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Venture Through the Vibrant Tapestry of the Painted Desert Arizona
Published by Megan Eaves, Writer
Country: United States 
The Experience
The slight dry breeze blowing in from the open car window offered some relief, as the intensely hot Arizona sun beamed down on the car. As I approached the entrance to the Painted Desert, the rhythmic bumping under my tires from the cracks in the road only echoed the isolation of highway, not a single other car in sight. All around barren mountains emerge as flaming dunes, with multicolored strata creating a rainbow of orange, brown, red and purple hues. The Painted Desert stretches over 160 miles, and spans from the Grand Canyon National Park through to the Petrified Forest National Park. Designed over hundreds of years by natural conditions such as volcanoes, sea waters, wind, rain and earthquakes, the unique composition of stratified minerals renders the illusion of "painted" layers banded across the desert terrain. Sculpted by erosion the sharp mountains jutting up from the desert with plateaued tops, also known as mesas and buttes, only magnify the handicraft of nature at sunset, as their sheer faces reflect hues of bright purple, blue, gold and red.
Impossible to be reached by any means other than car, I drove the short hop from the town of Holbrook to arrive at the dusty parking lot outside the Painted Desert Visitor Center. With hiking boots and large water bottle in hand, I was off to follow the Blue Mesa Trail, known to offer the most stunning views of the Painted Desert scenery. Despite it easily being 95 degrees out, I didn't seem to sweat and the sun felt more warm than hot. After about 2 hours of hiking, snaking through small shrub-like trees, I rounded the final bend to see a vast array of dusty bluffs standing naked in techno color - blue, grey, brown, purple and brick red. This fantastic view was not served justice by the deceiving shots I snapped from my camera, so instead of trying to capture the moment, I choose to savor it, plopping down on the trail lost in a colorful dream.
Scenery isn’t the only thing to explore at the Petrified Forest National Park though. The Park takes its name from the abundance of petrified wood that is littered across the area. Several trails such as Giant Logs Trail and Long Logs Trail, take you through the heart of the petrified wood collections. Other archaeological sights are dotted around the Park, including a set of ancient petroglyphs, 800-year-old Native American pueblo buildings and interesting rock formations like the Agate Bridge.
Impossible to be reached by any means other than car, I drove the short hop from the town of Holbrook to arrive at the dusty parking lot outside the Painted Desert Visitor Center. With hiking boots and large water bottle in hand, I was off to follow the Blue Mesa Trail, known to offer the most stunning views of the Painted Desert scenery. Despite it easily being 95 degrees out, I didn't seem to sweat and the sun felt more warm than hot. After about 2 hours of hiking, snaking through small shrub-like trees, I rounded the final bend to see a vast array of dusty bluffs standing naked in techno color - blue, grey, brown, purple and brick red. This fantastic view was not served justice by the deceiving shots I snapped from my camera, so instead of trying to capture the moment, I choose to savor it, plopping down on the trail lost in a colorful dream.
Scenery isn’t the only thing to explore at the Petrified Forest National Park though. The Park takes its name from the abundance of petrified wood that is littered across the area. Several trails such as Giant Logs Trail and Long Logs Trail, take you through the heart of the petrified wood collections. Other archaeological sights are dotted around the Park, including a set of ancient petroglyphs, 800-year-old Native American pueblo buildings and interesting rock formations like the Agate Bridge.
When to Go to Painted Desert
The Petrified National Forest and Painted Desert are located in northeast Arizona and are only accessible by car or motorcycle. The hot desert climate makes visiting the park possible year-round, though the best times to visit are in late spring or autumn when temperatures are more reasonable and tourism has dropped off. The Petrified National Forest and Painted Desert are generally open during daylight hours, usually between 7am and 7pm, depending on the time of year. Arizona does not participate in Daylight Savings Time and operates on Mountain Standard Time year round.
Entrance to the Park costs $10 for private vehicles or $5 per individual on foot or bike. Overnight permits are available on site for an additional fee and allow access to camping, although no official campgrounds are kept within the Park. Trailer parking is available at the Painted Desert Visitors Center. Trail maps, gift shops and a restaurant are located at the Painted Desert Visitors Center in the North Entrance. There are two entrances to the Park, the most accessible one being the North Entrance, directly off of Interstate 40 near Holbrook, Arizona. Alternately, you can take Hwy 180 from Holbrook to the South Entrance.
Entrance to the Park costs $10 for private vehicles or $5 per individual on foot or bike. Overnight permits are available on site for an additional fee and allow access to camping, although no official campgrounds are kept within the Park. Trailer parking is available at the Painted Desert Visitors Center. Trail maps, gift shops and a restaurant are located at the Painted Desert Visitors Center in the North Entrance. There are two entrances to the Park, the most accessible one being the North Entrance, directly off of Interstate 40 near Holbrook, Arizona. Alternately, you can take Hwy 180 from Holbrook to the South Entrance.
Odds n' Ends
The best trails for observing petrified wood are the Giant Logs Trail and the Long Logs Trail. The Crystal Forest Trail also offers particularly interesting views of colorful petrified logs. To see ancient pueblo buildings, you should make for either the Agate House, which is a rebuilt pueblo created from petrified wood, or the 800-year-old Puerco Pueblo.
Though all of the trails offer viewpoints, the best area for taking in the Painted Desert is the Blue Mesa, accessible via a mile-long trail that loops through the most scenic spots. Other places of interest include the Agate Rock, where a piece of petrified log was eroded into a hill, creating a natural bridge, as well as Newspaper Rock where you can view hundreds of ancient petroglyph etchings.
Though all of the trails offer viewpoints, the best area for taking in the Painted Desert is the Blue Mesa, accessible via a mile-long trail that loops through the most scenic spots. Other places of interest include the Agate Rock, where a piece of petrified log was eroded into a hill, creating a natural bridge, as well as Newspaper Rock where you can view hundreds of ancient petroglyph etchings.
Places to Eat
- Painted Desert Visitors Center Cafeteria
- This is the only place in the park where you can get a full meal. Offerings are standard cafeteria fare.
- Rainbow Forest Museum Snack Bar
- Quick snacks are available at the museum.
- Wayside Cafe - Holbrook
- Next time you're in Holbrook...: I stopped for lunch here because the parking lot was full. I figured the locals must know what's what, and they didn't let me down. I had a chicken stuffed sopa that was probably the best meal I'd had in two weeks on the road.
- Romo's Restaurant - Holbrook
- We stopped here on a recent cross-country drive and really enjoyed the food. This place is on the old Hwy 66 and the neighborhood is a little tired, but the food is great. Best part is with each dinner order you get a sopapilla, which is a fried pastry served with honey. The best.
Recommended Places to Stay
- Best Western Arizonian Inn, Holbrook
- Discover this 100% non-smoking Holbrook, Arizona hotel where guests will be minutes away from Historic Route 66 and the beautiful Painted Desert.
- Ramada Limited Holbrook
- The Ramada Limited Holbrook is situated with the Painted Desert on the north and the Petrified Forest on the south.
- Wigwam Motel, Holbrook, Arizona
- There were seven of these Wigwam Villages built from the 1930's to the 1950's from Florida to California. The one, here in Holbrook, receives a lot of media attention due to it being located on Route 66 and located near several Native American Reservations,Navajo, Hopi, White Mountain Apache Reservations. There are several vintage automobiles that are around the perimeter of the property. The Wigwam Motel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 2, 2002.
- Holiday Inn Express Flagstaff Arizona
- Conveniently located at the Intersection of I-40 and Butler Avenue, the Holiday Inn Express Flagstaff hotel is the perfect choice for your trip to Flagstaff. Whether it's for business or pleasure, our experienced staff, comfortable guestrooms and superior amenities will make your trip a success.
Additional Places to Stay Nearby
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The Ramada Limited Holbrook is situated with the Painted Desert on the north and the Petrified Forest on the south. The Ramada hotel is at ... 22 miles away
$53 USD+
Discover this 100% non-smoking Holbrook, Arizona hotel where guests will be staying on Historic Route 66 and just minutes away from the beautiful Painted Desert ... 22 miles away
$101 USD+
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- Trace the Trail of the Ancients in Monument Valley
- There is perhaps a no more unique, beautiful and awe-inspiring place to visit in the continental United States than the southwestern desert. Monument Valley stands as, well, a monument to our collective imaginings about the American west - it's played setting to dozens of old western films and, as kids, we watched the Coyote topple over the Valley's teetering clay ledges in search of his ultimate foe, the Roadrunner. Monument Valley was created through thousands of years of erosion, as rivers and lakes slowly receeded, clay and stone deposits were formed, canyons and gullies were carved, and the wind had ...145 miles away.
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Books and DVDs
- The Painted Desert: Land of Wind and Stone (Desert Places)
- Now, for the first time award-winning writer Scott Thybony and freelance photographer David Edwards offer an intimate look at a place that remains inhospitable and inaccessible to so many. They share insights about the geology, paleontology, anthropology, and human history of the region as well as personal stories that dispel the misconceptions and mysteries that surround this delicate and difficult landscape. With fifteen stunning photographs gracing the text, this book offers a vibrant portrait of one of the Southwest’s most barren, and most colorful landscapes.
- Petrified Forest National Park (True Book)
- Ideal for today's young investigative reader, each A True Book includes lively sidebars, a glossary and index, plus a comprehensive "To Find Out More" section listing books, organizations, and Internet sites. A staple of library collections since the 1950s, the new A True Book series is the definitive nonfiction series for elementary school readers. About the Author David Petersen is the author of several nonfiction books for children.
- Holbrook and the Petrified Forest (AZ) (Images of America)
- Long committed to preserving Navajo County history, author Catherine H. Ellis' family were among the earliest settlers in Holbrook and the surrounding towns. Showcasing photographs collected by Lloyd Henning and Garnette Franklin, now property of the Navajo County Historical Society and housed in the historic courthouse, as well as images from sources across the state and nation, this engaging retrospective pays tribute to Holbrook's colorful past.
Elsewhere on the Web
- The Painted Desert Panorama - Panoramas.dk
- 360 degree photo of The Painted Desert.
- Petrified Forest National Park (U.S. National Park Services)
- With one of the world's largest and most colorful concentrations of petrified wood, multi-hued badlands of the Painted Desert, historic structures, archeological sites, and displays of over 200-million-year-old fossils, this is a surprising land of scenic wonders and fascinating science.
- Painted Desert Arizona
- The Painted Desert encompasses over 93,500 acres and stretches over 160 miles.
- Painted Desert, Arizona - American West Travelogue
- The northern reaches of Petrified Forest National Park extend into the heart of the Painted Desert of northeast Arizona, a colorful fantasyland of mesa, buttes, and badlands.
- Petrified Forest National Park
- One of America's most interesting national parks is located in northeastern Arizona not far from the more well-known Grand Canyon. The 93,533 acres of Petrified Forest which contain America's largest deposits of petrified wood, a rich and colorful desert, many fossils of dinosaurs and other creatures, and more than 500 archaeological sites including amazing petroglyphs left by ancient cultures.
Media References
- Under the Arizona Sun - NYTimes.com (newspaper)
- IT was not yet noon, but the thermometer in our rented sport utility vehicle showed it was 102 degrees outside when my friend Georgia and I arrived at the top of First Mesa, a forbidding-looking plateau of rock in the northeastern Arizona desert and a thriving traditional center of Hopi Indian life.
- Rock of Ages—Canyon Country - NationalGeographic.com (magazine)
- In the outback regions of the Colorado Plateau, time stands nearly still. Year by year, erosion lightly planes the mesas and deepens the canyons; a wet year thickens the sparse grasses and a dry year withers them.
- SOUTHWEST: INDIAN COUNTRY - NYTimes.com (newspaper)
- It is a cold, windy afternoon in March, and from Pintado Point the folded hills of the Painted Desert seem bleak and lifeless beneath a sky bruised by blue and gray clouds.
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