Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour in Petrified Forest National Park
Download the self-guided audio tour and you'll discover more on your Glacier National Park road trip. Hear fascinating behind-the-scenes stories, local tips and directions play automatically, all based on your location. You'll be guided to all of the area's famous highlights as well as lessor known gems including engineering marvels like Three Arches and the Tunnels, the road's summit that's also a great place for wildlife spotting, the Many Glacier section, and a tiny island that's the most photographed place in the park. Enjoy the freedom to explore offline at your own pace, spending more time at places that interest you, and bypass any that don’t. Stories, tips and directions play automatically based on your location Travel at your own pace. Suggested itineraries for half, full or multi day use. No time limits or expiry, free updates. Like having a tour guide along for the drive. Purchase one tour per vehicle.
About this activity
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Check availability too see starting times.
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Additional Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Includes
- Support: Toll free phone, chat and email
- Trip Planners: In-app, web and PDF
- Location Based: Stories, tips & directions that autoplay
- Easy To Use: Pre-download and tour offline
- GuideAlong (GyPSy Guide) Audio Tour: 160+ Points
- One-Time Purchase: No time or date use limit or expiry
- Flexible Routes: Suggested itineraries or create your own
- Food and Drinks.
Special Instructions
Itinerary
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Estimated Time : 50 minutes
Petrified Forest National Park : Located at the park's north entrance, this center offers exhibits on geology, history, and ecology. Visitors can access information, maps, and facilities. It serves as the gateway to exploring the vibrant landscapes of the Painted Desert and the entire Petrified Forest National Park.
Admission Ticket Not Included
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Estimated Time : 30 minutes
This scenic overlook offers sweeping views of the Painted Desert's multicolored badlands. A perfect first stop, it provides a preview of the park's stunning geological formations. The layered colors of the desert are particularly striking during sunrise and sunset, making it a popular spot for photography.
Free Admission
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Estimated Time : 60 minutes
Petrified Forest National Park : A short, easy trail along the rim of the Painted Desert, this path offers panoramic views of the colorful badlands below. The trail connects various overlooks, providing ample opportunities to observe the vibrant desert scenery and the unique geological formations that define this region.
Free Admission
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Estimated Time : 60 minutes
Petrified Forest National Park : A historic building now serving as a museum, the Painted Desert Inn showcases the area's cultural history. The inn, originally built in the 1920s, features murals by Hopi artist Fred Kabotie and offers insight into the region's past, including its use as a stop for early travelers on Route 66.
Free Admission
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Estimated Time : 60 minutes
This viewpoint is one of the highest in the Painted Desert, offering expansive views of the colorful landscape. The name "Pintado" means "painted" in Spanish, reflecting the vibrant hues of the desert below. It’s a great spot to take in the beauty of the park's northern section.
Free Admission
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Estimated Time : 60 minutes
Petrified Forest National Park : Meaning "beautiful" in Navajo, Nizhoni Point lives up to its name with breathtaking views of the Painted Desert. This overlook offers a more secluded experience, with fewer visitors but equally stunning vistas of the park's multi-hued badlands and distant mesas.
Free Admission
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Estimated Time : 30 minutes
Lacey Point offers a serene overlook of the Painted Desert's rich, colorful landscape. Named after a local rancher who helped promote the park, this viewpoint provides a less crowded alternative for those looking to enjoy the desert's beauty in a quieter setting.
Free Admission
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Estimated Time : 20 minutes
A fascinating site featuring petroglyphs carved into sandstone, Newspaper Rock offers a glimpse into the lives of the ancient peoples who once inhabited this region. The rock is adorned with hundreds of symbols and figures, making it a significant archaeological site within the park.
Free Admission
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Petrified Forest National Park : his trailhead marks the start of a scenic hike through the Blue Forest, known for its striking blue and gray badlands. The trail offers a challenging but rewarding experience, with views of eroded hills, petrified wood, and unique geological formations along the way.
Free Admission
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Estimated Time : 60 minutes
Blue Mesa is known for its bluish clay mounds and stunning views of the surrounding badlands. A 3.5-mile loop drive or a 1-mile trail provides close-up views of the colorful layers of sediment and the petrified wood scattered across the landscape, making it a must-see stop in the park.
Free Admission
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Estimated Time : 20 minutes
Agate Bridge is a natural bridge formed from a massive petrified log that spans a small ravine. This unique geological feature showcases the park's famous petrified wood, and although it’s reinforced with concrete to preserve it, the bridge offers a fascinating glimpse into the park’s ancient past.
Free Admission
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Estimated Time : 30 minutes
Jasper Forest is home to one of the largest concentrations of petrified wood in the park. The area was once an ancient floodplain, and today, visitors can see thousands of petrified logs scattered across the landscape, offering a remarkable view of this unique fossilized forest.
Free Admission
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Estimated Time : 20 minutes
The Crystal Forest is a short trail that winds through a dense concentration of petrified logs. The petrified wood here is known for its vibrant colors and sparkling quartz crystals, which give the forest its name. It’s one of the best spots to see these ancient, mineralized trees up close.
Free Admission
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Estimated Time : 30 minutes
Petrified Forest National Park : Located near the park's southern entrance, this museum provides exhibits on the park’s paleontological history, including fossils and petrified wood. The museum also offers a gateway to trails leading to famous sites like the Giant Logs Trail and Long Logs Trail, showcasing the park's prehistoric wonders.
Free Admission