Arizona · National Park
Petrified Forest: tour or DIY?
Checked Oct 26, 2026 · Source: NPS
Petrified Forest charges $25 per private vehicle, good for 7 days, according to the National Park Service (checked Oct 26, 2026). The $80 America the Beautiful pass beats paying at the gate after 4 visits. One fee covers the whole car, so a party of four pays $6.25 each to enter, which favors driving yourself.
DIY wins on entry cost for groups
The $25 vehicle fee is paid once for everyone in the car. A tour only beats driving yourself if it saves you real money or time on fuel, parking, shuttles and planning.
We do not print tour prices here because we do not have a live, licensed feed for them. Enter a real quote in the calculator and we prefill this park’s fee.
| Party | Entrance total | Per person |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $25 | $25 |
| 2 people | $25 | $12.50 |
| 4 people | $25 | $6.25 |
| 6 people | $25 | $4.17 |
Arithmetic on the NPS fee of $25. The vehicle fee covers all passengers, so cost per person falls as the group grows.
Entrance fees
| Fee | Cost | Notes from NPS |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $25 | Admits one private, non-commercial vehicle (15-passenger capacity or less) and all occupants. Valid for 7 days. |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15 | Admits one individual with no motor vehicle (bicyclist, hiker, pedestrian). Youth 15 and under are admitted free of charge. Valid for 7 days. |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $20 | Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. |
| Commercial Entrance - Sedan | $25 | $25 flat fee + $10 per person (Sedans, SUVs, Minivans) If you are conducting an income generating tour of the park, you are subject to commercial tour fees. |
| Commercial Entrance - Per Person | $10 | $25 flat fee + $10 per person (Sedans, SUVs, Minivans) If you are conducting an income generating tour of the park, you are subject to commercial tour fees. |
| Commercial Entrance - Van | $50 | Capacity of 7 to 15 passengers - $50 (Vans). If you are conducting an income generating tour of the park, you are subject to commercial tour fees. |
| Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus | $60 | Capacity of 16-25 passengers - $60 If you are conducting an income generating tour of the park, you are subject to commercial tour fees. Fees for commercial vehicles are based on the capacity of the vehicle, not the number of passengers on board, and are valid for 7 days. |
| Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach | $150 | Capacity of 26+ passengers - $150 (Large tour buses, motorcoaches). If you are conducting an income generating tour of the park, you are subject to commercial tour fees. |
| Entrance - Non-commercial Groups | $15 | Capacity of 16 or more $15/person. Anyone that is 15 or younger is exempt from paying an entrance fee, in addition to anyone with a valid pass. A pass may cover immediate family members or up to 4 people traveling with the group. |
Source: nps.gov fees and passes for Petrified Forest via the NPS API, checked Oct 26, 2026. Fees change; confirm before you go.
Pass math
- The $80 America the Beautiful Resident Annual Pass equals 4 visits at $25 per vehicle, here or at any other fee site.
- Seniors 62+ pay $20 for an annual pass or $80 for lifetime.
- Petrified Forest also sells its own pass: Annual Entrance - Park, $45.
When it is busiest
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025. June had 14% of the year.
Show the numbers
| Month | Recreation visits |
|---|---|
| January | 21,962 |
| February | 11,158 |
| March | 21,375 |
| April | 28,333 |
| May | 40,286 |
| June | 43,435 |
| July | 38,883 |
| August | 32,454 |
| September | 28,771 |
| October | 0 |
| November | 18,187 |
| December | 31,107 |
Source: NPS IRMA Stats, recreation visitors, 2025, pulled Oct 26, 2026.
Alerts right now
2 active NPS alerts when we checked on Oct 26, 2026. Showing the most serious first.
Information The Painted Desert Oasis Gift Shop, Gas Station and Restaurant are Open!
The Painted Desert Oasis gift shop, gas station and restaurant located at the north entrance of the park are open, and restrooms are available during construction. Visitor center operations are currently located at the Painted Desert Inn, two miles past the entrance station. Details on nps.gov
Information Park Headquarters Phones are Down
Phones at park headquarters are currently down. Please call the visitor center at Painted Desert Inn 928-235-2467 or the Visitor Services office 928-235-2391 between 8 am and 5 pm. You can also send us an email at pefo_information@nps.gov. Details on nps.gov
Source: NPS API alerts, checked Oct 26, 2026. Conditions change by the hour; check the park page before you drive.
Hours and access
Park Road hours of operation may change due to weather or safety issues. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Source: NPS API operating hours, checked Oct 26, 2026.
What NPS lists to do here
- Arts and Culture
- Astronomy
- Auto and ATV
- Backcountry Camping
- Backcountry Hiking
- Biking
- Birdwatching
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Camping
- Citizen Science
- Compass and GPS
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Dining
- Food
- Front-Country Hiking
- Geocaching
- Gift Shop and Souvenirs
- Guided Tours
- Hands-On
- Hiking
- Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)
- Horse Camping (see also camping)
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- +13 more
Source: NPS API activity tags, checked Oct 26, 2026.
Got a tour quote for Petrified Forest?
Put it next to your own costs and see the break-even.
Open the calculator for Petrified ForestQuestions
How much does it cost to enter Petrified Forest by car?
The NPS lists $25 per private vehicle for 7 days (checked Oct 26, 2026). The fee covers every passenger in the vehicle.
When is Petrified Forest busiest?
June had the most recreation visits in 2025 (14% of the year). October had the fewest. Source: NPS IRMA Stats.
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TourOrDIY is independent and not affiliated with the National Park Service. Numbers are copied from NPS public data on Oct 26, 2026 and may have changed. See the accuracy disclaimer and our method.