Did you know you can take a day trip from Flagstaff to Petrified Forest? Flagstaff to Petrified Forest is less than a 2-hour drive, so even though it’ll be a full day of driving and exploring, you can visit this incredibly underrated geological paradise on a day trip from Flagstaff.
One day is the absolute perfect amount of time to spend inside this park. With the short scenic drives and short, easy hiking trails, you can see and do so much with only one day in Petrified Forest National Park.
In this day trip from Flagstaff to Petrified Forest itinerary, I’ll share what to expect along the drive, what to pack, when to go, how to spend one day in Petrified Forest, and more!
Epic Day Trip From Flagstaff to Petrified Forest Itinerary
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Driving From Flagstaff to Petrified Forest
The drive time from Flagstaff to Petrified Forest is roughly 1 hour 45 minutes.
From Flagstaff, hop on I-40 and head east toward Holbrook. Once you reach Holbrook in roughly 90 miles, you’ll have to make a decision: continue on I-40 to get to the North park entrance (Painted Desert) or turn onto Highway 180 to get to the South park entrance (Rainbow Forest). Both routes are roughly the same distance, so for the sake of this day trip itinerary, I’m going to recommend that you start at the South entrance.
So after turning left onto Highway 180, continue driving for about 17 miles. Turn left at the park entrance. Soon, you’ll approach the entrance station. Show the ranger your America the Beautiful Pass to get in for free; otherwise, you’ll have to pay a $25/vehicle fee to enter the park.
Fuel options are limited between Flagstaff and Petrified Forest. I’d recommend filling your tank before you leave Flagstaff. For emergencies, fill up in Winslow or Holbrook.
What to Bring on Your Day Trip From Flagstaff to Petrified Forest
These are some handy things to have for your day trip to Petrified Forest National Park!
- America the Beautiful Pass – Otherwise you’ll have to pay $25 to enter the park!
- 10 Essentials for Hiking – Read my full blog post on the 10 hiking essentials
- Sturdy shoes or hiking boots – For the trails
- Daypack – To store all of your essentials
- Camera – You’ll want to capture stunning photos of the badlands!
- Sun hoodie and sun hat – The desert sun is brutal!
- Binoculars – To admire the landscapes up close
- Water, snacks, and a packed lunch – Only limited snacks are available in the park
When to Visit Petrified Forest
The best time of year to visit Petrified Forest is in the spring and fall. We visited in October, and it was perfect! Ideal weather and no crowds.
Petrified Forest One Day Itinerary
Since there are no overnight accommodations inside Petrified Forest (aside from backcountry camping in designated areas), it makes sense that you want to make Flagstaff your home base and just spend one day in Petrified Forest.
I’m going to help make that possible for you by sharing my ultimate one-day Flagstaff to Petrified Forest itinerary!
Rainbow Forest Museum and Giant Logs Trail
Entering the park from the South, your first stop will be the Rainbow Forest Museum. Here you can stamp your passport book, ask a ranger any questions you might have, fill up your water bottles, use the restroom, browse the gift shops (only limited snacks are available), and snag a park and/or trail map.
Depending on the time you arrive, you might want to have a picnic lunch before diving into the hiking trails. Conveniently, there is a picnic area here at the visitor center where you can enjoy a packed lunch. Since there are only limited snacks available for purchase at the visitor centers, I’d recommend bringing your lunch into the park – whether that’s something you packed or purchased before arriving.
Before or after lunch, I’d recommend hiking at least one of the trails that branch off the Rainbow Forest Museum! If you are short on time and/or only want to hike one trail, I’d hike the Giant Logs Trail. You’ll get to see some of the largest and most colorful logs in the park in a simple 0.4-mile loop!
If you have extra time, there are two other trails here. They are a little longer but are definitely worth hiking. The Long Logs trail has the highest concentration of petrified wood in the entire park, and the Agate House trail boasts archeological artifacts.
Crystal Forest
Once you’ve conquered the Rainbow Forest Museum and its surrounding trails, it’s time to hop back in your car and continue north on Petrified Forest Road. The next stop is in just 6 miles: Crystal Forest!
It’s just as magical as it sounds. And honestly? It’s one of the best hikes in Petrified Forest National Park. You absolutely cannot miss it!
The Crystal Forest Trail is a paved 0.75-mile loop that showcases an abundance of these beautiful, crystalized petrified logs. While these ancient logs are the main reason most folks hike through the Crystal Forest, don’t discount the insane views of the surrounding colorful badlands that are available from the loop!
Jasper Forest
Next up on this itinerary is Jasper Forest! Jasper Forest is a stunning overlook that is located on a spur road off the main scenic drive, just 2 miles north of Crystal Forest.
This swath of land contains one of the most impressive concentrations of petrified wood in the park. The crystalized badlands resemble formations that look like they belong on the planet Mars. It’s such a cool sight to see!
Agate Bridge
Next, turn back onto Petrified Forest Road and keep heading north. You’ll come to the next waypoint in just a half-mile: the Agate Bridge. It’s located down a short spur road.
The Agate Bridge is a unique natural bridge. What makes it unique is that it’s not an ordinary rock bridge that you might see in many other places in the country; it’s a petrified log bridge! The petrified log spans a gully at the Agate Mesa, extending about 100 feet (40 feet across the chasm).
IMPORTANT: Do NOT cross the bridge! It’s extremely delicate.
Blue Mesa
In my opinion, Blue Mesa, the next stop on this itinerary, is the best hike in Petrified Forest National Park! If you only do one hike, make it this one. After all, a trip to Petrified Forest isn’t complete without a stroll through the colorful hills of Blue Mesa.
To get there, you’ll turn back onto Petrified Forest Road. In about 2 miles, you’ll turn right to drive my favorite spur road in the park: Blue Mesa Scenic Road.
The 5-mile looped scenic drive is 100% worth driving, even if you don’t get out and hike. The drive itself is incredibly scenic and one of the best stretches of road in the entire park. And there is even an overlook (accessible by vehicle) from above the Blue Mesa if you’re not inclined to descend the steep path.
But if you’re physically able, I’d encourage you to hike the Blue Mesa Trail, located along this scenic road. As I said before, it is the best hike in the entire park! You don’t want to miss this.
Get ready to descend from the mesa down to the canyon floor on this 1-mile looped trail. The alternately paved and gravel trail winds through all of the blue, purple, peach, and gray banded badlands. You’ll feel like you’re on a different planet as you gaze at the colorful mounds surrounding you on all sides.
Newspaper Rock
Next on this itinerary is something I’d recommend seeing, especially if you’re into archeology and petroglyphs: Newspaper Rock. Even if you’re not super into this kind of thing, it’s still neat to observe.
At this archeological site, which is just about 3.5 miles down the road from Blue Mesa Scenic Road and off a short spur road, you’ll find over 650 petroglyphs etched into the rock faces. Such a high concentration of petroglyphs like this indicates that this was a very special and significant area. I wish we could decipher the carvings!
Puerco Pueblo
Next on this itinerary is Puerco Pueblo, the only ancestral Puebloan village that is easily accessible to the public.
This historical site is just about a half-mile down the road from Newspaper Rock. Once you get to the parking area, you can take the 0.3-mile looped trail around the site to observe the ruins and petroglyphs and imagine what once was. There are restrooms here as well.
Route 66
An American road trip just isn’t complete without a journey down Route 66! Traveling from Chicago to Los Angeles, this historic road symbolizes all that is great about America – the small towns, local cuisine, mom-and-pop shops, and all of the adventure, opportunity, and discovery possibilities.
Stop by this pull-off to see an old car that remains on the old Route 66. This pull-off is just after the I-40 intersection, about 6 miles past Puerco Pueblo.
Lacey, Whipple, Nizhoni and Pintado Points
After Route 66, you’ll come to four very quick pitstops with epic viewpoints. You can choose to stop at one or all four, or just drive by and admire the landscape from the air-conditioned car. Up to you!
The views from Lacey, Whipple, Nizhoni, and Pintado Points are spectacular, and it’s worth getting out for at least one or two of them. As you approach these viewpoints, the landscape shifts from white, blue, and brown hills to vibrant hills in varying shades of pink and red. You’ll be treated to amazing views of the Painted Desert, black volcanic rock, and deep canyons and buttes that resemble Canyonlands National Park.
Painted Desert Inn
As you approach the Painted Desert Inn, the next stop on this itinerary, you’ll know that your day trip is about to come to a close.
The Painted Desert Inn is a historic inn that used to serve as a rest stop for travelers driving on Route 66. Today, you can walk through the inn and grab ice cream, use the restroom, and browse the gift shop.
If you’re sad that your day trip is about to end, and you have the time, I’d recommend hiking the Painted Desert Rim Trail, which can be accessed here at the Painted Desert Inn.
This 1-mile out & back trail travels across the edge of the Painted Desert rim. From Kachina Point to Tawa Point, you get incredible, uninterrupted views of the pink hills! I loved that this trail was unpaved, which was unlike many of the other frontcountry trails in the park. I felt like I was really getting immersed in the park!
Painted Desert Visitor Center
The last stop on this Petrified Forest day trip itinerary is the Painted Desert Visitor Center, which sits at the north end of the park. Here you will find visitor information, maps, passport stamps, a bookstore, a restaurant, restrooms, a gas station, and more!
If you’re in the mood to stretch your legs one more time before heading back to Flagstaff, I’d recommend hiking all or part of the Tawa Trail! This 2.4-mile roundtrip trail starts at the visitor center and provides spectacular views of the rolling pink and red hills of the Painted Desert.
Do NOT visit Petrified Forest before reading THIS guide >>> 6 Keys Things to Know Before Visiting Petrified Forest
Where to Eat in Petrified Forest
There are no restaurants inside Petrified Forest. While you can find limited snacks near the Painted Desert Visitor Center and Rainbow Forest Museum, I’d recommend packing or bringing your lunch into the park if you can.
If you want to grab a bite in Holbrook before making your way back to Flagstaff, here are some restaurant recommendations:
- Bienvenidos
- Studio 66 Cafe
- Mr. Maestas
Where to Stay in Flagstaff
From campgrounds and hotels to glamping and cabins, here are some of my recommendations for where to stay in Flagstaff.
- Little America – cozy hotel nestled in a pine forest
- High Country Motor Lodge – modern mountain retreat with private saunas, an oversized pool and hot tub, a general store, and movie nights and live music on the lawn
- Pine Grove Campground – RV & tent camping in Coconino National Forest
- Village Camp Flagstaff – cabin & RV resort with clubhouse, mountain-view pool, hot tub, bar, general store, and event lawn
- Backland Glamping – luxurious tent suites with access to a glass-walled restaurant and nightly campfires with s’mores – about 45 minutes from Flagstaff
Here are some other day trips from Flagstaff that are worth considering!
Flagstaff to Petrified Forest Road Trip FAQs
How Far is Petrified Forest From Flagstaff?
The distance from Flagstaff to Petrified Forest is about 1 hour 45 minutes.
Is It Realistic to See Petrified Forest In One Day From Flagstaff?
Absolutely! At around 3.5 hours of driving roundtrip, you could spend anywhere from an hour driving the main scenic road to a full day of hiking the trails, cruising the scenic drives, stopping by the viewpoints, and perusing the visitor centers.
Flagstaff to Petrified Forest Sample Itinerary
- 9:00 AM – Leave Flagstaff
- 11:00 AM – Explore Rainbow Forest Museum + Hike Giant Logs Trail
- 12:00 PM: Lunch
- 12:30 PM – Crystal Forest
- 1:30 PM – Quick Stops at Jasper Forest + Agate Bridge
- 2:00 PM – Blue Mesa
- 3:30 PM – Quick Stops at Newspaper Rock, Puerco Pueblo, Route 66, and 4 Overlooks
- 4:00 PM – Painted Desert Inn + Visitor Center (+ Optional Rim Hike)
- 6:00 PM – Dinner in Holbrook
- 7:00 PM – Drive Back to Flagstaff
Tailor the itinerary to fit your schedule! You can leave Flagstaff earlier or later, you can hike more or less of the trails, you can bring your own meals to maximize time, etc.
Is There a Tour I Can Take From Flagstaff to Petrified Forest?
No. If you’re looking to take a tour from Flagstaff, these are my recommendations:
Finish Planning Your Trip to Petrified Forest
Make your trip stress-free with the help of my Petrified Forest National Park guides!
- 6 Key Things to Know Before Visiting Petrified Forest
- Is Petrified Forest Worth Visiting? Yes! Here’s Why
- Blue Mesa Trail Guide
- 5 Best Hikes in Petrified Forest National Park
- One Perfect Day in Petrified Forest: Complete Travel Itinerary
Discover Your Next Adventure
Where to next? I’ve got some suggestions!
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Antelope Canyon
- Saguaro National Park
- Horseshoe Bend
- Joshua Tree National Park
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