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Visitor statistics

How many people visit Petrified Forest?

Last verified NPS Visitor Use Statistics1979–2025
315,951 recreation visits in 2025, #48 of 63 national parks. The record is 1993 (936,429). Every year since 1979, straight from the National Park Service’s own counts.
2025 visits
315,951
−43.5% vs 2024
Rank, 2025
#48
of 63 national parks
Record year
1993
936,429 visits
vs 2015
−60.2%
ten-year change
vs 1979
−52.9%
since the first full year
Busiest month ever
Jun 1988
197,962 visits

1979–2025

Every year since the counts began

Recreation visits per calendar year, as reported to the NPS Visitor Use Statistics office. The 2025 bar is highlighted; a missing bar means the park did not report all twelve months that year.
0468K936K1979: 671,583 visits1980: 683,121 visits1981: 747,832 visits1982: 710,619 visits1983: 708,512 visits1984: 714,761 visits1985: 736,659 visits1986: 761,257 visits1987: 758,082 visits1988: 857,031 visits1989: 824,141 visits1990: 844,592 visits1991: 874,521 visits1992: 930,031 visits1993: 936,429 visits1994: 922,927 visits1995: 935,065 visits1996: 829,495 visits1997: 823,266 visits1998: 816,506 visits1999: 666,978 visits2000: 605,192 visits2001: 583,904 visits2002: 571,586 visits2003: 586,245 visits2004: 580,000 visits2005: 598,378 visits2006: 581,681 visits2007: 563,590 visits2008: 543,714 visits2009: 631,613 visits2010: 664,725 visits2011: 614,054 visits2012: 664,857 visits2013: 644,648 visits2014: 836,799 visits2015: 793,225 visits2016: 643,274 visits2017: 627,757 visits2018: 644,922 visits2019: 643,588 visits2020: 384,483 visits2021: 590,334 visits2022: 505,209 visits2023: 520,491 visits2024: 559,254 visits2025: 315,951 visits1980198519901995200020052010201520202025
Show the full table (47 years) ↓
YearRecreation visitsChangeRank
2025315,951−43.5%#48
2024559,254+7.4%#37
2023520,491+3.0%#38
2022505,209−14.4%#39
2021590,334+53.5%#36
2020384,483−40.3%#38
2019643,588−0.2%#34
2018644,922+2.7%#33
2017627,757−2.4%#34
2016643,274−18.9%#32
2015793,225−5.2%#28
2014836,799+29.8%#27
2013644,648−3.0%#29
2012664,857+8.3%#28
2011614,054−7.6%#28
2010664,725+5.2%#28
2009631,613+16.2%#28
2008543,714−3.5%#33
2007563,590−3.1%#31
2006581,681−2.8%#32
2005598,378+3.2%#31
2004580,000−1.1%#31
2003586,245+2.6%#31
2002571,586−2.1%#32
2001583,904−3.5%#31
2000605,192−9.3%#32
1999666,978−18.3%#31
1998816,506−0.8%#29
1997823,266−0.8%#29
1996829,495−11.3%#28
1995935,065+1.3%#25
1994922,927−1.4%#26
1993936,429+0.7%#27
1992930,031+6.3%#26
1991874,521+3.5%#26
1990844,592+2.5%#26
1989824,141−3.8%#25
1988857,031+13.1%#25
1987758,082−0.4%#27
1986761,257+3.3%#25
1985736,659+3.1%#23
1984714,761+0.9%#23
1983708,512−0.3%#25
1982710,619−5.0%#25
1981747,832+9.5%#23
1980683,121+1.7%#23
1979671,583—#25

By decade

The long view

1970s
671,583
avg · 1 yr
1980s
750,202
avg · 10 yrs
1990s
857,981
avg · 10 yrs
2000s
584,590
avg · 10 yrs
2010s
677,785
avg · 10 yrs
2020s
479,287
avg · 6 yrs

Seasonality: in 1979–1983 the three busiest months carried 52% of the year’s visits; in 2021–2025 they carried 36% — visits have spread out across the year.

Average visits by month

2021–2025 · NPS IRMA
JFMAMJJASOND
Monthly recreation visits: Jan 23,357, Feb 21,056, Mar 47,378, Apr 42,469, May 58,041, Jun 63,918, Jul 53,668, Aug 42,478, Sep 42,663, Oct 44,784, Nov 29,030, Dec 29,406.

Quietest: FebruaryBusiest: June

The weather page puts these crowd levels beside each month’s temperatures.

About these numbers

Figures are the National Park Service’s monthly recreation-visit counts, retrieved from its public statistics service and summed by calendar year. A year is shown only when all twelve months were reported. The NPS revises recent months occasionally, so small differences from a later nps.gov table are normal. Rankings compare the 63 national parks for the same year. See every park ranked for 2025.

Sources · 2

  1. 1.NPS Visitor Use Statistics — monthly recreation visits by park, 1979–2025 · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
  2. 2.NPS Visitor Use Statistics Definitions · National Park Service

FAQ

Petrified Forest visitor questions

How many people visit Petrified Forest National Park each year?
315,951 recreation visits in 2025, ranking #48 of the 63 national parks. The 2010s averaged 677,785 a year.
What was Petrified Forest's busiest year?
1993, with 936,429 recreation visits — +196.4% more than 2025. The single busiest month on record was June 1988 (197,962 visits).
Is Petrified Forest getting more crowded?
2025 visits were −60.2% compared with 2015 and −47.2% compared with 2005. The low point of recent years was 2025 (315,951).
What counts as a recreation visit?
The NPS counts a recreation visit as one person entering the park for recreation; someone who leaves and re-enters is counted again, and commuters, through-traffic and staff are excluded. Counts come from gate and traffic counters with park-specific multipliers, so they are estimates.

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