Petrified Forest & Painted Desert National Park

Today (Sunday) as we were traveling from Albuquerque to Sun Valley, AZ we realized that we were going right by this national park and decided that we should stop there. It is right on I-40 and just a few miles before the exit we were taking for our campground. It is a 28 mile drive through the park and it was so beautiful and interesting. The sad part is that so many people are stealing the petrified rocks that the landscape has changed a great deal already. Although it is a federal offense, they estimate that one ton of rocks are being stolen every month. It was a little strange to travel through a national park with our 5th wheel in tow. Tomorrow we arrive at the Grand Canyon.


The visitors center at the park


An interesting rock formation


Painted desert

Our "home" inside the park

Petrified rocks

Another interesting rock formation

Painted desert

Petrified rocks

A petrified log protruding

from the rocks