Trip Across America

I’m willing to bet quite a few of you have driven by Petrified Forest National Park, without even realizing it. With I-40 running right through the middle of the park, untold numbers of potential visitors miss out on the opportunity to see its otherworldly landscapes. I’ve definitely missed it before. I have done multiple cross country road trips, where I came home via I-40 in Northeastern Arizona, and I can’t remember ever seeing a sign for Petrified Forest National Park. I wish I had, because it’s a great place to stop, featuring some incredibly unique desert landscapes.

Established as a National Park in 1962, Petrified Forest gets its name from the petrified wood, which can be found throughout the park. The petrified trees date back 225 million years, a legacy from when this part of Arizona was a swamp. While the park may get its name from the petrified trees, the desert badlands were my favorite part.

Upon entering the park you arrive at the Painted Desert. A desert landscape immersed in a kaleidoscope of colors; Red, Orange, Gray, Lavender, and Pink. The combination of colors was unlike anything I have ever seen. Driving through the park, there are plenty of lookouts, making it easy to get out and look around whenever you spot something. And it’s a good bet you’ll see something new every 100 feet or so.

Continuing through the park, the landscape gradually transitions from the Painted Desert to rugged Badlands. Featuring a totally different palette of colors, Blues and Grays dominate the Badlands. Here you will find some of the best trails for exploring, as well as plenty of petrified wood.

My favorite stop was the Blue Mesa Trail, a 1 mile loop, which highlights some of the most spectacular parts of Petrified Forest National Park. The trail is both dog and kid friendly, appropriate for all ages. If you were just stopping through on a road trip, and only had a short amount of time, the Blue Mesa Trail would be my recommendation. The trail takes you through the middle of the Badlands, and there is plenty of petrified wood to examine. After a while you realize each piece of petrified wood is quite unique. Each one with it’s own patterns and colors, you’ll never see the same piece twice.

I really enjoyed exploring Petrified Forest National Park. But unless your a National Park junky, Petrified Forest probably isn’t worthy of it’s own dedicated trip. Don’t get me wrong, it’s really cool, but you can probably see everything in one day. It’s not one of the National Parks that you can build a full vacation around. That being said it’s a very good day trip location, worthy of a visit if you’re ever in the area.