My two great loves, National Parks and dogs, rarely overlap.
Most parks only allow dogs on paved roads and parking lots, not on trails, which means that if I want to hike I have to leave poor Juno at home. These rules make total sense to preserve wilderness and protect wildlife, but they’re still inconvenient when we’re traveling full-time in my Subaru.
Thankfully, there’s one magical, prehistoric park that not only allows dogs but embraces them: Petrified Forest National Park in northern Arizona. “Pet” is even in the name!
Juno and I have now been to Petrified Forest six times since 2015, stopping there at least once a year as we traveled between my parents’ house in New Mexico and our then-home in California.
It’s where Juno became a certified National “Bark” Ranger! Yes, that’s a thing there.
Here’s why we love Petrified Forest.
What’s the Petrified Forest, Anyway?
The Petrified Forest doesn’t look like any other “forest” you’ve seen, because the trees fell down hundreds of millions of years ago. Instead, you’ll see a desert spotted with sparkly fallen logs.
When the trees of Petrified Forest were alive, they were part of a tropical forest shading real-life dinosaurs, like the 18-foot long aetosaurus. In fact, Petrified Forest was home to some of the earliest known dinosaurs on the planet — 160 million years older than the first T-Rex!
After the trees fell they were buried by sediment, which protected them from decay. Then, mineral-rich water flowed through the mud, replacing the organic plant material with minerals like silica, pyrite, opal, and quartz. These hard, shiny deposits retained the original shape of the plant material, turning the logs into fossilized or “petrified” trees frozen in time.
Visiting Petrified Forest
Petrified Forest is in northern Arizona, near the town of Holbrook. The exit is right off Interstate 40, making it the perfect half-day stop for anyone on a longer Southwest road trip.
After you arrive and pay the fee ($10 per car, or free with a National Parks Pass), I suggest taking the scenic Petrified Forest Road all the way from one end of the park to the other. It’s about an hour one-way, depending on stops, and will take you through the gorgeous multi-hued scenery of the Painted Desert.
Once a separate National Monument, the Painted Desert became part of Petrified Forest National Park in 1962. Its breathtakingly beautiful rock formations are worth several stops. (I stop at every pullout because I suffer from FOMO – Fear of Missing Overlooks.)
The Bark Ranger Program
If you visit Petrified Forest with your dog, you’re in for a real treat! Literally — they give out dog treats at the entrance station. The treats come with a sticker and Bark Ranger agreement they ask you to sign.
The dog rules are BARK:
Bag your poop
Always wear a leash
Respect wildlife
Know where you can go.
(If they don’t offer you this welcome packet at the entrance station, just ask. Juno was sleeping in the back when we first arrived and the ranger didn’t notice her, so we didn’t get our welcome packet until, after seeing other dogs’ treats, we inquired about it at the Rainbow Forest museum.)
You can even purchase a BARK Ranger badge for your pup at the gift shop (they’re not taxpayer-funded, like the plastic Junior Ranger badges at all National Parks, but are made of a nice metal and could make a cute keepsake.)
The park rangers at Petrified Forest clearly love their “bark” counterparts, as evidenced by all the ear scratches and smiles Juno received during our visit. If you bring your dog, please be sure to follow all of the BARK rules and be courteous of others, so other dog owners can enjoy this privilege for years to come.
Best Dog-Friendly Trails in Petrified Forest
All of the trails in Petrified Forest are dog-friendly, but here are some of the best:
• Big Logs Trail
More of a nature walk than a trail, this gravel path starts right behind the Rainbow Forest Museum and passes the largest logs in the park. If you only have time for a quick walk, make it this one!
• Crystal Forest Trail
This slightly more trail-like 0.8 mile loop is another great way to see petrified logs up close, sparkling in the desert one.
• Blue Mesa Trail
This easy, paved 1-mile loop puts you in the midst of the some of the park’s most iconic scenery. (Less petrified wood, more painted desert.) To get there, you’ll need to detour from the main road onto Blue Mesa Scenic Drive.
• Blue Forest Trail
While Blue Mesa is paved and easy to follow, Blue Forest is more of an adventure — similar scenery with more elevation gain and way fewer people! The trail isn’t always well-marked, so bring an InReach/GPS device and/or map.
Where Are Dogs Allowed in Petrified Forest?
Dogs are allowed almost everywhere, including all trails, picnic areas, roads, and parking lots.
Dogs are not allowed inside any park buildings, unless they’re trained service dogs assisting a person with a disability. (Emotional support animals are not considered service animals and are therefore not allowed indoors.)
If the weather is warm, please do not leave your dog in the car unattended while you explore inside! When we visited in April the weather was in the low 50s and cloudy, so I felt comfortable leaving Juno with the windows cracked while I explored the Rainbow Forest Museum.
Must-See Spots in Petrified Forest
• Viewpoints along Painted Desert Drive (also called Petrified Forest Road)
This 28-mile paved road connects the north and south entrances of the park, with awesome scenery around every bend. Allow at least an hour each way plus time for hikes, stopping at as many viewpoints as you can.
• The Painted Desert Inn
Designed by ahead-of-her-time architect Mary Coulter, this gorgeous pueblo-style building is now home to exhibits and one of my favorite viewpoints in the park.
• The Rainbow Forest Museum
Meet the dinosaurs and other giant beasts who roamed this land 160 million years ago. Plus, an entertaining collection of letters from regretful tourists who stole petrified wood from the park and then experienced terrible bouts of misfortune and guilt.
• Blue Mesa Scenic Drive
This blue-hued mesa, well worth the departure from the main road, is an interesting contrast to the bright reds and pinks of the rest of the park.
• Newspaper Rock
See 600+ Pueblo petroglyphs in one spot from this one-of-a-kind viewpoint.
• Route 66 Studebaker
Imagine the Joad family driving through this very section of the park in this very car, as in Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath.
• Giant Logs
The largest logs in the park are just behind the Rainbow Forest Museum on a short gravel path. It’s a great photo op.
What to Pack for Petrified Forest
For pups, we always bring Juno’s favorite hiking and backpacking gear for dogs, including a collapsible water bowl.
For humans, in addition to the 10 Essentials, I’d recommend a good pair of walking shoes/hiking boots and at least 2L of water per person. The combination of dry desert air and high elevation makes humans and dogs alike thirstier than usual!
Where to Stay Near Petrified Forest
The closest town is Holbrook, Arizona. In addition to traditional hotels, you can stay at the Wigwam Motel there for extra cheesy Route 66 road trip vibes. (While acknowledging that you’re on land stolen from the Zuni and Hopi, two tribes that didn’t live in tipis —like tribes on the Plains did— but in multi-story adobe homes.)
The motel is a series of concrete tipis with beds (even though wigwams and tipis aren’t actually the same thing) and is dog-friendly for a $20 extra fee.
Backpacking in Petrified Forest
The vast wilderness of Petrified Forest makes it the perfect place for backcountry camping. (I haven’t done this yet, but desperately want to!)
You can pick up a free backcountry permit at the Painted Desert Visitor Center or Rainbow Forest Museum on the day of your hike. (No advance reservations accepted.)
There are no established campsites, which means you can camp right inside the mind-boggling striped rocks of the Painted Desert and enjoy the desert stars without neighbors to disturb you.
What Else to do Near Petrified Forest
Other fun northern Arizona attractions include Meteor Crater, Standin’ on the Corner Park in Winslow, Arizona, and the Flagstaff Observatory, where they first discovered Pluto.
Better yet, combine your adventure with a full Southwest road trip! The other three states that comprise the Four Corners — Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico — are all amazing year-round destinations.
Questions about exploring Petrified Forest National Park with your dog? Anything else you’d like to know about planning your trip! Leave a comment and I’ll get back to you ASAP!
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