Start at the Painted desert visitor center and see the short video. Views of the painted desert,tepees, are stunning. The desert inn building was very nice. The are restrooms everywhere. Bring plenty of water,sunscreen, and camera. There is a small store and gas station at painted desert entrance. The petrified wood was like a kaleidoscope of colors. There are several... More

We started out on the North side of the park and moved South. I would recommend this route rather than the other way around because from north to south, the attractions just get better and better. If you go south to north, you see all the good stuff first and you may get a little bored by the end of... More

This was one of those you need to see once in your lifetime. Its amazing how once logs turned into such beautiful colored logs. The park rangers were there and answered any questions you asked. They had a small Petrified Forest?Painted Desert gift shop, but there were other gift stores at the visitor center and before entering the park. Allow... More

This was my favorite bit of my entire US trip. It was THAT good! The geology and the landscapes are mesmerizing. We spent about 2 hours here but I could have spent an entire day. When you pull off the highway you'll see all the big signs indicating you've arrived, and there's a few attractions and a gift shop and... More

We traveled from the South through the Petrified Forest first, stopping at a souvenir shop just before entering the park, and we were just amazed at how in the middle of the desert the trees could have turned into "rocks" !! Then heading North, we magically transported into the colorful wonderment of the Painted Desert. There is not a piece... More

mother earths own canvas. :) need i say more...you can see the transitions of the colors and to know its all from thousands of years back. its like watching each thousand years paint a line in the desert.

Beautiful, if stark, views including plains and buttes from the hilltop in the Rainbow Forest to the Painted Desert to the Painted Desert; the smaller scale beauty of the petrified trees in the Rainbow Forest; the chance to learn about how the area went from wetlands to desert, how petrified wood formed and what dinosaurs once roamed the area; and... More

The wonders of the earth exposed for you to see in its natural state. I recommend that you watch the videos at the visitors centers before so you get a better understanding of what you're seeing and how it developed. The Painted Desert is great to see, lots of color bands showing different layers and how much area is covered.... More

Pictures did not do it justice. The geology is amazing, but I prefer not to think about "how" it got there, just that it did. It was startling to learn that the trees are petrified ----in the middle of a desert-----because Arizona was once a swamp. They give a tour every morning at 11 AM; I am only sorry that... More