For a national park, Petrified Forest has relatively few hiking trails. They all clock in at under three miles and are rated easy to moderate. This makes Petrified Forest an ideal place for visitors of all abilities to put their hiking boots on.
Hiking Trails
1. Tawa Trail
Difficulty level: Easy
Length: 2.4 miles, out and back. Approx. 1 hour
Location and parking: Trailheads are at the Painted Desert Visitor Center and Tawa Point. Both have plentiful parking.
What to bring: Closed-toed shoes, water bottle, sunscreen, hat, camera
This trail connects the Painted Desert Visitor Center with Tawa Point across wide open grasslands that come alive with color during wildflower season, which is April and May. There’s not a lot to see along the way; ths trail is mostly for motorists who are looking for a break from the road. After you’ve reached Tawa Point, you'll have the option to continue along the Painted Desert Rim Trail to Kachina Point (see info below).
2. Painted Desert Rim Trail
Difficulty level: Easy
Length: 1 mile, out and back. Approx. 25 minutes.
Location and parking: Trailheads are at Tawa Point and Kachina Point. Both have plentiful parking, but Kachina Point’s lot is larger.
We’ll guide you there on our Petrified Forest National Park Tour.
What to bring: Closed-toed shoes, water bottle, sunscreen, hat, camera
Hike along the rim of the mesa and the unobstructed views of the barren but colorful Painted Desert. The unpaved trail remains relatively flat, with some mild up and down as you make your way from Kachina Point to Tawa Point, or vice versa. Placards share contextual information about the geology and nature of the Painted Desert.
3. Blue Mesa Trail
The Blue Mesa / Image from Shutterstock
Difficulty level: Moderate
Length: 1 mile, loop. Approx. 30 minutes.
Location and parking: The trailhead is on the far end of the Blue Mesa Loop Rd. The small pull-off fills up quickly but people park on the side of the road.
We’ll guide you there on our Petrified Forest National Park Tour.
What to bring: Closed-toed shoes, water bottle, sunscreen, hat, camera
Perhaps the most popular trail in Petrified Forest, the Blue Mesa Trail immerses visitors in a strange world of gray, blue, and even purple badlands and a petrified wood deposit within. The trail is paved, and for the first few hundred feet is flat, but the descent into the badlands is steep. The trail at the bottom remains paved and is relatively flat as it circles a section of the mesa. A very otherworldly experience!
4. Crystal Forest Trail
Difficulty level: Easy
Length: 0.75 miles, loop. Approx. 20 minutes.
Location and parking: There is a decent-sized parking lot at the trailhead.
We’ll guide you there on our Petrified Forest National Park Tour.
What to bring: Closed-toed shoes, water bottle, sunscreen, hat, camera
Crystal Forest Trail is one of the most accessible places in the park to observe a petrified wood deposit and the most friendly for wheelchairs and strollers. The trail is paved throughout and mostly flat, though there’s a spot or two with a quick but steep incline. The loop meanders through open desert past the wood for a close-up view of this bizarre geological process.
RELATED: 8 Things to Do in Petrified Forest National Park
5. Giant Logs Trail
Petrified Wood / Image from Shutterstock
Difficulty level: Easy
Length: 0.4 miles, loop. Approx. 15 minutes.
Location and parking: The trailhead is behind the Rainbow Forest Museum, which has plentiful parking.
We’ll guide you there on our Petrified Forest National Park Tour.
What to bring: Closed-toed shoes, water bottle, sunscreen, hat, camera
This mostly unpaved trail takes visitors on a walk past some of the largest pieces of petrified wood in the park. There is some mild elevation change, usually with the help of some stairs, so this trail is not especially wheelchair or stroller friendly.
6. Long Logs/Agate House Trail
Difficulty level: Easy
Length: Combined 2.6 miles, out and back. Approx. 1 hour.
Location and parking: The trailhead is across the bridge from the Rainbow Forest Museum parking lot, which has plentiful parking.
We’ll guide you there on our Petrified Forest National Park Tour.
What to bring: Closed-toed shoes, water bottle, sunscreen, hat, camera
These two trails share the same trailhead and much of the initial hike across open desert until they branch into different directions. Heading to Agate House, a reconstruction of a 700-year-old pueblo of petrified wood, the trail is paved the entire way. Heading to Long Logs, the trail circles another petrified wood deposit with a badlands backdrop. The trail is paved toward the front but is mostly unpaved beyond. There is a concrete shelter accessible by a second paved trail entrance from the Agate House path. Both trails have only minor elevation changes.
Off the Beaten Path Trails
There are two categories of trails in the park. Aside from the ordinary hiking trails that are maintained, marked, or even paved, there are the “off the beaten path” trails that are unmarked excursions into the backcountry. These are as long as 8 miles and require some trailfinding skills. One even requires a permit available on a first come, first served basis. Make sure to ask a ranger for a detailed map with pictures before attempting one of these.
7. Blue Forest Trail
Difficulty level: Moderate
Length: 3 miles, out and back. Approx. 75 minutes
Location and parking: The trailhead is next to the south pull-off for The Tepees, which has limited parking.
We’ll guide you there on our Petrified Forest National Park Tour.
What to bring: Closed-toed shoes, water bottle, sunscreen, hat, camera, trail map
The trail starts easily enough on an old road until it makes its way up the mesa. In some spots, the path is just worn enough to follow without guidance. In others, you will need the pictures in the detailed map for reference. Toward the end of the trail, the path gets narrower, steeper, and higher as it climbs, which may be uncomfortable for those afraid of heights. Wet weather may also create some muddy or slippery spots, especially on the climbs over loose rock. The reward is an incredibly intimate experience in the quiet gray and blue badlands, with nothing but you and the occasional petrified wood.
8. Jasper Forest Trail
Jasper forest / Image from Shutterstock
Difficulty level: Moderate
Length: 2.5 miles, out and back. Approx. 1 hour.
Location and parking: The trailhead is a set of stairs on the right side of the Jasper Forest parking lot, which has plentiful parking.
We’ll guide you there on our Petrified Forest National Park Tour.
What to bring: Closed-toed shoes, water bottle, sunscreen, hat, camera, trail map
Another intimate experience in bizarre terrain, Jasper Forest is easy to explore. Take the stairs from the Jasper Forest parking lot to a reasonably well-worn path down a hill. Once at the bottom, take a left at what’s left of an old road. This takes you past the barren plain of petrified wood sitting underneath the Jasper Forest overlook. Even just getting this far, only about 20 minutes round trip, is worth the effort for the eerie stillness and landscape. To go further, it would be best to have the park’s detailed map with pictures for reference.
RELATED: One-Day Itinerary: Petrified Forest National Park
More Off the Beaten Path Trails
Looking for more adventure on these backcountry hikes? Check out the other Off the Beaten Path trails on nps.gov. Remember to grab a map, and possibly even a permit at the visitor center before you embark!
Leave No Trace
Hiking in Petrified Forest is an experience you won’t find at any other National Park in the country. Please remember to leave each trail the exact way you found it. To do this, pack your trash, wear proper hiking shoes, respect the wildlife you encounter, and leave rocks, plants and of course, petrified wood in the park.
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