Hiking the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest National Park
Distance: 1.0 miles / 1.6 km
The Blue Mesa Trail is, without a doubt, one of the best things to do in Petrified Forest National Park!
I say this because, unlike the red rolling hills of the Painted Desert in the northern part of the park, the Blue Mesa badlands are unlike any part of the Painted Desert found elsewhere!
For these reasons, the Blue Mesa Trail tends to be one of the more popular hikes in Petrified Forest, especially because the entirety of the trail is paved.
However, if you want to explore an area of the Blue Mesa that is not as often hiked as the Blue Mesa Trail, I highly encourage you to read my separate article about the Historic Blue Forest Trail, which links up with the Blue Mesa Loop Trail shown below.
Read My Separate Post: Historic Blue Forest Trail
Blue Mesa Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Blue Mesa Trailhead is located off Blue Mesa Scenic Road, about 2.7 miles (4.3 km) from the turn off Petrified Forest Road.
On the one-way loop around the Blue Mesa, the trailhead is located on the second-to-last turnout, which is the largest parking area on the Blue Mesa, as this is one of the most popular day hikes in all of Petrified Forest National Park.
Google Maps Directions: Blue Mesa Trailhead
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.
Hiking the Blue Mesa Trail
The Blue Mesa Trail begins atop the Blue Mesa, but that quickly changes as the paved trail descends the cliffs to the loop trail down below.
Overall, this descent only drops about 100 ft. (30.5 m), making the hike back out much more mild than it could be.
Blue Mesa Loop Trail
This is where the Blue Mesa Trail splits, and while it makes no difference which direction you choose to hike, know that the connection with the Historic Blue Forest Trail junction can be found a short distance ahead by going to the right.
This counterclockwise direction is the way I chose to hike the loop.
Blue Mesa-Historic Blue Forest Junction
At this sharp turn on the northern end of the Blue Mesa Loop, the Historic Blue Forest Trail joins with the Blue Mesa Trail.
To learn more about this separate adventure, I encourage you to read my separate article linked below, as this junction is not trailhead that I recommend beginning the Historic Blue Forest Trail.
Read My Separate Post: Historic Blue Forest Trail
The lookout just past the Blue Mesa Trailhead can be seen at the top of the Blue Mesa badlands in the photo below.
I can’t imagine that this massive log will be resting like this forever!
In my opinion, the east side of the loop is the most beautiful part of the Blue Mesa Trail.
Blue Mesa Loop Junction
This is the completion of the Blue Mesa Loop Trail, and the same split in the trail from earlier.
Here, go right to begin the hike back up to the trailhead, climbing roughly 100 ft. (30.5 m) from this junction to the parking lot.
