Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area
Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area is a 50,260-acre wilderness area in Apache County, Arizona. It rises from about 5,328 to 6,231 ft. The nearest town is Sun Valley, 8.6 miles away in a straight line.
Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area map
Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
Fire restriction orders for this unit are not tracked here yet. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders before any campfire, stove or target shooting.
Common questions
- Sun Valley, AZ is the nearest town, 8.6 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area is about 6,231 ft, and its lowest about 5,328 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is Pilot Rock, about 6,231 ft.
Who manages Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Park Service | 50,260 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | Petrified Forest National Park, 927-524-6228 |
Getting to Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area
- Sun Valley, AZ is the nearest town, 8.6 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-29)
Trailheads at Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area
- Crystal Forest Trailhead (0.28 mi outside the boundary, 5,534 ft), at 34.8638, -109.7919 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
- Long Logs Trailhead (0.57 mi outside the boundary, 5,462 ft), at 34.8147, -109.8618 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
- Giant Logs Trailhead (0.78 mi outside the boundary, 5,481 ft), at 34.8153, -109.8656 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
Trailheads mapped on OpenStreetMap: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License , accessed 2026-09-29. The extract used here, with distances from the boundary: osm-trailheads-az.json. Where an agency layer lists the same trailhead, the agency's point is shown instead. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area
- Pilot Rock summit
- Rabbit Tank lake
Features whose official location is inside the boundary, from the USGS Geographic Names Information System, accessed 2026-09-29. Summit elevations measured on the USGS 3DEP elevation model, which can read a few feet under a surveyed summit height.
Public lands next to Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area
- National Park Service unitPetrified Forest National Wilderness Area lies inside Petrified Forest National Park.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
Other wilderness areas in Arizona
- https://wilderness.net/visit-wilderness/?ID=454 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n35w110/USGS_1_n35w110.tif (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n36w110/USGS_1_n36w110.tif (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/GeographicNames/DomesticNames/DomesticNames_AZ_Text.zip (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2025_Gazetteer/2025_gaz_place_04.txt (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright (accessed 2026-09-29)