Increase in Visitation for 2009 at Petrified Forest National Park

Date: January 8, 2010
Contact: Lyn Carranza, 928-524-6228 x245

Petrified Forest— Park Superintendent Cliff Spencer announced that visitation has increased at Petrified Forest National Park during November 2009, by 6.81% with 30,016 visits compared to last year’s 28,102. December 2009 was down in visitation by 20.31% at 19,898 from over 2008 at 24,970 visits. Total visitation for 2009 is 631,732 visitors, up by 16.16% from 2008.

“The increase in November could be attributed to the unusually warm weather and the proximity to the holiday season. The opposite could be said about the decrease of visitation in December as there were several days that the park was closed at least partially due to severe weather, including days when travel on Interstate 40 was difficult due to snow and ice,” said Spencer. “For the new year of 2010, I invite everyone to take a trip to experience the spectacular cultural and natural wonders in northern Arizona and the rest of the Four Corners region. Places such as Petrified Forest National Park, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, and Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site provide an inexpensive and rewarding form of exploration and discovery for the entire family.”

The park continues on winter visitation hours of operation. The park hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily Mountain Standard Time (MST). Be sure to ask about activities in the park and encourage your children to participate in the Junior Ranger program; booklets are available at the Rainbow Forest Museum, Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark, and the Painted Desert Visitor Center.

For information call [phone], 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. MST; or write to the Superintendent, Petrified Forest National Park, P.O. Box 2217, Petrified Forest, AZ 86028; or e-mail the park Superintendent.