NationalParkEntry

AZ · Southwest

Petrified Forest National Park entry requirements

No timed-entry or vehicle reservation is needed to enter Petrified Forest in 2026. Entrance is $25 per vehicle. Check any visit date against the official 2026 rules.

The 2026 season at Petrified Forest

This is what applies across the published season. Use the date checker below for a specific day.

Fixed gate hours apply on every date in 2026.

An entrance fee or accepted pass is required on every visit, separately from anything below.

  1. Park entrance

    Required

    You must pay the park entrance fee or show an accepted pass.

    • Private vehicle: $25, valid for 7 days.
    • Motorcycle: $20.
    • Per person on foot or bicycle: $15.
    • An America the Beautiful pass covers this entrance fee. It does not cover any reservation or permit below.
    • Two entrances: the north entrance off I-40 (Painted Desert Visitor Center) and the south entrance off US-180 (Rainbow Forest Museum). A single 28-mile park road connects them, so you can drive straight through. Park is cashless - credit/debit only.

  2. Timed entry

    Not applicable

    Petrified Forest National Park has no timed-entry system.

  3. Vehicle, road, or corridor

    Required all year

    Fixed gate hours apply on every date in 2026.

    • Fixed gate hours

      Dates
      Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
      Hours
      8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
      Fee
      Not published
      Opens
      No advance booking

      Applies to The 28-mile park road and both entrance gates - the whole park is behind the gates

      • The park is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
      • During winter there may be a delay in opening the park until the roads are safe.
      • Park road hours of operation may change due to weather or safety issues.
      • Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time - times are Mountain Standard year-round.
      • Overnight wilderness backpackers with a permit are the exception to the gate close; day visitors must be out.
      • There is no lodging or developed campground inside the park.

  4. Shuttle

    Not applicable

    Petrified Forest National Park has no shuttle system.

  5. Your campground or lodging

    Not applicable

    Petrified Forest National Park has no in-park stay that changes what you need to enter.

  6. Selected activity

    Required all year

    Free wilderness backpacking permit applies on every date in 2026.

    • Free wilderness backpacking permit

      Dates
      Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
      Hours
      All day
      Fee
      None
      Opens
      No advance booking

      Applies to Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area, at least half a mile from your vehicle

      • The backpacking wilderness permit is free. The park entrance fee still applies.
      • There is no RV, car, or front-country camping, no boondocking and no dispersed or primitive camping in parking areas.
      • Permits are issued in person only, on the day you want to backpack, at the Painted Desert Inn or Rainbow Forest Museum.
      • Permits are available until 4:30 pm - after that you cannot start an overnight trip.
      • Group camping is limited to 8 people.
      • Each vehicle must have a permit.

Fees and passes

Private vehicle$25
Motorcycle$20
Per person, on foot or bicycle$15
Valid for7 days
Park annual pass$45

Two entrances: the north entrance off I-40 (Painted Desert Visitor Center) and the south entrance off US-180 (Rainbow Forest Museum). A single 28-mile park road connects them, so you can drive straight through. Park is cashless - credit/debit only.

An America the Beautiful pass is accepted here. It covers the entrance fee only. It does not cover a timed-entry permit, a vehicle reservation, a parking tag, a shuttle ticket, or an activity permit.

The Petrified Forest annual pass is $45, admits the owner and all passengers in one private non-commercial vehicle, is sold at the entrance stations, and is good for one year from the month of issue. There is no reservation system for a pass to interact with.

Fee-free days

  • Feb 16, 2026
  • May 25, 2026
  • Jun 14, 2026
  • Jul 3, 2026
  • Jul 4, 2026
  • Jul 5, 2026
  • Aug 25, 2026
  • Sep 17, 2026
  • Oct 27, 2026
  • Nov 11, 2026

From 2026 a fee-free day waives the entrance fee for U.S. residents. Other visitors still pay it. A fee-free day never waives a reservation, a permit, or a booking fee unless the park says so.

Rules that apply to one area only

These do not apply to the whole park. Where you go changes the answer.

  • North entrance off I-40 at the Painted Desert Visitor Center and south entrance off US-180 at the Rainbow Forest MuseumPetrified Forest National Park entrance fee · Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
  • Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area, at least half a mile from your vehicleFree wilderness backpacking permit - the only way to stay overnight in the park · Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026

What a campground or lodging booking does and does not cover

Nothing at Petrified Forest changes based on whether you have an in-park campground or lodging booking.

Quick answers

Do I need a reservation for Petrified Forest?
No. Petrified Forest National Park does not require a timed-entry or vehicle reservation to enter in 2026. You still pay the entrance fee ($25 per vehicle) or show an accepted pass.
Is there an entrance fee at Petrified Forest?
Yes. A private vehicle pass is $25 per vehicle. An America the Beautiful pass is accepted for the entrance fee, and does not cover any reservation or permit.

Official links, coverage, and sources

When reservations are released

  • Petrified Forest National Park entrance feePaid on arrival at an entrance station; no advance booking system is published for this park.

Official booking and park information

What this does not cover

  • Road, weather, and fire closures that change day to day. Check the park’s alerts page.
  • Backcountry and wilderness permits beyond the headline permits listed above.
  • Commercial use authorizations, filming permits, and group-size rules.
  • Availability. We tell you what is required, not whether anything is left.

Effective dates and sources

  • Fees and passesNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Park entrancePrivate Vehicle $25.00 Admits one private, non-commercial vehicle (15-passenger capacity or less) and all occupants. Valid for 7 days. Motorcycle $20.00 Valid for 7 days. Per Person $15.00 ... Valid for 7 days.
  • Fees & Passes - Petrified Forest National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Petrified Forest National Park entrance feeAll visitors must have one of these entrance passes: Standard Pass $15.00-$25.00; Annual Pass $45.00; America the Beautiful Pass FREE-$250.00. Plan to go cashless. This park does not accept cash.
  • Operating Hours & Seasons - Petrified Forest National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-08-05 · applies to Fixed gate hoursThe park is open year round except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Remember that times are Mountain Standard year round. Most of Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving. Park Road Hours: Park hours are 8am to 5pm. [Re-verified 2026-08-05; closed_dates carries the 2026 dates of those two holidays: November 26 and December 25.]
  • Backpacking - Petrified Forest National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Free wilderness backpacking permitThe backpacking wilderness permit is free. You may obtain it in person from either visitor centers, Painted Desert Inn or Rainbow Forest Museum, on the day that you want to backpack. Each vehicle must have a permit. The permits are available until 4:30 pm.

Something wrong here?

Park rules change, sometimes at short notice. If a line on this page does not match what the park publishes, tell us and we will fix it and re-check the source.

corrections@nationalparkentry.com· Last factual change 2026-08-05 · Sources last reviewed 2026-08-05

Nearest other national parks

Chosen by distance from Petrified Forest, not by editorial preference.