Visit Arizona’s Petrified Forest for A Fall Family Getaway

Arizona is vast, not only in size but also in amazing ways for family travelers to explore its beauty. But temperatures can get pretty uncomfortable during the summer months when most families plan their vacations. Scheduling a few days away this fall is a great way to spend some time traveling as a family and lets everyone beat the heat while getting to know the Grand Canyon State.

While the Grand Canyon is a hands-down fan-favorite for visitors to Arizona, this fall, consider visiting the Petrified Forest National Park. Like its more popular cousin across the state, this park is full of stunning beauty and plenty of natural history. But unlike the Grand Canyon, you can see the entire park in less than a day and do it without the oppressive crowds flocking to the state’s biggest attraction year-round.

The park is a perfect example of a painted desert and is home to an ecosystem more than 200 million years old. The park is aptly named for the massive pieces of petrified wood lying around the park and features great hiking trails, a paleo lab, and unique landscape that lies somewhere between the Grand Canyon and the Badlands of South Dakota.

The park lies along the Interstate 40, making it the perfect place to stop if you are taking a trip along historic Route 66. While there is no camping or lodging in the park, there are plenty of options nearby. The nearest town, Holbrook, is home to several hotels to give you easy access to the park. Camping can be found not far from the park at places like Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, Coconino National Forest and Canyon de Chelly National Monument, just to name a few.

The Petrified Forest National Park will not just give you a glimpse into the incredible natural history of the American desert, but will also give your family a chance to discover the wilderness together in a setting that welcomes exploration without the pressure of overtourism so predominant at other destinations.