Petrified Forest Natl Park and Painted Desert

Leaving the Grand Canyon on Sunday we traveled 150 miles east on I-40 to the Petrified Forest National Park. Elevations in the park range from 5300 ft to 6,235 ft.  Many of the brilliantly colored trees in the 93,533 acre park are prone, and many are in fragments.  Early dinosaurs and other reptiles once roamed the area, and numerous fossil bones and fossil plants have been discovered in the park.  About 225 million years ago trees clinging to eroding riverbanks fell into streams and were carried to this wet, swampy lowland.  The trees were submerged in water and buried under volcanic ash sediments rich in silica, a replacement process began to take place.  Silica replaced the wood until the logs were virtually turned to stone.  Iron oxide and other minerals stained the silica to produce rainbow colors.  The 28 mile drive through the park offers breathtaking views and overlooks where you can explore the park on your own.  Within the park it is unlawful to gather plants, sand, rocks or specimens of petrified wood of any size whatsoever: archaeological material is likewise protected.  Violations are punishable by heavy fines and imprisonment. Stores outside the park are allowed to sell polished specimens from privately owned land outside of the park.  I bought some petrified wood from the store at the entrance to the park.  They have to wrap the wood in newspaper individually and you have to keep your receipt with you at all times as proof that you did not take the petrified wood from the park itself.  The rangers ask you going in if you have any petrified wood in your car and on the way out they ask if you took anything that you shouldn't have from the park.  By law they can search your car or person if they suspect that you have taken petrified wood from the park.  According to the film we watched at the visitors center the Petrified Forest is disappearing little by little as one ton of the rock is taken each month illegally.  We spent about 4 hours at the park walking the trails, stopping at overlooks and taking pictures.  One historic landmark inside the park is the Painted Desert Inn at Kachina Point.  The Inn was first built in the early 1900's as a tourist stop for those going west . Eventually it was turned into an Inn for those traveling to California on the famous Route 66 highway.  It was owned by private individuals until the National Park Service purchased the Inn in the mid 1900's and preserved it as an historic landmark.  The last private owner of the Inn hired a Navajo artist to paint murals on the walls which are still there today.  Cost to enter the park is $10 per car and is well worth the cost.  If you're ever traveling along I-40 in Arizona I strongly suggest you take advantage of seeing this National Park.  It is incredible and the views are breathtaking.  My next blog I will show some of the pictures I took while riding along the road and maybe share some stories of happenings along the way.  Until then good night and pleasant painted desert dreams.