Sedona to Petrified Forest National Park: Private Painted Desert Day Tour
Difficulty
moderate
Duration
10–11 hours
Fitness Level
Comfortable walking 1–3 miles on paved and packed-dirt paths with brief climbs at 5,400–5,800 ft.
Overview
Cross the high desert from Sedona to a landscape where wood becomes quartz and hills wear their geology in stripes. This private day tour explores Petrified Forest National Park and the Painted Desert with short walks, deep context, and wide-open views.
Sedona to Petrified Forest National Park: Private Painted Desert Day Tour
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The day starts in the red rock hush of Sedona before the road threads north and east, chasing the horizon toward a country that looks half lunar, half ocean swells turned to stone. Past Flagstaff’s high pines and the wide lanes of I-40, the pavement slips into history along old Route 66 through Holbrook, where classic neon still hums and lunch is a nod to the heyday of American road tripping. Then the desert lifts you onto a rim where color takes over—carmine, ash blue, mauve, umber—stacked in bands the wind seems to arrange and rearrange as clouds slide by.
Adventure Photos
Adventure Tips
Hydrate before the park
Start drinking water in Sedona and carry at least 2 liters per person; the 5,500–6,000 ft elevation and dry winds dehydrate fast.
Sun strategy all year
Wear a wide-brim hat, UPF long sleeves, and SPF 30–50; shade is scarce on Blue Mesa and along the Painted Desert rim.
Mind your footing on badlands
Blue Mesa’s paved path still collects gravel; choose grippy, closed-toe shoes and take downhill sections slowly.
Leave the logs where they lie
Collecting petrified wood is illegal—admire and photograph only, and stay on durable surfaces to protect fragile soils and petroglyph sites.
Local Insights
Wildlife
- Pronghorn
- Collared lizard
History
The park preserves a segment of historic Route 66, marked by a 1930s Studebaker, and features petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock and Puerco Pueblo from roughly 1250–1380 CE.
Conservation
Stay on designated paths to protect cryptobiotic soil and archeological sites, and never collect petrified wood. Pack out all trash to keep this International Dark Sky landscape pristine.
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Adventure Hotspots in Sedona
Frequently Asked Questions
Recommended Gear
Wide-brim sun hat
Beats the high desert glare and reduces sun fatigue on exposed viewpoints.
summer specific
Lightweight long-sleeve sun shirt (UPF)
Protects skin while keeping you cooler than bare arms in intense UV.
summer specific
Hiking shoes with good tread
Grip helps on the gravelly sections of Blue Mesa and overlooks.
Packable wind layer
Wind can whip across the rim even on warm days—an ultralight shell adds comfort.
spring specific