Martha’s Butte Petroglyphs in Petrified Forest National Park, AZ

Hike Martha’s Butte Petroglyphs Petrified Forest National Park, AZ

Class 1 2.2 miles Minimal gain <1 hr Loop Dec 17, 2017
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Martha’s Butte Petroglyphs GPX Track

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A short loop through a lesser-visited area of Petrified Forest National Park with some easy route-finding. The route starts out by wrapping around a bit mound and continuing through a wash before I decided to just traverse through the colorful badlands. There were sporadic cairns, but a good rule of thumb is to be heading generally northwst. Martha's Butte appears in the distance and its a pretty distinctive feature. There are some very cool  petroglyphs on boulders at the base.

After exploring the petroglyphs for a bit I continued generally south to make this a loop and see some more of the badlands. Like most hikes in Petrified Forest National Park, it's a choose-your-own-adventure sort of deal.

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Park next to a big mound and head north around it.
Park next to a big mound and head north around it.
Following a wash for a bit.
Following a wash for a bit.
A cairn marked the exit to the wash, but really it's hard to get lost. Just head northwest-ish.
A cairn marked the exit to the wash, but really it's hard to get lost. Just head northwest-ish.
Martha's Butte appears in the distance.
Martha's Butte appears in the distance.
Image 4 from gallery
Martha's Butte.
Martha's Butte.
Petroglyphs
Petroglyphs
Martha's Butte petroglyph.
Martha's Butte petroglyph.
Looking back the way I came from Martha's Butte base.
Looking back the way I came from Martha's Butte base.
Martha's Butte, with a petroglyph.
Martha's Butte, with a petroglyph.
Another petroglyph.
Another petroglyph.
Continuing southeast.
Continuing southeast.
Image 12 from gallery
Image 13 from gallery
Image 14 from gallery
Open desert for much of the way.
Open desert for much of the way.
Image 16 from gallery
Image 17 from gallery
Almost back to my car.
Almost back to my car.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!