We had heavily anticipated our visit to the PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK, but were surprisingly shocked by the magnificent vastness, expanse, and sheer beauty of the PAINTED DESERT landscape, which encompasses the park. The Painted Desert, a 7,500 square mile area located in the BADLANDS of northeastern Arizona, is 120 miles long and 60 miles wide. The color of the hills, most boasting multi-colored mud stone and sandstone rocks, and unique formations and textures, were stunningly beautiful and something you cannot afford to miss. Our favorite hike today was the BLUE MESA TRAIL, where we headed down to the base of the BLUE FOREST canyon, and witnessed the most colorful, glorious mounds, hills and sheer cliffs we had ever seen. Additionally, the 205 to 227 MILLION YEAR OLD PETRIFIED TREES throughout the park, were shinning in a variety of colors, hues, shapes and textures, and were amazingly beautiful. The petrified trees, now rocks, are absolutely stunning, each sporting an unexpected rainbow of colors. The longest petrified log in the park is over 180 feet long, and the widest at its base measures over 10 feet. We all wonder how these incredible specimens were formed. As the trees died and fell, many were carried downstream and buried by layers of sediment. The logs soaked up the groundwater and the silica form the volcanic ash, and over time crystallized into quartz. Different absorbed minerals created the rainbow of colors which each individual rock expresses. This incredible park, with its unique Painted Desert landscape and its glorious petrified trees, is without question something to experience and behold.
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