Countless colors, hues, and shades paint this tapestry of time that stretches as far as the eye can see. Shaped by wind and water, this land holds vital clues to the past.
— National Park Service
Date Created: December 9, 1962.
Location: Northeastern Arizona, USA.
Size: Approximately 221,390 acres (89,666 hectares).
Speeding down the famed Route 66 a startling and dramatic landscape of 211 million year-old fossilized tree trunks begin to litter the roadside. Petrified Forest and its companion site Painted Desert is a unique out of this world experience and a stupendous place to escape reality. While much of the beauty can be seen by driving the 28 mile scenic route, hiking trails will bring you up close and personal with hundreds of petrified logs of all sizes and shapes. Crystal Forest is said to sparkle as sun glints off quartz crystals. Newspaper Rock is covered with ancient petroglyphs carved by the Pueblo people. The sun was brilliant on my first trip to this desert museum of colors. My recent visit (12.2023) was on a cloudy day. Sunshine enhances the myriad of colors – so take note to check the weather!
