Holbrook, Arizona: Explore a Petrified Forest and Echoes of Route 66

Holbrook, Arizona is best known for its proximity to the multi-colored tree stumps of Petrified Forest National Park. Holbrook is also home to a notable remnant of Route 66, a motel composed of 1950s-era tipis, and a small shed where travelers who are experiencing a transitional moment can leave something personally significant behind. There are few places where you can bask in the mystery, magic, and beauty of the desert quite like you can in Holbrook.

Holbrook’s main attraction will forever be Petrified Forest National Park. The stark desert landscape that is punctuated by crystallized tree stumps is a truly breathtaking sight.

Trails such as the Crystal Forest allow visitors to view petrified wood with sparkling crystal deposits. Visitors can also survey Puebloan ruins, hills made of blue bentonite clay, and paths lined with blooming cacti and wildflowers. Travelers can hike, attend a Native American cultural demonstration at the Visitors Center, or join a guided tour to learn about the region’s unique fossils and geology.

Arid as it may be, Petrified Forest National Park is home to a robust ecosystem. Visitors may spot a shy cottontail rabbit, a waddling porcupine, or a slinky bobcat. The best time to view wildlife is early in the morning or around dusk. A herd of Pronghorn grazing among sparkling petrified wood is a spellbinding sight that you will never forget.

Petrified Forest National Park is also home to a remnant of Route 66. A rusted 1932 Studebaker rests at a former Route 66 pull off. Once the US Interstate Highway System was constructed in the mid-1950s, the bulk of Route 66 was decommissioned. The weathered Studebaker was donated to the National Park Service by an Arizona couple. Visitors love posing in front of a corroded car that is long past its prime on a dusty road that was once known as the Highway of Dreams.

The Wigwam Motel, also known as Wigwam Village #6, is another vestige of the glory days of Route 66. Inspired by a design created by Frank A. Redford, Arizona resident Chester E. Lewis built a collection of 15 modern “wigwams” where visitors could spend the night. The structures are technically not wigwams because they’re not rounded. Instead, the guest rooms resemble cone-shaped tipis that were favored by Native Americans who inhabited the Great Plains.

In the 1940s and 50s, there were 7 Wigwam Villages. Today, only two remain: the Holbrook Wigwam Motel and Wigwam Village #7 in San Bernardino, California. Visitors can spend the night in a cozy 1950s-era wigwam/tipi with solid walls, a comfy bed, a full-service bathroom, and—most important of all in the sweltering Arizona desert—an AC unit. The Wigwam Motel also features a glowing neon sign and a parking lot full of vintage automobiles which once chugged along on nearby Route 66.

One of Holbrook’s most recent attractions is a small shed established in 2020. An homage to outgoing Atlas Obscura CEO David Plotz, the Plotz Plot is a space where people experiencing a transitional moment can leave a memento of their former selves for others to view. David Plotz left behind a backpack that he used to transport his belongings during his days at Atlas Obscura. The Plotz Point holds the distinction of being the only destination that was ever created and documented by Atlas Obscura.

The Plotz Point is located near Adamana Road off I-40 at Exit 303. Visitors are instructed to punch in the code 4444 to enter the shed. You will see a shelf that contains artifacts such as shoes, empty bottles, sunglasses, and even a mannequin head with blonde hair. Feel free to leave something from your own collection of worldly possessions. Just make sure that you label what you leave, sign the guest book, and lock the door behind you.

During the heyday of Route 66, a trip to the Arizona desert was considered the height of adventure. There is still plenty of excitement to be found in a gorgeous desert town that is celebrated for its petrified forest and the remnants of one of America’s great highways. If you’re yearning for an unforgettable road trip with magnificent desert scenery and retro roadside attractions, a trip to Holbrook, Arizona is an absolute must.