Commercial photography requires a permit, which must be obtained well in advance or your visit. The average length of stay is two hours but remaining all day is also common. Driving non-stop, through the park, takes 45 minutes. The park is locked at night and visitors must be in their cars and driving toward an exit at closing time. The removal of petrified wood or other features of the park is prohibited by law.
Gift shops sell petrified wood that comes from private land, outside the park.
No petrified wood is removed legally from the park. Back To Top History Native Americans Evidence of early human occupation is clearly visible on the Petrified Forest landscape. Sites throughout the park tell of human activity in the area for more than 2,000 years. There appear to have been separate occupations, a cultural transition from wandering families to agricultural settlements and trading ties with neighboring villages. The story of early people, told by potsherds, rubble, and pictures on the rocks, fades about 1400.