The
Petrified Forest National Park is really two parks in one, the
Painted Desert at the North end and the Rainbow Forest at the
South end. The park covers over 93,533 acres and consists of six
separate "forests" That took over 200 million years to
form. There are excellent loop hikes in order to explore the
many fascinating sights of natural log bridges, crystals and
logs along with the many colors of the layered rocks and hills
of the Painted Desert. Fossilized bones of "Gertie," a
small ancestor of the huge tyrannosaurus were discovered near
Chinde Point, among the fallen trees of the Petrified Forest.
At the time of the
discovery, in 1985, the bones were the most ancient known to
science, at some 225 million years old. Since
her discovery, Gertie tentatively has been identified as a
Staurikosaur. These meat-eating creatures were small; just 7 to
8 feet long, and about 150 pounds. Following
studies by paleontologists, Gertie's fossilized bones will be
displayed at Petrified Forest.
Visitors
to the Petrified Forest National Park may gaze across the
landscape where remains of Triassic swamplands, marshes, rivers,
lakes, and ponds are preserved in the colorful layers of rock.
Short trails take the visitors through the "stone
forest" where they can see sparkling crystals that make up
the petrified wood. Mild fall days make hiking in the park very
enjoyable. Located 25 miles east of Holbrook, Arizona on
Interstate 40, the Petrified Forest is open daily 8:00 a.m. to
6:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. The Rainbow Forest Museum and
the Painted Desert Visitor Center is open 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
and the Painted Desert Inn Natural Historic Landmark is open
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A 20 minute movie is shown every-hour at
the painted Desert Center Visitor Center. Exhibits may be viewed
at each visitor facility and park personnel are available to
answer questions. Ranger programs will be presented daily
throughout the spring. Check at the Painted Desert Visitor
Center and Rainbow Forest Museum for scheduled programs.
Admission
Rates Rangers
are available to assist you at the visitor centers, entrance
stations, and on patrol! The
park entrance fee is $10.00 per car, or $5.00 for bicycles, walk
in and motorcycles with one rider, which allows entry to
Petrified Forest National Park for a period of seven (7) days.
The annual Park
Pass may be purchased at the entrance stations for $25.00. This
pass allows the cardholder and anyone in the vehicle, free
entrance into Petrified Forest National Park for a period of one
year. The Golden Eagle, Golden Age and Golden Access Passports
are available and honored here.
The
Petrified Forest National Park is really two parks in one, the
Painted Desert at the North end and the Rainbow Forest at the
South end. The park covers over 93,533 acres and consists of six
separate "forests" That took over 200 million years to
form. There are excellent loop hikes in order to explore the
many fascinating sights of natural log bridges, crystals and
logs along with the many colors of the layered rocks and hills
of the Painted Desert. Fossilized bones of "Gertie," a
small ancestor of the huge tyrannosaurus were discovered near
Chinde Point, among the fallen trees of the Petrified Forest.
At the time of the
discovery, in 1985, the bones were the most ancient known to
science, at some 225 million years old. Since
her discovery, Gertie tentatively has been identified as a
Staurikosaur. These meat-eating creatures were small; just 7 to
8 feet long, and about 150 pounds. Following
studies by paleontologists, Gertie's fossilized bones will be
displayed at Petrified Forest.
Visitors
to the Petrified Forest National Park may gaze across the
landscape where remains of Triassic swamplands, marshes, rivers,
lakes, and ponds are preserved in the colorful layers of rock.
Short trails take the visitors through the "stone
forest" where they can see sparkling crystals that make up
the petrified wood. Mild fall days make hiking in the park very
enjoyable. Located 25 miles east of Holbrook, Arizona on
Interstate 40, the Petrified Forest is open daily 8:00 a.m. to
6:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. The Rainbow Forest Museum and
the Painted Desert Visitor Center is open 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
and the Painted Desert Inn Natural Historic Landmark is open
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A 20 minute movie is shown every-hour at
the painted Desert Center Visitor Center. Exhibits may be viewed
at each visitor facility and park personnel are available to
answer questions. Ranger programs will be presented daily
throughout the spring. Check at the Painted Desert Visitor
Center and Rainbow Forest Museum for scheduled programs.
Admission
Rates Rangers
are available to assist you at the visitor centers, entrance
stations, and on patrol! The
park entrance fee is $10.00 per car, or $5.00 for bicycles, walk
in and motorcycles with one rider, which allows entry to
Petrified Forest National Park for a period of seven (7) days.