311.
We have enjoyed this beautiful place since about 1945.
|
If you are planning to visit the Petrified Forest National Park. And if you are coming from outside of Arizona, the nearest major airports are in Phoenix, Arizona and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Once you get to one of the airports, you may want to rent a car and drive to the park. If you fly into the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport there is a Sky Harbor - Flagstaff flight that can be arranged and there is also a Sky Harbor - Flagstaff shuttle. You could rent a car at Flagstaff and drive to the Petrified Forest National Park. You also could fly into the Albuquerque International Sunport (IATA: ABQ, ICAO: KABQ, FAA LID: ABQ) which is a public airport located 3 miles southeast of the central business district of Albuquerque, New Mexico. You could then rent a car at Albuquerque and drive to the Petrified Forest National Park. There are many hotels and motels in both areas and if you need a place to stay; Priceline.com can arrange that for you. We have some links to Priceline.com on this page since they can arrange all of your air flights, hotels and car. In addition, you may need to purchase some outdoor camping gear and clothing. We also have some links to Altrec.com on this page since they are a good online source for any outdoor camping gear and clothing that you may need. We of course, appreciate your use of the advertising on our pages, since it helps us to keep our pages active.
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| Painted Desert Visitor Center Petrified Forest National Park | Entrance To Painted Desert Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Painted Desert Tiponi Point. Petrified Forest National Park | Painted Desert Tiponi Point. Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Painted Desert Tawa Point. Petrified Forest National Park | Painted Desert Tawa Point. Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Painted Desert Inn From Painted Desert Tawa Point. Petrified Forest National Park | Painted Desert Inn From Painted Desert Tawa Point. Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Black Forest Regions Of The Painted Desert Kachina Point Petrified Forest National Park | Black Forest Regions Of The Painted Desert Kachina Point Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Inside Painted Desert Inn Hopi Artist Fred Kabotie Petrified Forest National Park | Inside Painted Desert Inn Glass Paintings Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Inside Painted Desert Inn Hopi Artist Fred Kabotie Petrified Forest National Park | Inside Painted Desert Inn Hopi Artist Fred Kabotie Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Inside Painted Desert Inn Petrified Forest National Park | Inside Painted Desert Inn Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Inside Painted Desert Inn Petrified Forest National Park | Inside Painted Desert Inn Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Chinde Point View Petrified Forest National Park | Chinde Point View Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Pintado Lookout Point Petrified Forest National Park | Pintado Lookout Point Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Pintado Lookout Point View Painted Desert Petrified Forest National Park | Pintado Lookout Point View Painted Desert Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Pintado Lookout Point View Painted Desert Petrified Forest National Park | Pintado Lookout Point View Painted Desert Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Nizhoni Lookout Point View Painted Desert Petrified Forest National Park | Nizhoni Lookout Point View San Francisco Peaks. In Background Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Whipple Lookout Point View Painted Desert Petrified Forest National Park | Whipple Lookout Point View San Francisco Peaks. In Background Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Lacey Lookout Point View Painted Desert Petrified Forest National Park | Lacey Lookout Point View San Francisco Peaks. In Background Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Old Highway 66 Memorial Painted Desert Petrified Forest National Park | Old Highway 66 Memorial Painted Desert Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Burlington Northern. Santa Fe Railway Painted Desert Petrified Forest National Park | Burlington Northern. Santa Fe Railway Painted Desert Petrified Forest National Park |
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| Crossing The Puerco River We Leave The Painted Desert Entering The Petrified Forest | Crossing The Puerco River We Leave The Painted Desert Entering The Petrified Forest |
We Are Proud Of Our SafeSurf Rating!
Click On Any Of The Following Links By Amazon.Com
For Books, & Videos About Touring Arizona. No Obligation!
| Puerco Pueblo Ruins Web Page
|
| Back To Arizona Tours Page
|
| Back To DeLange Home Page
|
| Petrified Forest National Park Web Page You Will Leave delange.org
|