Get out and discover something new about your 394 national parks during National Park Week, April 16-24. This year’s focus, Healthy Parks, Healthy People, highlights the connection between human and environmental health, and the vital role America’s national parks play in both. All 394 national parks will have free admission during National Park Week. A listing of parks and promotions is available at www.nps.gov/npweek. Petrified Forest National Park will celebrate National Park Week with several adventures, including: * Create your own Yucca Brush Art, 10 a.m. on Saturdays, April 16 and 23, and Sundays, April 17 and 24. Join a ranger for an introduction to American Indian design and techniques using a yucca leaf brush to create a take home piece of art that can also be sent as a unique postcard. Meet at the Painted Desert Visitor Center any time between 10 a.m. and 12 noon. This is a great activity for kids and families. * A behind the scenes tour, Paleontology Preparation Laboratory at 11 a.m., Wednesday through Friday, April 20-22. See where fossils are carefully prepared for research and displays with one of the fossil preparators, a place very few visitors get to experience. Meet at the Painted Desert Visitor Center at 11 a.m. The group will walk a short distance to the laboratory. Children who are accompanied with an adult are welcome. A park entrance fee is not charged for this tour. * Off the Beaten Path Walk: Keystone Arch at 2 p.m., Saturdays, April 16 and 23, and Tuesday through Thursday, April 19-21. Join a ranger for an off-trail walk to a natural arch formed by a petrified log. This a short, easy hike over uneven ground. Meet at the first set of overlooks along the Blue Mesa loop road at 10 a.m. Bring plenty of water, use sun protection and wear sturdy shoes. This hike is not accessible. Children are welcome. * Backcountry Petroglyph Hike: Lacey Point at 9 a.m. on Sunday, April 17. Join a ranger for a hike into the Painted Desert to discover some of the best petroglyphs in the park. Meet at the Painted Desert Visitor Center at 9 a.m. The group will drive to Lacey Point (entrance fee will apply). Bring plenty of water, use sun protection and wear sturdy shoes. This hike is not accessible. Children over 12 are welcome. Please call (928) 524-6228, ext. 274, for a reservation. If you are leaving a message, include your name, how many will be attending and a phone number. * Off the Beaten Path: The Dying Grounds Hike at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, April 18. Join a ranger for an adventure into the Late Triassic paleontology at Petrified Forest, past and present. Meet at the Painted Desert Visitor Center at 9:30 a.m. before heading into the park. This off-trail hike will start at the Tepees pullout. It will be great for kids 7 and up. Be sure to bring plenty of water, bring snacks, appropriate shoes and use sun protection. * Backcountry Petroglyph and Onyx Bridge Hike at 9 a.m. on Sunday, April 24. Join a ranger for a hike into the Painted Desert to discover some of the best petroglyphs in the park. Meet at the Painted Desert Visitor Center at 9 a.m. The group will drive to Kachina Point (entrance fee will apply). Bring plenty of water, use sun protection and wear sturdy shoes. This hike is not accessible. Children over 12 are welcome. Please call (928) 524-6228, ext. 274, for a reservation. If you are leaving a message, include your name, how many will be attending and a phone number. Regular daily programs will also be offered, including: * 12 noon, Painted Desert Inn Tour. Explore this intriguing National Historic Landmark with a ranger and discover its fascinating past. * 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., Triassic Program. How did these once living trees turn to stone? Find out on this easy ranger talk or guided walk (weather depending) along the Giant Logs Trail. Meet in the Rainbow Forest Museum sunroom. * 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., Puerco Pueblo Program. Find out about the ancestral Puebloan people who once lived in this 100-room pueblo. Meet at the Puerco Pueblo Trail at the south end of the parking lot for an easy ranger-guided one-third mile walk. National Junior Ranger Day is Saturday, April 23, at Petrified Forest National Park. Each child participating in Junior Rangers activities will receive a special certificate, patch and badge. Pick up your booklet at any of the visitor centers. For more information, call (928) 524-6228 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. MST; write to the Superintendent, Petrified Forest National Park, P.O. Box 2217, Petrified Forest, Ariz. 86028; or e-mail the park superintendent at PEFO_Superintendent@nps.gov.