Petrified Forest Changes to Winter Hours and Programs

Date: October 11, 2009
Contact: Lyn Carranza, 928-524-6228 x245

Petrified Forest, AZ―Park Superintendent Cliff Spencer announces that Petrified Forest National Park will be changing to shorter winter hours on October 25, 2009. The park will open at 8:00 am and close at 5:00 pm Mountain Standard Time (MST) daily. The Painted Desert Visitor Center and the Rainbow Forest Museum hours will be the same as the park hours. The Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Winter hours will continue through the end of February 2010.

Ranger-guided tours are available on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, unless staff is available on other days. Check at the visitor centers for programs.

Painted Desert Inn Tour: 10:00 am—Meet the ranger at the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark. Explore this intriguing historic building with a ranger and discover its fascinating past.

Triassic Park Program: 1:00 pm—How did living trees turn to stone? Discover Triassic treasures with a ranger, which may include a talk in the sunroom and/or an easy walk (with a few short stairs) along the Giant Logs Trail. Meet in the Rainbow Forest Museum sunroom.

Puerco Pueblo Tour: 3:00 pm—Take a journey into the past and discover the ancestral Puebloan people of Petrified Forest. Meet the ranger at the Puerco Pueblo trailhead.

Keep your eyes out! Rangers and volunteers rove the trails to help you explore and respond to your questions.

Please note that ranger programs are subject to cancellation due to weather conditions or staffing issues.

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