We took the name of the park literally and expected a forest of petrified trees standing vertically. Before we arrived our pals, Bob and Becki, told us that this was not the case.
So what’s the deal? Millions of years ago, when there was only one continent instead of seven, this area of the US was where current day Costa Rica is today. At that time, this area was a rainforest with a tropical environment. The continent broke up, volcanoes erupted, and the trees were buried beneath layers of silt, mud, sand, and volcanic ash. Over time, the organic tree material was replaced with minerals like silica and quartz. Now this petrified forest is not made of wood, but of stone.
Painted Desert
We took a short walk in the wilderness area along the sculpted badlands. We saw some wonderful formations and some wildlife.
Route 66 used to go right through the park. The electrical lines in the background show where the highway used to run.
Tepees and Blue Mesa
Ruins, Petroglyphs, and Trees
Crystal Forest
Many petrified logs glimmer with quartz crystals.
Long Logs and Agate House Trails
Giant Logs
Next stop will be the Grand Canyon for 10 days.
2 thoughts on “Petrified Forest National Park”
Again magnificent photos. I did visit that area with my parents when I was young and still remember the beauty. I hope one day Ed and I might make it there. Do they allow dogs in the park on the trails? We for the first time in 45 years are without an RV so future trips will be cabin or hotels…bummer but we will give it a try. Safe travels.
We purchased a new camera so hopefully the pics will looks even better (see the upcoming Grand Canyon post). Our old camera had spots on the lens and removing the spots from the photos was becoming a full time job. I hope you and Ed can make it there too. Nothing wrong with a nice cabin in the woods for a restful break. They do allow dogs on developed trails, but not the backcountry.