Travel Tips
- 6 hour should do the whole national park with full coverage on major viewpoints. Day trip from Flagstaff is recommended.
- Crystal trail features the most beautiful petrified woods in the park.
- Don’t miss Blue Mesa trail. Go down the trail.
- One mile Painted Desert trail from Towa to Painted Desert inn is recommended.
- Attractions are mostly on south side from Route-66. South bound drive is recommended.
Painted Desert
Stop at Towa point and walk into the Trail couple yards more to enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view. If allowed, hike all the way to Painted Desert Inn. It is a short but very enjoyable hike.
Blue Mesa
The trail is short and flat. Stairs are only one-to-two story high before descending to the bottom and the rest are rather flat. This is the top one hike for me in the park. Landscape is different at every corner.
Crystal Forest
This trail has the most beautiful and diversified presentation of petrified woods in sizes and colors. This is my top trail regarding petrified woods, even better than Giant Logs Trail.
Long Logs and Agate House
You can combine long logs and Agate house together. Woods are pretty much looked the same along the way, but Agate house built by petrified woods worth a visit.
Giants Logs
The trail is right behind the visitor center, very short with stairs. Log is hug and long as the name suggests, but not that impressive comparing to Crystal Forest.
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