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Guided Tours

Off the Beaten Path Jasper Forest Hike

Heather Sakuri

Guided Activities

Special programs will be offered throughout the year! Check the searchable Calendar, as well as our social media pages.

Ranger Guided Programs are available seasonally and as staffing allows, but our staff is always roving the park. Keep an eye out for roving rangers in popular areas like Puerco Pueblo, Crystal Forest, and Giant Logs for on-the-spot information.

 

September Programs and Events

Wednesday September 13—Sun Sep 17, 10am–8pm each day
Navajo County Fair
Fairgrounds at Holbrook, AZ
Look for the Petrified Forest National Park booth at the Navajo County Fair! Rangers will be on hand to introduce visitors to what makes the park so special.

Saturday September 16
Pedal the Petrified
Throughout the park along the park road
This program is offered by Northland Pioneer College and an additional fee is required; see http://www.npc.edu/pedal4scholarships for additional information. Ride a metric century (100 km) or half century (50 km) through Petrified Forest National Park to raise scholarship money for Northland Pioneer College.

Saturday September 30, all day
Fee-free day
Throughout the park
Celebrate Public Lands Day with free entry into Petrified Forest National Park (and all other National Parks throughout the country). Enjoy the gift of your public lands!

Petrified Forest Field Institute Programs
The programs below are offered by Petrified Forest Field Institute and an additional fee is required; see http://www.petrifiedforestfieldinstitute.org/ for additional information.

Saturday September 9 2pm–6pm
Gary Ladd Photo Workshop
Contact Petrified Forest Field Institute
Join photographer Gary Ladd on a photographic exploration of Petrified Forest National Park. We will discuss the use of cloud light, late afternoon light, foregrounds and the uses of lenses of various focal length, exposure and how these factors can be used to effectively photograph Petrified Forest. All ages and abilities are welcome!

Sunday September 17—Fri Sep 22, all day each day
Hands-on: Paleontology and Geology in the Land of Color
Contact Petrified Forest Field Institute
Join Petrified Forest paleontologist William Parker and paleontologist Christa Sadler for a hands-on exploration of the geology and paleontology of some of the newly acquired park lands. We will car-camp in a remote area of the park – one which does not receive tourist visitation – and will prospect in the surrounding badlands for new fossil localities and excavate fossils at a known locality.

Sat Sep 23—Sun Sep 24 3pm–12pm (the next day)
Nightscape Photography
Contact Petrified Forest Field Institute
This workshop takes participants inside the park under a moonless night sky for a privileged photography opportunity! The Milky Way will provide a dramatic backdrop to unique and other-worldly landscapes that only the park can offer. Open to novice and experienced astrophotographers alike.

Saturday September 30 8am–12pm
Ancient Logs & Lost Landscapes
Contact Petrified Forest Field Institute
Petrified Forest National Park is a genuine gateway to an understanding of Earth’s long and amazing history. Join Arizona Highways photographer and geologist Gary Ladd for a look at the local geologic story and how it fits into Earth’s evolution over 4,600 million years.

 

Junior Rangers speak with Ranger Lauren

NPS

Daily Fun

Daily
Find Your Park
findyourpark.com/share
Anytime
Celebrate the National Park Service’s Centennial by sharing your own story! Browse the official Find Your Park website for inspiration, then upload your own song, photo, painting, poem, dance, video – anything you’d like to share about your visit.

Daily
Geocaching
Selected locations throughout the park
During park hours
Geocaching is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking virtual ‘treasure’, and anyone with a GPS device can play! There are several self-guided geocaches at Petrified Forest National Park where a hidden container can be found and a log book signed. For more information on geocaching, visit Geocaching.com.

Daily
Junior Ranger Program
Pick up a booklet at any park Visitor Center
During park hours
Junior Rangers explore, learn about, and protect their national parks! Fun activities engage young visitors at Petrified Forest and are rewarded with a badge and patch by finishing this booklet.

Daily
Junior Paleontologist Program
Pick up a booklet at any park Visitor Center
During park hours
Explore the ways paleontologists work, learn about Earth's history, and protect our national parks, including fossils and the rocks in which they are found! Earn a special paleontology badge by finishing this booklet.

Daily
Painted Desert Inn Tour
Painted Desert Inn
Anytime between 9am—4pm
Painted Desert Inn is a beautiful building with rich history and stunning views to boot. Ask any staff member in the building to give you a brief, personal tour during your visit, and if they can they will!

Daily (as scheduling allows)
Cultural Demonstrations
Painted Desert Inn
Anytime between 10am—4pm
A cultural demonstrator with ancestral ties to the area shares engaging skills and traditions. Stop by and enjoy!

 

Dig with a paleontologist

NPS

Field Institute

Petrified Forest Field Institute is proud to offer guided tours and field classes exploring fun and compelling subjects lead by world class guides and experts.

See www.petrifiedforestinstitute.org for more. Or click here to go directly to their class schedule.

 

Cellist at Blue Mesa

NPS

Artist-in-Residence Program

In the Artist-in-Residence Program selected artists spend time living and working in the park, sharing their experiences with visitors.

 

Navajo rug weavers

NPS

Cultural Demonstrators

The park hosts regional cultural demonstrators throughout the year, coordinated by the park's partner Petrified Forest Museum Association. Visit with the demonstrators at the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark (2 miles from the north entrance of the park) between 10am and 4pm. Calendar is available here.