Embark on a self-guided driving tour of Petrified Forest National Park and uncover the timeless beauty of this ancient landscape. Explore trails, discover geological wonders, and learn about the park’s history and fossils.
Embark on a self-guided driving tour of Petrified Forest National Park and uncover the timeless beauty of this ancient landscape. Explore trails, discover geological wonders, and learn about the park’s history and fossils.
- Blue Mesa - Take a quick 10-minute detour to the Blue Mesa Trail. This easy 1-mile loop offers stunning views, making it a favorite stop for many visitors. The trail itself takes approximately 25 minutes to complete.
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Painted Desert Rim Trail - Up next is the Painted Desert Rim Trail, an easy 1-mile hike that also takes about 25 minutes.
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- Blue Mesa - Take a quick 10-minute detour to the Blue Mesa Trail. This easy 1-mile loop offers stunning views, making it a favorite stop for many visitors. The trail itself takes approximately 25 minutes to complete.
- Painted Desert Rim Trail - Up next is the Painted Desert Rim Trail, an easy 1-mile hike that also takes about 25 minutes.
- Painted Desert Inn - Don’t miss the chance to visit the Painted Desert Inn. This historic hotel, dating back to the early 1900s, provides an intriguing look into the region’s early tourism.
- Pintado Point - Pintado Point is just ahead. As the park’s highest overlook, it provides a breathtaking 360-degree view of the Painted Desert badlands. But how were these badlands formed?
- Nizhoni Point - “Nizhoni” means beautiful in Navajo, a fitting name for this first overlook.
- Painted Desert Visitor Center - The tour starts at the Painted Desert Visitor Center at 1 Park Rd. If you’re not there yet, it’s time to head over.
Note: The tour spans over 27 miles, includes more than 32 audio stories, and takes about 2-3 hours to complete.
Purchase once and enjoy for a year! Perfect for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
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U.S. Route 66 - Petrified Forest is the only national park featuring a section of Historic Route 66, a vital piece of Americana.
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Newspaper Rock - This notable feature of the Blue Mesa layer is adorned with rock carvings known as petroglyphs.
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Historic Blue Forest Trailhead - This moderately challenging 2.4-mile roundtrip trail takes about an hour to finish.
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Lacey Point - Lacey Point is just ahead, named after Iowa Congressman John Lacey, who dedicated his congressional career to protecting plants and wildlife.
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Agate Bridge - The “bridge” here is a 110-foot-long petrified log spanning a gully! With each end securely set in sandstone, this petrified log forms a robust natural bridge.
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Jasper Forest - Jasper Forest is a remarkable garden of petrified wood. While the logs aren’t actually jasper, they certainly resemble it!
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Crystal Forest - This easy 15-minute trail showcases intact petrified logs with quartz crystals that glisten in the sunlight.
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Rainbow Forest Museum - Once the centerpiece of the Petrified Forest National Monument, the Rainbow Forest Museum serves as one of the earliest facilities.

- Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
- Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
- Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
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Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
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- Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
- Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
- Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
- Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
- Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
- Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
- Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
- Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!
- Park Passes
- Park Passes
Experience the enduring allure of Petrified Forest National Park with this self-guided driving tour. Travel through a historic landscape where ancient forests have transformed into stone, and colorful desert views extend endlessly. Discover trails that meander through the park, showcasing a land preserved in time and rich with geological marvels. Delve…
Experience the enduring allure of Petrified Forest National Park with this self-guided driving tour. Travel through a historic landscape where ancient forests have transformed into stone, and colorful desert views extend endlessly. Discover trails that meander through the park, showcasing a land preserved in time and rich with geological marvels. Delve into the history of this extraordinary terrain, teeming with prehistoric creatures, early human settlers, and intriguing fossils.
Purchase one tour per vehicle, not per individual. Everyone can explore together!
After booking, check your email or text messages to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio directions and route from the specified starting point.
Buy once, use for a year! Perfect for extended visits and return trips within the next 12 months.
This is not an entrance ticket. Please verify opening hours before your visit.
- How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
- How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
- Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
- Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
- Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
- Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
- Please note that an entrance pass is required to visit Petrified Forest National Park, and it is not included with this tour.
- Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car’s stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
- For the best experience, please use an iPhone running iOS 15 or later, an Android device running version 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular connectivity, as these are recommended for navigation.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.