Petrified Forest National Park guide · 1 min read
Driving the 28-Mile Road North to South
A 28-mile park road links the north and south entrances, so a single drive covers the full length of Petrified Forest National Park.
Westbound travelers on Interstate 40 can enter at the north end by taking Exit 311. Driving straight through takes about an hour, but plan on three to four hours to make stops along the way.
Heading south from the north entrance puts the Painted Desert first, since the northern end of the park extends into that colorful landscape. Begin with the Painted Desert viewpoints near the entrance. Choosing a handful of overlooks works better than trying to visit every one, since the scenery can start to feel repetitive. The Painted Desert Inn, about two miles past the north entrance station, serves as a temporary visitor center.
Between the two ends, travelers pass rugged, eroded badlands, pueblo sites from long ago, and petroglyphs, and a few brief trails lead off the road. The drive wraps up in the southern half, where petrified wood is plentiful, at the Rainbow Forest petrified wood sites, which rank among the park's top spots for petrified wood.
The park is not open around the clock. Arriving before the gates open or after they close means you will not be able to enter, so plan your day accordingly. When you reach the south entrance off Highway 180, travel 19 miles north on the highway through Holbrook to return to Interstate 40.
