The Painted Desert Rim Trail at Petrified Forest National Park is a 1.2 mile round-trip trail from Tawa Point to the Painted Desert Inn near Kachina Point. The trail is often near Park Road, but usually at a slightly lower elevation so the traffic noise is muted and some of the seemingly constant wind is blocked. Since the trail is over 200 feet above the desert floor, the views can be spectacular as cloud shadows pass across the landscape. While the trail is relatively flat at an elevation above 5800 feet, it does have several waterbars that would preclude the use of strollers and mobility devices. There is no shade on the trail, so sunscreen is recommended. Also, take and drink plenty of water. Restrooms are available at the rear of the lower level of the Painted Desert Inn. We hiked from Tawa Point to Kachina Point and back on our May 2015 visit.
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| The trail begins at the Tawa Overlook |
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| Painted Desert |
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| Painted Desert Inn with Pilot Rock on the horizon |
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| Dry washes are intertwined across the desert floor |
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| The whitish layer of volcanic ash and silt is the Black Forest Bed |
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| View to the northwest |
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| View to the east |
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| The trail surface is an agglomerate of ash, cinder and lava |
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| Verbena |
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| Narrowleaf yucca |
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| Blooming cactus |
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| Another view of the Painted Desert |
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| Painted Desert Inn at the end of the trail |
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| Looking back at Tawa Point |
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| One last view of the Painted Desert |
An entry fee of $10 per private vehicle is good for seven consecutive days. Other fee payment options include the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes including the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($10 for lifetime), Access Pass (free with documented disability) and Military Annual Pass (free for active duty personnel).
The park website is http://www.nps.gov/pefo/index.htm.
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