Hiking the Long Logs & Agate House Trail in Petrified Forest National Park
Distance: 2.6 miles / 4.2 km
The Long Logs and Agate House Trails are two of the easiest and best kid-friendly day hikes in all of Petrified Forest National Park.
That being said, the Long Logs-Agate House Trail is essentially what the name implies: two hikes in one.
It is for this reason that both trails are commonly hiked together as one adventure, and that’s exactly what I did on the day I explored the trail too!
U.S. National Park Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
Why Did the Long Logs & Agate House Trailhead Move?
The trailhead that is used today is not the trailhead that once served the Long Logs and Agate House Trail of the past.
By this, I mean that in 2002, the National Park Service moved the trailhead to its current location near the Rainbow Forest Museum. According to the agency, there were two factors that went into making this decision.
The first was that at this time, the longest developed trail in the park was 1 mile (1.6 km), and there were multiple requests for the park to create longer developed trails for visitors.
The second reason was to protect park resources from vandalism and theft.
In any case, the hike up the old access road is truly an easy and enjoyable way to experience this southern portion of Petrified Forest.
Long Logs-Agate House Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Long Logs and Agate House Trail is located in the Rainbow Forest Historic District in the southern part of Petrified Forest National Park, about 2.4 miles (3.9 km) north of Highway 180.
With that in mind, the Rainbow Forest Historic District is not only the parking area for the Long Logs-Agate House Trail, but it also serves as the parking lot for the Giant Logs Trail and the Rainbow Forest Museum/ Gift Shop.
Google Maps Directions: Rainbow Forest Museum
Hiking Checklist - Petrified Forest
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Petrified Forest National Park.
Osprey 3L Water Bladder - The Osprey 3L water bladder is the most universal hiking and backpacking water bladder on the market, and it’s my go-to because of the slide-off seal that allows it to be quickly filled from the top. Additionally, individual parts are easily replaceable, such as the bite valve.
Blister / Heel Protectors - I swear by these cheap, amazing heel protectors to prevent blisters for nearly every kind of hiking and backpacking that I do!
Black Diamond Headlamp - Personally, I recommend the Black Diamond Storm because it is one of the brightest, lightest, and longest-lasting headlamps on the market—and trust me, the weight-to-battery-life ratio really does matter!
Hiking / Trail Running Shoes - Depending on the type of trail, I prefer to use either the Keen Targhee for longer, more rugged hiking or the HOKA Zinal Trail-Running Shoe for lighter, less intense trails. In either case, both have been amazing to me for many years across countless environments, and both can be found in men’s and women’s sizes. - (Men’s Keen / Women’s Keen) (Men’s HOKA / Women’s HOKA)
Waterproof Rain Shell - You never know when it may rain, and I’ve learned over the years that a rain shell is far better than a rain jacket. By this, I mean that it’s best to have something that the water will roll right off of, which is why I recommend the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L available in both men’s and women’s sizes.
Sun Shirt w/ Hood - A quality sun shirt can be your best friend on a trail with minimal shade, which can be found in both men’s and women’s sizes.
High SPF Sunscreen - Packing high-SPF sunscreen is a must for long days outside!
Walking to the Trailhead
From the Rainbow Forest parking lot, walk east along Petrified Forest Road over Jim Camp Wash to reach the joint Long Logs-Agate House Trailhead on the other side.
Hiking the Long Logs & Agate House Trail
The Long Logs and Agate House Trail begins on the old road that once served as the access road for the old trailhead, located about 0.6 miles (1.0 km) away.
After the first 0.6 miles (1.0 km), the Long Logs-Agate House Trail reaches the parking lot for the old trailhead.
This is where you’ll have the option to choose which of the two trails to hike first.
Agate House Trail (First Trailhead)
While it doesn’t matter which trail you decide to hike first, I recommend taking the first trail to begin the Agate House Trail or the second trail, just to the left, to begin the Long Logs Loop Trail.
I chose to begin on the Agate House Trail.
Long Logs-Agate House Junction
If you’ve followed the Agate House Trail shown here, it makes the most sense to go right to continue on the Agate House Trail first, returning later for the Long Logs Trail on the left.
Sun Shirts
If this is your first time in the area, you’re likely unprepared for how strong the sun can be.
For this reason, I recommend picking up a quality, hooded sun shirt if you plan to do any hiking. Protection from the sun cannot be overstated, and in my experience, sunscreen alone has never been enough over a multi-day visit, especially if you’re visiting during the summer season!
Agate House
The Agate House in Petrified Forest National Park is a partially reconstructed dwelling from the 1930s, built by Ancestral Puebloan people somewhere between 1050 and 1300.
Interestingly, the eight-room house was constructed mainly from petrified wood and occupied for roughly 300 years until about 1200 AD.
Today, the Agate House is one of the few archaeological sites in Petrified Forest that is easily accessible to park visitors.
After the Agate House, the trail simply continues by returning to the junction from earlier.
Long Logs-Agate House Junction
Once back at the split following the first trailhead in the old parking lot, go right to begin the Long Logs Trail.
Long Logs Trail
Earlier, I mentioned that if you chose to begin the hike from the first trailhead in the old parking lot, it made the most sense to return to the Long Logs Trail at the end.
I said this because most visitors do not complete the full Long Logs Loop Trail, since the loop simply ends at the second trailhead shown at the end, rather than continuing back to the shelter shown below.
This will make more sense at the end.
Long Logs Shelter
This shelter can make for a nice place to get out of the cold wind during the winter months or the hot sun during the summer, as the full Long Logs and Agate House Trail have essentially no shade.
Long Logs Loop Trail
After the shelter, the Long Logs Loop Trail begins and continues for the next 0.5 miles (0.8 km) down to the old parking lot.
Second Trailhead
This is the second trailhead in the old parking lot, which is the reason why most hikers go right instead of left to complete the 'true' Long Logs Loop Trail.
Once back at the first trailhead, there’s only another 0.6 miles (0.1 km) on the old road to reach the Long Logs-Agate House Trailhead.
Long Logs & Agate House Trailhead
Overall, both the Long Logs and Agate House Trails are two relatively flat and easy day hikes, granted that you aren’t hiking in the hot summer heat!
With that in mind, there is essentially no shade to be found on this 2.6-mile (4.2 km) adventure, which is why I continually stress the importance of coming prepared with a quality sun shirt before visiting Petrified Forest because the same could be said about most trails throughout the park.
More Petrified Forest Adventures
If you’re interested in reading about some more amazing adventures within Petrified Forest National Park, check out my separate posts below!
Best Way to Find Places to Stay!
Wherever I travel, I love to start my search for places to stay on VRBO.
Even if I don’t end up booking through them, I think it’s one of the best ways to see what’s in the area!
Washington
Best Way to Book Rental Cars!
I travel quite a bit, and I know firsthand that finding a good rental car deal can be a challenge, but that’s why I recommend comparing all of your options with Discover Cars.
In short, Discover Cars is a well-known, reputable business that allows you to search for the best deal across companies, and they have the best full-refund cancellation policy I’ve ever seen, valid up to 72, or sometimes even 48, hours prior to your reservation!
Book Here: Discover Cars
Discover Cars!
Safety
In Petrified Forest National Park, most safety concerns are related to the hot summer heat/ dehydration, steep, unstable trails, and falls from cliff edges, as many can be unstable in this soft-soil landscape.
Additionally, there are a number of snake species native to Petrified Forest, but only two are considered to be venomous.
As always, find the most up-to-date information and conditions on the official National Park website.
National Park Service: Petrified Forest National Park
U.S. National Parks Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
More U.S. National Parks
If you’d like to read more about some of my best recommendations when visiting other U.S. National Parks, check out some of my other posts below!
Disclaimer
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