About
Length10.3 mi
ShapeLoop
DifficultyHard
Elevation gain700 ft up
Typical time6 hr
TrailheadPetrified Forest trailhead, west of the South Unit
SurfacePrairie track and badlands clay, unbridged
Best seasonWeather conditions may cause unstable or slippery conditions. Check with a ranger for current conditions.
DogsNot allowed
AccessibilityThe Petrified Forest Trail is a remote, unpaved backcountry trail which includes steep slopes, uneven footing, and potentially unstable ground. Proper footwear is recommended. Service animals are allowed, but must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet.
What you'll see 🌄 Big views🦌 Wildlife🏛️ Historic site

Petrified Forest Trailhead Access Update: Use Approved Route Directions to the Petrified Forest trailhead have changed. Please use the approved legal route from I-94, Exit 10 toward Camels Hump Lake and follow the clearly marked posts. This update helps maintain good cooperation with neighbors and respect park boundaries. Take Exit 10 towards Camels Hump Lake Turn right and continue on CR -11 Take an immediate right and travel for 3.7 miles Turn right onto 30th St SW and travel for 3.5 miles Turn left onto Wannagan Creek Rd at Durham Ranch (Watch for Children sign present) and travel for 3.2 miles Turn right onto 730 (no sign present) and travel for 4.4 miles Turn left and travel 1 mile to the Petrified Forest trailhead The trail starts at the lift gate behind the trailhead sign From Medora, the drive to the Petrified Forest is approximately 50 minutes on dirt and gravel roads. Theodore Roosevelt National Park is home to the third highest concentration of petrified wood in the United States. These geological wonders give context to the park's past, allowing hikers to travel back to a time when, instead of buttes and prairies, the landscape was dominated by massive trees and shallow swamps. The trail travels up out of the badlands onto a wide prairie where it splits, each section then dropping down into a valley containing the petrified stumps. Both sections of petrified wood are approximately 1.5 miles from the parking area. Hikers can continue past the petrified wood to complete the 10.4 mile loop or access other trails in the park. Additional water and supplies are recommended for this longer hike. It is illegal to remove any resource from a national park. Leave any fossil, stone, or other object where you find it so that other visitors can enjoy it as well.

Tips
Just visiting one section is a three-mile out and back. The trailhead is reached by gravel roads outside the park - check conditions, because they are impassable when wet. Never take a piece of petrified wood.
Location

Petrified Forest trailhead, west of the South Unit

Other Hikers
No one has logged this trail yet.
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