The Petrified Forest National Park is located in the northeastern part of Arizona off of Interstate 40. We drove the 28-mile drive through the park, starting at the visitor center in the Painted Desert and ending at the visitor center in the Petrified Forrest.
This was my husbands favorite place that we visited in Arizona. It is amazing, but I equally loved Sedona and the Saguaro National Park. Actually, I loved everything about Arizona! 😊
There are many overlooks and places to hike along the route. Park Map
Some of the fossils found in the park indicate that the area was once a tropical region.
More than 200 million years ago, flourishing trees and vegetation covered much of this area of Northeastern Arizona. Volcanic lava destroyed the forest and the remains were covered until erosion set them free, revealing the petrified wood.
Petroglyph drawings on rock surfaces are visible within the park. These markings indicate that ancient native people inhabited this region about 10,000 years ago.
The beautiful colors in the petrified wood come mainly from three minerals. The white is pure quartz, manganese oxides form blue, purple, black, and brown, and iron oxides provide hues from yellow through red to brown.
I would highly recommend a visit to this park. The history and nature are amazing!
Address:
Petrified Forest National Park
1 Park Road
Petrified Forest, AZ 86028
Happy Travels!