Visitors to Petrified Forest National Park are invited to attend the special programs scheduled in the coming days.
The Agate House Hike will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday, July 30. Hike with an archaeologist to Agate House and learn about the park’s rich human history (that you are part of)! Two miles round-trip on a defined trail; bring hiking shoes, a hat, sunscreen, water, and snacks. Meet at Agate House Trailhead in the Rainbow Forest Museum area.
Hands-on Biology: Reptiles and Amphibians will take place from 7 p.m. to midnight on Thursday, Aug. 4, and Tuesday, Aug. 23. The high quality grassland, riparian and badlands habitats of Petrified Forest National Park support a large variety of plants and animals. Join park biologist Andy Bridges for a hands-on experience with reptiles and amphibians, visiting live trapping sites and collecting data for the park’s long-term monitoring program. This program is offered by the Petrified Forest Field Institute and an additional fee is required; see www.petrifiedforestfieldinstitute.org/ for additional information.
Dig Fossils for a Day, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays, Aug. 6 and Aug. 13. These one-day excursions provide an introduction to paleontology field work. Get dirty digging in the Triassic Chinle Formation for fossil bones of giant amphibians, reptiles and even early dinosaurs with the park paleontologist. This is a real paleontological dig with collected specimens becoming part of the park’s museum collection. Visit the Petrified Forest Field Institute website for more information.
Every Picture Tells a Story: Photo journaling, 7:30 a.m. to noon on Sunday, Aug. 7. There really is a story behind any series of travel photos and that story deserves to be journaled. Enjoy this experiential journey and create a “next level” photo journaling experience of your time at Petrified Forest. Visit the Petrified Forest Field Institute website for more information.
Meet an Archeologist on Tuesday, Aug. 9. The park’s own “archeologist Amy” will be roving the Puerco Pueblo area from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday. Find Amy along the trail to learn more about the story of these First Americans and why Puerco Pueblo is an ideal place to call home.
The Living Park Talk is given at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. daily at the Painted Desert Visitor Center. There is life in this desert and it is thriving. Enjoy an introduction to the plants and animals that call Petrified Forest home. Allow 30 minutes.
The Triassic Park Talk is offered at noon and 2 p.m. daily at the Crystal Forest shade shelter. Discover how Petrified Forest came to be by going back in time to the Late Triassic some 225 million years ago. Meet at the shade shelter up a small hill from the Crystal Forest parking lot. Allow 30 minutes.
Find Your Park. Go online to findyourpark.com/share anytime and celebrate the National Park Service’s centennial by sharing your own story! Browse the official Find Your Park website for inspiration, then upload your own song, photo, painting, poem, dance, video–anything you’d like to share about your Petrified Forest visit.
In addition, cultural demonstrators with ancestral ties to the area share engaging skills and traditions from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at the Painted Desert Inn.
Geocaching is available daily at selected locations throughout the park. Anyone with a GPS device can play! There are several geocaches at Petrified Forest National Park where a hidden container can be found and a logbook signed. For more information on geocaching, visit Geocaching.com.
Junior Ranger programs are offered daily, offering youngsters an opportunity to explore, learn about and protect their national parks! Fun activities engage young visitors at Petrified Forest, and are rewarded with a badge and patch by finishing the appropriate number of activities. Pick up a booklet at any park visitor center.
Take part in the Junior Paleontologist Program by picking up a booklet at any park visitor center. Explore the ways paleontologists work, learn about Earth’s history, and protect our national parks, including fossils and the rocks in which they are found. Earn a special paleontology badge by finishing this booklet.
Tours of the Painted Desert Inn are offered anytime between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily at the park. The inn is a beautiful building with rich history and stunning views to boot. Ask any staff member in the building to give you a brief, personal tour during your visit, and if they can, they will.
All are welcome and all programs are included with normal park admission unless otherwise indicated. For more information, call (928) 524-6228, ext. 273, or visit www.nps.gov/pefo.
