Most visitors drive right past the Tepees without understanding what they're looking at. The audio tour at the Tepees North Pullout explains those stark, conical hills rising from the desert floor—a geology lesson written in 220-million-year-old stone. This is where the park's story shifts from painted desert to petrified forest. Missing that audio explanation means missing the context for everything that follows.
Overview
The Tepees are impossible to miss. Those banded, cone-shaped hills of blue, purple, and gray rise sharply from the flatlands—a dramatic change from the painted desert badlands to the north. This pullout marks the transition into the Mesa Redondo Member of the Chinle Formation. You're looking at ancient river and floodplain deposits, each colored layer representing a different environmental condition from the Late Triassic. The audio tour connects this stark landscape to the world of dinosaurs and giant reptiles that once lived here. The pullout is a straightforward gravel area with space for a dozen cars, a wayside exhibit, and an expansive, wind-scoured view that gives you a sense of scale. From here, the road descends toward the heart of the petrified wood deposits.
Quick Information
- Entrance Fee: As of 2026, the park entrance fee is $25 per private vehicle, $20 per motorcycle, and $15 per individual entering on foot or bicycle. These fees are valid for 7 days.
- Hours: The park is open daily, but hours vary seasonally. Typically, it's open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with extended hours in the summer. The north and south entrance gates close promptly at the posted hour.
- Best Time to Visit: Spring (April-May) and Fall (September-October). Temperatures are mild, wildflowers can bloom after rains, and the light is excellent for photography. Summer is intensely hot, and winter can be cold and windy.
- Location: Northeastern Arizona. The Tepees North Pullout is roughly halfway through the park's 28-mile main road, accessible from either the north (I-40) or south (US 180) entrance.
- Accessibility: The pullout is paved and level. The viewing area is accessible, offering a panoramic look at the Tepees from behind a low wall. The audio tour is accessible via smartphone.
- Cell Service: Spotty but often present at this pullout. It's one of the more reliable spots in the park to get a signal to access the audio tour online. Download the tour in advance at a visitor center to be safe.
- Restrooms: There are no restrooms at this specific pullout. The nearest vault toilets are at the Puerco Pueblo parking area to the north or the Blue Mesa sun shelter to the south.
- Parking: A medium-sized gravel pullout. It rarely fills completely except around midday during peak season. RVs and trailers can fit, but maneuvering space is limited.
Getting There
Petrified Forest National Park is bisected by a 28-mile paved road. You can enter from the north, off Interstate 40 at exit 311, or from the south, off US Highway 180. The PEFO Audio Tour North Stop 19 and South Stop 14 is located at the Tepees North Pullout.
If you enter from the north entrance, you'll pass the Painted Desert Visitor Center complex (currently under construction - operations are at the Painted Desert Inn), several desert overlooks, and the Route 66 exhibit. The Tepees pullout will be on your left approximately 20-25 minutes after entering the park, just after passing the Puerco Pueblo turnoff and before the road dips down toward Blue Mesa.
If you enter from the south entrance at Rainbow Forest, you'll pass the museum, the Giant Logs trail, and the Crystal Forest. The road climbs steadily. The Tepees pullout will be on your right about 20 minutes after entering, just after the Blue Mesa loop road and before you reach the crest of the hill overlooking the Painted Desert.
There's no wrong way to do it, but experienced visitors often recommend starting at the south entrance in the morning to see the petrified wood in the best light, then driving north, hitting the Tepees around mid-day, and finishing with the Painted Desert overlooks in the late afternoon sun. The parking situation here is straightforward: pull in, park, and walk to the viewing wall.
What to Expect
Expect a landscape that feels transplanted from another planet. The Tepees aren't subtle. They are a cluster of sharply eroded hills, each one striped like a layered cake in muted tones of slate blue, lavender, brick red, and concrete gray. The texture is crumbly - this is soft, easily eroded mudstone and siltstone. You can see the individual strata clearly from the pullout, some layers only inches thick.
The wind is a constant presence here, whipping across the open plain with a low, steady hum. The air smells dry and clean, with a faint mineral scent of dust and clay. In summer, the heat radiates off the pale ground with palpable force. In winter, that same wind has a bite that goes straight through layers.
The audio tour narration for this stop, typically 2-3 minutes long, explains that these hills are part of the Mesa Redondo Member. It describes the ancient river systems that laid down these sediments and how erosion carved them into these distinctive cones. The most common mistake visitors make is stopping for a quick photo and leaving after 30 seconds. The view deserves five minutes. Let your eyes follow the lines of the hills, notice how the colors change with the cloud cover, and listen to the audio to connect the visual spectacle to its 220-million-year-old story.
Top Attractions & Points of Interest
While the Tepees overlook is the main event at this stop, it's a pivotal point on the park road. Your next moves depend on which direction you're headed.
The Tepees Overlook
This is it. The pullout offers a long, elevated view of the entire Tepees formation. The wayside exhibit has a diagram labeling the different members of the Chinle Formation. The audio tour is essential here. Without it, you're just looking at pretty colored hills. With it, you're looking at a snapshot of an ancient river floodplain. Early morning or late afternoon light makes the banding in the hills stand out with dramatic shadows.
Blue Mesa
Located just south of the Tepees pullout (take the next left turn if heading north to south). This is one of the most beautiful spots in the park. A one-way loop road descends into a basin of blue, purple, and gray banded badlands. You can view it from the sun shelter at the top or hike the 1-mile Blue Mesa Trail down among the hills. The texture and color here are unreal.
Puerco Pueblo
Located north of the Tepees pullout. A quick, paved 0.75-mile loop takes you through the remains of a 100+ room Ancestral Puebloan village occupied over 600 years ago. It's a stark contrast to the deep-time geology of the Tepees, showing human history in the same landscape. The adjacent petroglyphs, including images of birds and spirals, are easily viewed from the trail.
Newspaper Rock
A short distance north of Puerco Pueblo. You don't hike to this one; you look down from an overlook onto a large sandstone boulder covered in over 650 petroglyphs. Binoculars or a telephoto lens help, as the rock is quite a distance below the viewing platform. It's a powerful reminder of the long human connection to this place.
The Crystal Forest
South of the Tepees, near the south entrance. This 0.75-mile loop trail lives up to its name, winding through a dense concentration of petrified logs, many containing sparkling quartz and amethyst crystals. It's one of the best places to appreciate the detail and color of the petrified wood up close. The trail narrows here in sections, so step aside for others.
Activities
This location is primarily a scenic overlook with an educational audio component, but it sits at the crossroads of the park's main activities.
Hiking: You're not hiking at the Tepees pullout itself, but you are at the midpoint between major trails. To the south, the Blue Mesa Trail offers that unique walk among the badlands. To the north, the paved Puerco Pueblo Trail provides an easy archeological walk. Further south, the longer hiking trails like Long Logs and Agate House begin at the Rainbow Forest Museum. Scenic Driving: The 28-mile park road is the activity. The Tepees mark a dramatic shift in scenery. Driving from north to south, you transition from the painted desert's red and orange cliffs to these stark, banded cones, and then down into the multi-colored petrified wood deposits. Photography: This is a prime landscape photography spot. The conical shapes and strong lines of the Tepees create compelling compositions. The best light is early morning or late afternoon when the sun rakes across the hills, emphasizing the banding and creating deep shadows. A polarizing filter can help cut the haze and make the colors pop. Audio Touring: The park's free audio tour is a major activity. Dial the number or use the NPS app at each numbered stop. The narration for Stop 19 (northbound) or Stop 14 (southbound) here is crucial for geological context. Rangers recommend downloading the tour at a visitor center on park Wi-Fi before you start driving, as cell service is unreliable in sections. Wildlife Viewing: While not a primary wildlife viewing hotspot like the grasslands, you might see ravens riding the thermals above the Tepees, or a prairie dog standing sentinel on the plains below. Keep an eye out for coyotes moving through the washes in the early morning.
Seasonal Guide
Your experience at the Tepees changes dramatically with the season. The view remains, but the conditions don't.
Spring (April-May): The ideal time. Daytime temperatures range from 60s to 80s Fahrenheit. The wind can still be strong, but it's not unpleasant. If recent rains have occurred, you might see subtle green grasses and wildflowers at the base of the hills, providing a beautiful color contrast. Crowds are moderate. Summer (June-August): Intense. Highs regularly exceed 95°F, and the pullout offers zero shade. The ground radiates heat, and the light between 10 AM and 4 PM is harsh and flat, washing out the colors of the Tepees. If you visit in summer, come at sunrise or just before sunset. Hydration is non-negotiable - pack extra water for this stretch of your drive. Fall (September-October): Another excellent window. The heat breaks, crowds thin after Labor Day, and the light softens. September can still be warm, but October days are generally crisp and perfect for viewing. This is a prime time for photography here. Winter (November-March): Cold and often windy. Daytime highs might only reach the 40s or 50s, and the wind chill can make it feel much colder. Snow is possible and, when it dusts the banded hills, creates a spectacular and rare scene. The park is least crowded, but services may be reduced. Bundle up if you plan to spend more than a few minutes at this exposed overlook.For a detailed breakdown of monthly weather patterns, see our guide on the best time to visit.
Practical Information
Fees and Passes: The $25 vehicle entrance fee, valid for seven days, is collected at either entrance station. The America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass ($80) waives this fee. Senior, Military, and Access passes are also accepted. No separate permit is needed to stop at the Tepees overlook. Facilities: There are no water, restrooms, or trash cans at the Tepees pullout. The nearest services are at the Painted Desert Inn (north) or the Rainbow Forest Museum (south). Plan accordingly. The Painted Desert Oasis at the north entrance has a gift shop, gas station, and restaurant open during construction. Lodging and Dining: There are no hotels or restaurants inside the park. The nearest communities for lodging and accommodations are Holbrook (25 miles west) and Petrified Forest National Park Headquarters area (with limited options). For camping options, you must look to nearby private RV parks or dispersed camping on adjacent Bureau of Land Management land - there is no developed campground within the park boundaries. Tours: Beyond the self-guided audio tour, the park occasionally offers ranger-led programs. Check the posted schedule at the visitor centers or the official website for current tours and guided experiences.
Safety & Preparation
The risks here are environmental, not dramatic. This is an exposed, high-desert location.
Heat and Sun: This is the primary hazard for most of the year. The pullout has no shade. Sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses are mandatory. Carry more water in your vehicle than you think you'll need - at least one gallon per person per day is the park service recommendation. Dehydration and heat illness sneak up on you. Wind: It's almost always windy. Hold onto hats and loose papers. The wind can be strong enough to make standing still a task, and it dramatically increases the rate of dehydration and wind chill in colder months. Footing: Stay on the paved viewing area. The slopes of the Tepees are composed of soft, crumbly rock that is extremely unstable. Climbing on them is prohibited and dangerous. The hills erode quickly, and a slip could cause a serious fall or trigger a small landslide. Weather Changes: Summer thunderstorms can develop rapidly. Lightning is a real danger in open areas like this pullout. If you hear thunder or see dark clouds building, return to your vehicle immediately. Flash flooding can occur in washes miles away from where rain falls. Emergency Info: Cell service is unreliable. In an emergency, drive to the nearest developed area (Painted Desert Inn---
For more information, see our complete PEFO Audio Tour North Stop 19 and South Stop 14: pefo audio tour north stop 19 and south stop 14 Guide.