Petrified Forest National Park guide · 2 min read
Backpacking the Petrified Forest Wilderness
The Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area covers more than 50,000 acres of the park and is split into two units, one at the north end and one at the south.
The northern unit lets hikers roam through the reds and oranges of the Painted Desert. Down south, the land has been worn more sharply, and badlands and petrified wood lie across the slopes. The wilderness was among the earliest places in the National Park System to receive this protected designation.
Backpacking is the only way to stay overnight in this wilderness. Roadside spots, RV sites, and simply parking and sleeping in your car are not options here. Instead, you walk in and pitch your tent no closer than half a mile to where you left your vehicle. Groups are capped at eight people, and because the soils and landscape features are fragile, keeping your footprint small matters.
Each vehicle needs a free backpacking wilderness permit before setting out. You can collect one in person at the Painted Desert Inn or the Rainbow Forest Museum on the day you plan to go. Groups with more than one vehicle should get a permit for each.
The Painted Desert Inn sits at Kachina Point, about two miles from the north entrance, and once served travelers on Route 66. The Rainbow Forest Museum, at the south end of the park, has paleontological exhibits. Both are visitor centers, so you can get information before you head out.
Taking little from the land is essential. Removing plants, rocks, petrified wood, fossils, or archaeological objects is against the law anywhere in the park. Follow the Leave No Trace principles from the moment you step away from your car. The terrain changes from the colorful Painted Desert in the north to the worn badlands in the south, and every step on fragile ground counts.
