Planning Your Time

The Petrified Forest is the main attraction for most of Eastern Arizona’s visitors; it’s easy to see the fossils and petroglyphs in just a few hours. Plan to reserve a day for the park and the surrounding Painted Desert. Depending on your preferences, you can add day trips and excursions to nearby towns.

Pinetop-Lakeside, with its wide range of lodging facilities and amenities, might be the best base for your trip. Neighboring area towns, such as Snowflake-Taylor, have memorable motels and B&Bs. If solitude is your goal, consider staying at a lodge surrounded by private forest.