Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area
About 218 million years ago, this area was a vast floodplain crossed by many streams. Tall, stately, pine-like trees grew here, sheltering a myriad of reptiles. When the trees fell, they washed into the water to be buried under silt, mud, and volcanic ash. Groundwater seeped through the logs, bearing silica that later crystallized into quartz, which ultimately petrified the wood. After centuries of burial and upheaval, the land became the high, dry Arizona tableland seen today. While the forces of erosion sculpted the Painted Desert, they also brought the petrified wood slowly to the surface. In 1906, the United States established Petrified Forest National Monument.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 50,260 acres |
| Designated | 1970, by Congress |
| Center point | 35.11° N, 109.82° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 31) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0.7 miPainted Desert Inn ↗National Historic Landmark
- 0.6 miAgate House Pueblo ↗Holbrook, AZ
- 3.5 miLittle Lithodendron Wash Bridge ↗Holbrook, AZ
- 4.5 miLithodendron Wash Bridge ↗Holbrook, AZ
- 11.3 miWoodruff Bridge ↗Woodruff, AZ
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Arizona
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area?
50,260 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area?
The National Park Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area in?
Arizona.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area designated?
Congress designated it in 1970.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area?
A point inside the boundary is at 35.106° N, 109.823° W. Petrified Forest National Park is 5 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area?
Petrified Forest National Park (5 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area?
The National Register has 5 listings within 15 miles, including Painted Desert Inn and Agate House Pueblo.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.