Painted Desert Visitor Center
Starting at USD 17
Multiple Dates
Painted Desert Visitor Center
1 Park Road, Petrified Forest National Park, United States
Start by downloading the Action Tour Guide app, which will function as your personal tour guide, audio tour, and map. Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! Note: This 28+mile-long tour covers the essentials of Petrified in 2-3 hours.
Once downloaded, your tour begins at the Painted Desert Visitor Center by the park’s north entrance. From there, you'll head to Toponi Point, offering a panoramic view of the Painted Desert's multicolored badlands.
Next is the Painted Desert Inn, a National Historic Landmark. Learn about its storied past, from a 1920s tourist destination to a park museum. Its unique Pueblo Revival style architecture, charming murals, and captivating vistas make it a must-visit.
After that, you'll drive to the Puerco Pueblo, the site of a 100-room pueblo inhabited over 600 years ago. Here, you can also see a solar calendar—a rock slab with petroglyphs that mark the summer solstice.
Then, visit Newspaper Rock, home to over 650 petroglyphs left by Puebloan people centuries ago. Ponder the stories these symbols might tell, providing glimpses into the life and culture of ancient inhabitants.
Continuing on, you'll encounter the Tepees, fascinating formations notable for their layers of vibrant rock. Then, venture on to the Blue Mesa, a place where blue-hued badlands and petrified wood coexist, presenting a visually striking contrast. Learn about the late Triassic environment that created these wonders over 200 million years ago.
After that, explore the Jasper Forest and Crystal Forest, breathtaking trails that provide up-close looks at petrified wood strewn across the landscape.
Finally, you’ll reach Rainbow Forest Museum by the southern entrance of Petrified Forest National Park. The tour concludes here.
After booking, you can check your email before downloading the Action Tour Guide app, enter your unique password, and access your tour. The preceding steps require good internet/wifi access. Simply follow the audio instructions and the route from there.
Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
This is not an entrance ticket to attractions along the route. Check opening hours before your visit.
Points of Interest along the Petrified Forest National Park Driving Tour :
Benefits Over Live Guides and Group Tours:
This is a self-guided tour. It begins outside the Painted Desert Visitor Center. Check your email before you begin driving to download the Action Tour Guide app, enter your unique password, and access your tour. From there, simply follow the audio instructions and the route. If you have any questions, please contact us by call, chat, or email.
Know Before You Go
Also check out other Trips & Adventurous Activities in Petrified Forest Natl Pk, Arts events in Petrified Forest Natl Pk, Literary Art events in Petrified Forest Natl Pk.
Tickets for Petrified Forest: Drive, Listen & Discover – Self-Guided Audio Tour can be booked here.
Ticket type | Ticket price |
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Price Per Vehicle | 17 USD |
We have gathered all the information for you in one convenient spot, but please keep in mind that these are subject to change.We do our best to keep everything updated, but something might be out of sync. For the latest updates, always check the official event details by clicking the "Find Tickets" button.