Field Trip Kit Zoo, aquarium, museum & park days

National Park · Holbrook, AZ

🪨 Petrified Forest National Park

Petrified Forest — painted desert views and short fossil wood loops.

Petrified Forest National Park park day
  • Timehalf day
  • SettingSun and wind; stay on trails (fossils protected).
  • TicketsEntrance pass; park hours are daytime-only (gates close).
  • Get thereI-40 near Holbrook; drive-through park.

Local shortlist · confirm on arrival · 2026-08

Who
Time
Style

No printer? Open the sheet on your phone, or print later. Classic · Bonus · Alpha (extra-hard cool finds).

Talk cards Find on map

Park map Visitor map Map: NPS public domain (via NPMaps) · tap to enlarge Open on official site ↗

Short on time? Start here

Do these 3 in order if you can — enough for a short visit. Tap a stop for talk tips & photos. Create and print your mission is above.

🏛️ Painted Desert or Rainbow Forest visitor center Maps, restrooms, questions — start here. 🌄 Painted Desert overlook One big view — stay behind rails. 🪨 Petrified log fields Don’t pocket fossils — look only.

More if you have energy

More stops if you have the energy.

Short loop trail sign — shortlist photo

🥾 Short loop trail sign

Read distance and rules before you go.

 Petrified Forest Junior Ranger desk — shortlist photo

🎖️ Petrified Forest Junior Ranger desk

Ask at the visitor center — hours and ages vary.

 Badland color bands — shortlist photo

🏞️ Badland color bands

Layers of rock from a safe rail.

 Painted desert flats — shortlist photo

🌾 Painted desert flats

Worth a look if you have time.

 Scenic drive short loops boardwalk or path — shortlist photo

🪵 Scenic drive short loops boardwalk or path

Worth a look if you have time.

  • 🥾 Short loop trail sign — Read distance and rules before you go.
  • 🎖️ Petrified Forest Junior Ranger desk — Ask at the visitor center — hours and ages vary.
  • 🏞️ Badland color bands — Layers of rock from a safe rail.
  • 🌾 Painted desert flats — Worth a look if you have time.
  • 🪵 Scenic drive short loops boardwalk or path — Worth a look if you have time.

What the sheet may include

Print from the button at the top of this page. No app at the venue.

Example finds
  1. Find: Painted Desert or Rainbow Forest visitor center
  2. Visit: Painted Desert overlook
  3. Read a sign at Petrified Forest
  4. Stand still 10 seconds — what do you hear?
  5. Find something tiny next to something huge
  6. Point to a safe edge (rail, boardwalk, stay-back)
  7. Spot water, rock, or a living thing
  8. Pick your favorite Petrified Forest stop — draw it later

Official site: Petrified Forest National Park website. Always check hours and tickets before you go.