Painted Desert Inn
This inn has spend almost 100 years overlooking the Painted Desert.
Guide Sections
Use Painted Desert Inn's guide sections to understand how this stop fits into the larger park plan.
Painted Desert Inn Details
Difficulty
Low
Distance
N/A
Estimated time
N/A
Region
N/A
In its almost 100 years overlooking the Painted Desert, this historic inn has undergone many changes. The original building from the early 1920s was made of petrified wood; today's adobe facade dates to a 1930s renovation of the Painted Desert Inn. The main building and adobe guest casitas were designed in Pueblo Revival style by National Park Service architect Lyle E. Bennett and others from the Park Service Branch of Plans and Design. Construction was completed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1937-1940. Interior design elements were created Mary Jane Colter for the Fred Harvey Company, who operated the inn between 1946-1962. Highlights include the color scheme, picture windows, and murals by famous Hopi artist Fred Kabotie. The inn closed to guests in 1963, and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987. The building functions only as a museum now, with no overnight accommodations. Displays inside highlight the building's history, Route 66, and the CCC. Ranger-led tours are scheduled in summer months. Facilities include parking and accessible restrooms.
