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Painted Desert, Petrified Forest National Park

4.5
#1 of 17 in Things to do in Petrified Forest National Park
Desert Nature / Park Must See
Like a striking canvas, the Painted Desert builds layer upon layer of color on hills made of siltstone, mudstone, and shale. The resulting view highlights the region's name, alternating oranges, white, reds, and pinks. This badlands area was formed of volcanic rock and limestone revealed by erosion over the years. Drive through the region along a paved road that stretches over plateaus on Navajo land with many lookout points. Choose to start, finish, or center your holiday on a trip to Painted Desert by using our Petrified Forest National Park online vacation planner.
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Tours To Painted Desert

3-Day National Parks Camping Tour: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley and Grand Canyon from Las Vegas BOOK WITH VIATOR FROM $495
5.0
10 reviews
Duration: 3 days
Buy tours from $495
Grand Canyon South Rim Day Trip from Las Vegas with Optional Helicopter Tour BOOK WITH VIATOR FROM $249
5.0
10 reviews
Duration: 12 hours 30 minutes
Buy tours from $249
45-minute Helicopter Flight Over the Grand Canyon from Tusayan, Arizona BOOK WITH VIATOR FROM $299
5.0
10 reviews
Duration: 45 minutes
Buy tours from $299

Painted Desert Reviews

Rate this attraction
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 4.5
2,428 reviews
Google
4.3
TripAdvisor
  • By Chuck2010
    We entered the park off I-40 beyond Holbrook, AZ ... The park road just beyond Blue Mesa is closed due to construction. You can see the first 16 miles before needing to turn around and head back...  more »
  • By KayteeHC
    Wow. Amazing colors, despite the rainy day we visited. Have to see the colors to believe it. Beautiful park.  more »
  • By Colin A
    I have seen many great pictures of the Painted Desert, but what I have found over the years is that the colors greatly vary by time of day (best time is Sunrise and Sunset) or weather conditions...  more »
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Google
  • By Ramona Lanning
    The most beautiful place I've ever seen it was worth the trip
  • By Chris Cage
    A MUST SEE! Drive the entire park road and stop at every pull off. The scenery changes at every one, and all the park employees are amazing.
  • By Vladimir Balaz
    A fascinating landscape, kind of. Not as dramatic as Grand Canyon or Yellowstone. But it has its own beauty. Quiet, melancholic. You look at all this red, white and sometimes green colours and see a vast never ending plain full of melancholic poetry.
  • By Brian Marsh
    So the actual park is great! But this is the wrong location. The real Painted Desert is in Petrified Forest National Park (North of I-40). Unfortunately, it appears that this location was added incorrectly. Go to the Petrified Forest North Entrance and drive through to see this attraction. It's well worth it!
  • By Randy Huggins
    Love it well worth seeing every body there was so nice !
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Popular things to do in Petrified Forest National Park

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Blue Mesa
4.9
Duration: 2 hours
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Crystal Forest Trail
4.8
Duration: 2 hours
Rainbow Forest
4.5
Duration: 2 hours
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Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument
4.2
Duration: 2 hours

Hidden gems in Petrified Forest National Park

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Rainbow Forest Museum
4.7
Duration: 1h 30 min
Long Logs Loop
4.9
Duration: 2 hours
Devil's Playground
4.7
Duration: 2 hours
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Agate House
4.6
Duration: 2 hours

Side trips from Petrified Forest National Park

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Taawa Park Hopi Reservation
Kykotsmovi Village
4.4
Duration: 2 hours
Walpi Village
Polacca
5.0
Duration: 1h 30 min
Experience Hopi
Second Mesa
4.3
Duration: 2 hours
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Meteor City Trading Post
Sanders
2.0
Duration: 2 hours

Nature in Petrified Forest National Park

Jasper Forest Overlook
4.5
Duration: 1h 30 min
Black Forest
3.9
Duration: 2 hours

Wildlife in Petrified Forest National Park

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Giant Logs
4.6
Duration: 2 hours

Historic Sites in Petrified Forest National Park

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Puerco Pueblo
4.4
Duration: 2 hours
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Plans to Painted Desert by other users

36 days in United States BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES June, slow & easy, popular sights Preferences: June Attraction style: Popular sights Pace: Slow & easy 7 days in United States BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES July, teens, culture, outdoors, relaxing, beaches, museums, wildlife, popular & hidden gems Preferences: July, teens, culture, outdoors, relaxing, beaches, museums, wildlife Attraction style: Popular & hidden gems Pace: Medium 31 days in United States BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES August, outdoors, historic sites, wildlife, popular & hidden gems Preferences: August, outdoors, historic sites, wildlife Attraction style: Popular & hidden gems Pace: Medium 31 days in Arizona BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES July, teens, popular sights Preferences: July, teens Attraction style: Popular sights Pace: Medium 19 days in Arizona BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES July, teens, popular sights Preferences: July, teens Attraction style: Popular sights Pace: Medium 9 days in United States BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES June, popular sights Preferences: June Attraction style: Popular sights Pace: Medium 41 days in Arizona BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES June, popular sights Preferences: June Attraction style: Popular sights Pace: Medium 25 days in United States BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES June, culture, outdoors, historic sites, museums, wildlife, popular sights Preferences: June, culture, outdoors, historic sites, museums, wildlife Attraction style: Popular sights Pace: Medium 15 days in United States BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES June, popular sights Preferences: June Attraction style: Popular sights Pace: Medium 10 days in Arizona BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES October, kids, culture, outdoors, relaxing, historic sites, wildlife, popular sights Preferences: October, kids, culture, outdoors, relaxing, historic sites, wildlife Attraction style: Popular sights Pace: Medium 30 days in United States BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES May, teens, kids, popular sights Preferences: May, teens, kids Attraction style: Popular sights Pace: Medium 30 days in United States BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES May, teens, kids, popular sights Preferences: May, teens, kids Attraction style: Popular sights Pace: Medium
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