Petrified Forest National ParkHolbrook, Arizona
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Rating |
Excellent |
Age |
5 and up |
Lockers |
Not needed | Restrooms |
At Visitors Center |
Food |
Holbrook |
Closest Coffee |
The swill in the hotel is your best bet. |
Recommendation |
A place like no other. You have to see these amazing fossils. |
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Review: by Mom
This national park has a much lower visitation rate than that of other national parks, particularly when compared to the Grand Canyon. This is a good thing: it's one-of-a-kind, yet fewer people are there to get in your way of enjoying it. the short trail at the visitor's center is a good overview of the park. The drive through the park offers many opportunities for short hikes. Because there are fewer people here, the rangers have more time to answer individual questions. Go as early as possible (park opens at 7 a.m.) to enjoy the desert before the heat becomes unbearable, and the glare diffuses the stunning color of the rocks. It's amazing to think that this dry landscape once supported a lush forest. 
It's also amazing to realize that wood turned to stone here. The amount of petrified logs and shards littering the ground is mind-blowing. Even so, the vast majority of rock that was here when the park was founded has been stolen. Removing petrified wood from the park is strictly prohibited, yet rangers report that thousands of pounds of rock still disappears monthly. You can purchase petrified wood all over the region from people who have obtained it legally—don't be tempted to pocket even one little piece, as this just makes you part of the problem. And check your kids' pockets before leaving.
It's also amazing to realize that wood turned to stone here. The amount of petrified logs and shards littering the ground is mind-blowing. Even so, the vast majority of rock that was here when the park was founded has been stolen. Removing petrified wood from the park is strictly prohibited, yet rangers report that thousands of pounds of rock still disappears monthly. You can purchase petrified wood all over the region from people who have obtained it legally—don't be tempted to pocket even one little piece, as this just makes you part of the problem. And check your kids' pockets before leaving.
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Additional Reviews:
Will: Everywhere you look there are billions of stones that look like shattered, multicolored glass.
Dad: I have wanted to visit this park since I was a kid. If you like rocks or fossils this should be at the top of your list. I do think that it would be kind of boring for kids who are too young to understand the process. I'm sure our boys would not have liked it much until they were 5, so plan accordingly.
Sam: Don't forget to take the drive through the Painted Desert portion of the park. It is an amazing landscape.
