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Total visits
 Painted Desert Blue Mesa Crystal Forest
Petrified Forest National Park Visits :
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Our original plan did not include this park. We were supposed to reach Sedona early and enjoyed the night. However.. the driver (that's me) insisted that we should visit this park. Thus extra 250 miles were added to our journey.

Turned out that this was a very special (and beautiful) place. The buauty of painted desert and the cross-section of petrified wood is beyond description. I was surprised because I didn't get much information about this park. Like the same regrets I had for most of the parks, I wished I had more time here.
Location: Arizona, USA South West

   : City   : National Park   : National Monument / Miscellaneous

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Park Summary
Park Rating
Overall
Rating : 4.13  (8 votes)
Convenience
Rating : 3.75  (8 votes)
Physical Demand
Rating : 1.88  (8 votes)
Family Activity
Rating : 4  (8 votes)
What does the rating mean ?I want to rate for this park
Park Geography

Nearby City(Definition of Driving Distance and Time)
City, StateDistanceDrive Time
Albuquerque, NM230 miles3:25
Phoenix, AZ271 miles4:07
Las Vegas, NV340 miles5:19
Salt Lake City, UT591 miles10:44
Denver, CO678 miles9:23
Nearby National Park(Definition of Driving Distance and Time)
National ParkDistanceDrive Time
Grand Canyon212 miles3:44
Aztec Ruins229 miles5:06
Saguaro238 miles5:11
Natural Bridges247 miles4:15
Mesa Verde259 miles4:18
Arches322 miles5:35
Zion331 miles5:45
Canyonlands352 miles6:05
Bryce356 miles6:48
White Sands385 miles7:20
Black Canyon Gunnison394 miles7:53
Capitol Reef398 miles7:38
Colorado418 miles7:04
Joshua Tree420 miles6:59
Great Sand Dunes445 miles7:31
Dinosaur505 miles9:05
Great Basin507 miles10:06
Death Valley514 miles9:47
Capulin Volcano523 miles7:29
Carlsbad Caverns546 miles8:56
Florissant Fossil Beds546 miles11:38
Guadalupe Mountains596 miles9:56
Channel Islands616 miles8:18
Sequoia Kings Canyon636 miles11:01
Fossil Butte676 miles12:12
Rocky Mountain712 miles12:53
Yosemite716 miles12:32
Big Bend802 miles12:59
Grand Teton817 miles16:29
Yellowstone901 miles16:06
Wind Cave1016 miles17:15
Lassen Volcanic1022 miles16:27
Jewel Cave1032 miles17:33
Mt Rushmore1055 miles18:10
Devils Tower1058 miles19:05
Badlands1134 miles18:09
Hot Springs1161 miles16:02
Crater Lake1182 miles17:48
Glacier1270 miles21:54
Mount Rainier1300 miles21:07
National Park Service Website
http://www.nps.gov/pefo
Weather Forecast
Monthly AverageJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Temperature (ºF)343944526170767467564334
High Temperature (ºF)47.454.260.969.978.78992.289.283.572.458.548.3
Low Temperature (ºF)2124.528.935.443.352.260.259524028.521.3
Precipitation (inches)0.50.50.70.40.40.31.41.71.210.70.7
Snowfall (inches)2.21.41.10.50000001.22.7
Activity Suggestion
This park is too far away from other National Parks or major cities, thus makes it difficult to reach. If you do come, you probably want to spend a full day here and take some trails to have close look at the painted desert and petrified wood.

There are a lot of lodging options along I-40. We can't say how good they are though they looked economic.

With dinosaur fossils, petrified wood, ancient Pueblo ruins and rock painting, blue mesa and literally painted desert, this small park is nicely packed for the whole family to enjoy.

Don't try to collect petrified wood in the park. They are very serious about the offence. There are gift shops outside the park selling legally collected petrified wood. They are far from cheap but surely are most beautiful gifts.
Discussion Area - Petrified Forest
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