Petrified Forrest/Painted Desert
 

How far are these from Sedona? Are they worth the trip?

I'd strongly recommend Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelly instead. They're roughly the same distance from Sedona as the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert and are much more interesting!

Howard is right on target! Definitely skip Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. You will never see anything like Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelly...stay at Goulding's Lodge at MV and take the three hour tour from the lodge and stay at Thunderbird Lodge at CDC and take the tour right from the lodge...it will make a perfect trip, combined with Sedona.

Karen is also right on target. When you stay at Goulding's Lodge, make sure you get up before dawn and watch the sun coming up over Monument Valley....truly a thrilling sight!

As you drive toward Monument Valley, you will see the Painted Dessert on the horizon. In my humble opinion, that's as much as you need. Monument Valley is incredible and a must see, as is Canyon de Chelley. Except for being able to say that I have been to Petrified Forest, I saw no value in the trip. Never in my life did I dream that anything called a forest would actually be a desert! The redeeming value of the drive through the park is that it doesn't take an incredibly long time.

While I wouldn't drive a long way out of my way for it, I thought the petrified forest was rather interesting. I knew it was going to be petrified trees in the desert, not a living forest. I thought it unique and interesting if you have any interest in science and nature. The painted desert is not nearly as dramatic as the areas mentioned or Sedona.

Check out the movie "Petrified Forest" starring Leslie Howard, Bette Davis and a very young Humphrey Bogart. Gives you a good feel for the area and is a great movie. I think it was from the early 1930's.