Agate House Trail,
Petrified Forest National Park
The Agate House Trail is accessed via the Rainbow Forest Museum parking lot. The Agate House was built during 1050 AD and 1300 AD by Ancestral Puebloans. The dwelling now stands alone on top of a small hill within Rainbow Forest — archeologists believe it was once part of a larger community. The first section of the hike is paved and has easy access for wheelchairs — the remainder of the trail has a rough, rock surface. The dwelling is fragile — please refrain from sitting, standing or leaning on the walls.
Elevation
The Agate House Trail has a maximum elevation of 5,496 ft., a minimum elevation of 5,458 ft. and an elevation range of 38 ft.
Metrics
| [ A to B ] or [ B to A ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Length 2 | Min Ele 3 | Max Ele 4 | Range 5 |
| 0.4 mi | 5,458 ft | 5,496 ft | 38 ft |
| [ A to B ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time 6 | Floors 7 | Gain 8 | Loss 9 |
| 8 min | 1.8 | 22 ft | 33 ft |
| [ B to A ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Floors | Gain | Loss |
| 8 min | 2.8 | 33 ft | 22 ft |
Calories
The following chart shows the total calories that you may expend on the trail while hiking in both directions. The chart is based on data derived from a statistical model of energy expenditure that relates gross weight, typical speed and trail topography.
Topo Maps
Download the PDF Agate House Trail topo map and the adjoining quads to plan your hike. These are full-sheet, 7.5 Minute (1:24,000 scale) topographic maps.
Adjoining 7.5' Quadrangle Legend
- Northwest Topo Map: Carrizo Butte, AZ
- North Topo Map: Adamana, AZ
- Northeast Topo Map: Sorrel Horse Mesa, AZ
- West Topo Map: Padilla Tank, AZ
- Topo Map: Agate House, AZ
- East Topo Map: Milky Ranch, AZ
- Southwest Topo Map: Hay Hollow, AZ
- South Topo Map: Little Milky Wash, AZ
- Southeast Topo Map: Potter Mesa Tank, AZ
Difficulty
The following chart illustrates the difficulty of hiking the Agate House Trail compared to two other trails. The x-axis is cumulative elevation gain and the y-axis is maximum elevation. The length of the trail is reflected in the size of the bubble.
FAQ
What is the length of the Agate House Trail?
The length of the trail is 0.4 miles (0.6 km) or 839 steps.
How long does it take to hike the Agate House Trail?
A person in good physical health can hike the trail in 8 minutes in one direction and in 8 minutes in the opposite direction.
Warnings
Prevent tick bites: Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5% permethrin.
(cdc.gov)
- The Brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) may be present in this area. The Brown dog tick transmits Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
Footnotes
- Steps is a unit of distance equal to the sum of stride lengths that vary with the terrain.
- Length is the distance of the trail between the two trailheads, measured on the trail.
- Min Ele is the minimum elevation on the trail.
- Max Ele is the maximum elevation on the trail.
- Range is the difference between maximum and minimum elevation.
- Time is the typical total time required to hike the trail.
- Floors is the gain divided by twelve feet, the height of one floor.
- Gain (cumulative elevation gain) is the sum of every gain in elevation.
- Loss (cumulative elevation loss) is the sum of every loss in elevation.