Nature & Science

Petrified Forest National Park is located in the greater Painted Desert—they are not two separate parks. While the Painted Desert encompasses about 1500 square miles, the park is over 200,000 acres—and not desert! Actually the main environment is short-grass prairie or intermountain-basin, semi-arid grassland. It is dry here, but there is snow in the winter and rain during the monsoon. Explore the varied species that make their home in this demanding environment.
 
Dark thunderheads above sunset lit badlands.
Petrified Forest Nat'l Wilderness Area

Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area was designated in 1970

A herd of pronghorn look out at the view
Animals

Pronghorn, Pai whiptails, and pygmy-blues, oh my!

Magenta blossom is bigger than the cactus
Plants

From mosses to trees, hundreds of species of plants live in the park.

Eroded towers in Devil's Playground
Environmental Factors

Rain, snow, wind, waves, and sun shape the park’s life and landscapes.

Eroded towers at Devil's Tower
Natural Features & Ecosystems

Explore the park’s ecology and geology.

Catching and studying bats
Research

Scientific research is ongoing at the park.

 
iNaturalist logo with bird
iNaturalist is a great resource and community. Explore and share your observations from the natural world. This site creates a space for keeping track, sharing data, identify organisms, become a citizen scientist, build your knowledge, and join a project. Join at iNaturalist.org. The site works on all your devices.

Last updated: October 12, 2019

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

Petrified Forest National Park
P.O. Box 2217
Attn.:

Petrified Forest, AZ 86028-2217

Phone:

928 524-6228

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