Pilot Rock
To reach Pilot Rock, the highest point in Petrified Forest National Park, visitors must hike seven miles across the Painted Desert.
Plan Around Pilot Rock
A good stop is not just something to read about. Once it belongs on the day, move into a saved trip and build the route around it.
Use this detail page to confirm that the stop is worth it, then carry that decision into a trip draft while the park context is still fresh.
Pilot Rock Details
To reach Pilot Rock, the highest point in Petrified Forest National Park, visitors must hike seven miles across the Painted Desert. In the northwest corner of the park, the 6,234-foot, erosion-resistent rock is volcanic in origin, and visitors will notice the black volcanic cliffs and boulders below the summit.
Difficulty
Low
Distance
N/A
Estimated time
N/A
Region
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Nearby Parks Around Pilot Rock
Compare nearby parks around Pilot Rock when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.
Nearby Points of Interest Around Pilot Rock
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Pilot Rock while the map context is still fresh.
1.5 mi away
Digger Wash
Digger Wash runs through the northwest portion of the park.
4.1 mi away
Chinde Mesa
In the far north section of the park, inside the designated Wilderness Area, is Chinde Mesa, which stands at 6,004 feet.
4.1 mi away
The Painted Desert
The Painted Desert's remarkable geology dates to the Late Triassic Period, over 200 million years ago.
5.4 mi away
The Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wilderness region in the park's northern unit, and is home to badlands, eroded rock formations and a fair bit of petrified wood.
5.7 mi away
Onyx Bridge Hike
The 4-mile roundtrip Onyx Bridge Trail offers a dramatic example of petrified wood eroding out of the Black Forest Bed within the Chinle Formation.
