Published on Oct, 2024
I was confused as to which was the better starting point: south entrance off 180 or north entrance off hwy 40. We took the north entrance as it was near noon and we had lunch at the diner. No eating facilities at the south entrance. There was a video loop in the diner where we watched while waiting for our food. Starting from the north we saw the Painted Desert first. Then as we got about 2/3 of the way, we saw The Petrified Forest. The Audio Tour ($17) was excellent and provided all the stopping points with narrative about the location and history. It took us about 2 hr to 2 1/2 hr to complete the drive with about 5 min stops. We are elderly and didn’t do any of the hiking. If taking the 1+ hikes, the trip will take longer than 2.5 hours. The park closes at 5 pm, so no entry. Recommended leaving by 6:30pm.