Park Hours: 8am to 5pm, MST. Don't forget that Arizona does not observe
Daylight Savings. Petrified Forest is best known for its Triassic fossils.
It's like having two parks in one, an ecosystem over 200 million years old
with plants and animals now represented in the surreal landscape of the
Painted Desert. There is also a living park with its own denizens adapted to a
demanding environment.

Park Hours: 8am to 5pm, MST. Don't forget that Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings.

Petrified Forest is best known for its Triassic fossils. It's like having two parks in one, an ecosystem over 200 million years old with plants and animals now represented in the surreal landscape of the Painted Desert. There is also a living park with its own denizens adapted to a demanding environment.

Petrified Forest is now an International Dark Sky Park!

Milky Way Over Blue Mesa

Kids excavating in the field with Park Paleontologist Bill Parker

Kids Day Camp Field Trip with Park Paleontologist Bill Parker

A petroglyph at Puerco Pueblo interacts with the sunlight on the summer solstice.

Summer Solstice Petroglyph at Puerco Pueblo

Striped badlands glow red in the sunset light at the Tepees.

Sunset on the Tepees

Sunset lights up the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark west side.

Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark

A full rainbow arches over the open grassland.

Grassland Rainbow

Summer storm clouds build behind the banded badlands of Blue Mesa.

Blue Mesa

Tandem Bicycling at Blue Mesa

Onyx Bridge is a popular destination for hikers in the Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area's north unit.

Onyx Bridge, Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area

Many Hopi symbols are featured in this Fred Kabotie mural at the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark

Fred Kabotie Mural at the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark

The Flattops glow red at dawn.

Flattops

This ancient petroglyph of a mountain lion has become an icon of the park.

Mountain Lion Petroglyph

Jasper Forest has some of the most colorful logs in the park.

Jasper Forest

Petrified Forest National Park

Sunrise and sunset are favorite times to view the colorful Painted Desert of the Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area

Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area

Many petrified logs are scattered among the badlands at Crystal Forest.

Crystal Forest

Swirly patterned rocks form a jumbled puzzle in front of red badlands in the expansion lands.

Expansion Land Scenery

Eroded towers called hoodoos loom above Devil's Playground.

Devil's Playground

Researchers dig for fossils in the badlands.

Paleontological Excavation

An old 1932 Studebaker auto sits near the Route 66 alignment.

Route 66 Alignment

Agate House was built over 900 years ago out of pieces of petrified wood

Agate House

Painted Desert Community Complex Plaza reveals the long lines of Mid-century style architecture

Painted Desert Community Complex Plaza

The handmade Spanish-colonial-style punched tin light fixtures were made by the CCC in the 1930s for the Painted Desert Inn NHL.

Painted Desert Inn Punched Tin Light Fixtur

This large petrified log stretches across a gully created by erosion.

Agate Bridge

Handpainted skylight panels by the CCC  designed by architect Lyle Bennett grace the historic Painted Desert Inn NHL

Petrified Forest National Park

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