Petrified Forest National Park covers an area of 230 square miles with a chunk of the Painted Desert in the north end. A 28-mile road runs north-south, with many pull-off areas to see various sights. There are several short hikes available but there are also 43000-acre and 7000-acre Wilderness areas – in the north and south respectively – for longer hikes and overnight stays. Even if not venturing into the Wilderness areas you can spend most or all of a day here seeing the sights, which include desert and badland landscapes, the remains of ancient pueblos, petroglyphs, interesting geology, and more petrified wood than you can shake a stick at.
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- Painted Desert
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- Painted Desert
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- A trail leads from the mesa down into the Wilderness area
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- Once upon a time, this was Route 66
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- Pueblo Puerco
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- Pueblo Puerco
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- Pueblo Puerco
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- Pueblo Puerco
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- One of “The Teepees”
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- The trail at Blue Mesa descends into these badlands
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- Petrified wood abounds
The Compulsive Hiker 
Hey Mike, Cindy and I were there last week.
That figures!
What a memory lane selection – went to Petrified Forest in second grade, returned when I was 30 with our kids. Thanks for sharing.
What were the temperatures like?
I don’t remember exactly but I think I’d call it “mild”.
“More petrified wood than you can shake a stick at…” You have a nice turn of phrase, bro! Beautiful pictures.
Thanks, I do love the wordplay!