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Billings Gap - Petrified Forest NP - 3 members in 6 triplogs have rated this an average 3.7 ( 1 to 5 best )
6 triplogs
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Apr 04 2025
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 Guides 2
 Routes 25
 Photos 1,890
 Triplogs 604

41 male
 Joined Sep 13 2009
 Mesa, AZ
Billings Gap - Petrified Forest NPNortheast, AZ
Billings Gap - Petrified Forest NP
Northeast, AZ
Hiking avatar Apr 04 2025
jochal • Triplogs 604
Hiking2.75 Miles 142 AEG
Hiking2.75 Miles
142 ft AEG
 no routesno photosets
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
_____________________
 
Nov 28 2023
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 Guides 4
 Routes 205
 Photos 9,282
 Triplogs 526

72 male
 Joined Apr 06 2005
 Phoenix, AZ
Billings Gap - Petrified Forest NPNortheast, AZ
Billings Gap - Petrified Forest NP
Northeast, AZ
Hiking avatar Nov 28 2023
Hansenaz • Triplogs 526
Hiking6.77 Miles 706 AEG
Hiking6.77 Miles   4 Hrs   19 Mns   1.65 mph
706 ft AEG      13 Mns Break
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
A month or two ago I went looking for petroglyphs in the Billings Gap area of Petrified Forest National Park. I enjoyed the walk but didn't find any...that happens sometimes.

I had some minor ongoing correspondence with an inverterate glyph hunter who I'd hiked with once before, many years ago. She told me she was re-locating to Holbrook for the winter and we started talking about a hike to do. In the end she suggested going to Billings Gap - she knew where the glyphs were.

So that was the trip today. Turns out I had been very close on my first attempt, but that's usually the case. As always it was enjoyable walking in the PEFO and it was nice to hike with Kay again.
vidlog [ youtube video ]
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  3 archives
Oct 03 2023
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 Guides 4
 Routes 205
 Photos 9,282
 Triplogs 526

72 male
 Joined Apr 06 2005
 Phoenix, AZ
Billings Gap - Petrified Forest NPNortheast, AZ
Billings Gap - Petrified Forest NP
Northeast, AZ
Hiking avatar Oct 03 2023
Hansenaz • Triplogs 526
Hiking9.33 Miles 730 AEG
Hiking9.33 Miles   5 Hrs   14 Mns   1.90 mph
730 ft AEG      19 Mns Break
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Day2 up Holbrook way I went into Petrified Forest National Park to look for some petroglyphs near Billings Gap. I had read there were some though I didn't know where (that's the usual case). I went armed with the GPS track of @LindaAnn and a plan to drop off the mesa edge down to the gap.

But the edge is too steep and rocky for that. Luckily I had also brought the track of @Kingsnake who had walked the semi-official Park route on the low land. I saw I needed to be down there so it was back to the car and a restart after a short drive down the hill.

There's a lot of open land and painted desert mud out there but not a lot of rocks for petroglyph writing. And the ones I found didn't have any petroglyphs. Still a nice day and always good walking in PFNP. I did find a small habitation site with pottery on the way back through the grassland. Oh well.
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  1 archive
Apr 21 2023
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 Guides 10
 Routes 673
 Photos 7,281
 Triplogs 4,660

67 female
 Joined Nov 17 2008
 phoenix, az
Petrified Forest National Park, AZ 
Petrified Forest National Park, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Apr 21 2023
trekkin_gecko • Triplogs 4,660
Hiking7.29 Miles 502 AEG
Hiking7.29 Miles
502 ft AEG
 no routes
Linked   linked  
Painted Desert Rim Trail
Puerco Pueblo
Newspaper Rock
Billings Gap - Petrified Forest NP
Blue Mesa Trail
Partners none no partners
sue and i got back to the park around 1000
we parked at the painted desert inn and took the rim trail south to tawa point
kept hiking on the tawa trail which goes from tawa point to the visitor center
retraced our steps
drove down the park road, stopping at puerco pueblo and newspaper rock
took a break for some chips and salsa at a pullout
then thought we would check out billings gap, another off the beaten path hike
nice to have linda's track to circle around the top of blue mesa
we finished up with blue mesa loop, my only repeat of the trip
nice temps, breezy
sue did well again, and we both enjoyed seeing new scenery
this was a new park for her
john and i made a stop there a few years ago
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hazhole
 
Apr 08 2022
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 Guides 110
 Routes 2,249
 Photos 8,982
 Triplogs 2,603

45 female
 Joined Dec 24 2007
 Ahwatukee, AZ
Billings Gap - Petrified Forest NPNortheast, AZ
Billings Gap - Petrified Forest NP
Northeast, AZ
Hiking avatar Apr 08 2022
LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,603
Hiking2.66 Miles 140 AEG
Hiking2.66 Miles   1 Hour   21 Mns   2.22 mph
140 ft AEG      9 Mns Break
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners partners
Tortoise_Hiker
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Second hike of the day, and one of our two main objectives. I’ve walked a little bit of this one before, but never the full loop around the mesa. Went clockwise, generally following the path. Nice views, especially to the north and east. It was also interesting to be able to see Humphreys, Escudilla, and Baldy from up here. Took a lot of pics, although they all look pretty similar.

The path got more vague after passing Billings Gap Overlook, but we generally followed the edge of the mesa and picked up the main path here and there. There are some really big chunks of petrified wood at the base of the mesa, and zooming in with a phone camera doesn’t do them justice.

Nice easy hike with no other people around. After this one, we went over to Blue Mesa loop. While Billings Gap lets you view from above, Blue Mesa takes you down into the badlands, so seeing everything from both perspectives is good.
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Stop crying and just go do the hike.
 
Apr 08 2022
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 Guides 1
 Routes 148
 Photos 9,928
 Triplogs 3,656

63 male
 Joined Apr 02 2005
 Mesa, AZ
Billings Gap - Petrified Forest NPNortheast, AZ
Billings Gap - Petrified Forest NP
Northeast, AZ
Hiking avatar Apr 08 2022
Tortoise_Hiker • Triplogs 3,656
Hiking2.66 Miles 140 AEG
Hiking2.66 Miles   1 Hour   21 Mns   2.22 mph
140 ft AEG      9 Mns Break
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners partners
LindaAnn
Linda said this was a trail. 8-[ . LoL, it is. Enjoyed this one too. Different then the the others. Looking down on the colorful hills instead of up. Some hoodoos here and there. Even one with a tree through it. A few trees but the big chunks were down below. Views were for miles!! A cool trail for exploring. 0 people on trail although you can see the parking area from many spots. Quiet too!
 Geology
 Geology [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Petrified Wood
_____________________
Tortoise Hiking. Stop and smell the Petrichor.
 
average hiking speed 2 mph

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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