Petrified Forest National Park

 June 10, 2025

OK RV Park - site Blue 20

Holbrook, AZ

Momma, you went a bit overboard with photos today.  No wonder your cell phone battery was just about empty.  East of Holbrook, off of highway 180, is the south entrance to the Petrified Forest National Park....which is a beautiful 28 mile scenic drive complete with hiking trails.

But right before you enter the park there are two 'museums', one on each side of the road that are really just gift shops loaded with items for sale.  Everything from souvenirs to beautiful pieces of polished petrified rock with price tags as high as several thousand dollars.  

It is a time consuming, slow process to polish the natural piece using diamonds and a special glue to help eliminate the splintering that might develop as the wood is polished and exposed to air.

The park itself has a visitor center

full of information.  It is located near the petrified forest section. 

These logs didn't rot in the water, but instead took on the minerals near them and when the land shifted and the water disappeared, the hardened logs were exposed.

As you follow the roadway through the park, the view changes to the painted desert scenery.

Old Route 66 cut through what is now the National Park.

Travelers could stop at the Painted Desert Inn for a bite to eat or a stay in one of the six rooms at the Inn.  

As you can see, the inn has been restored and now serves as a museum, positioned with dramatic views of the painted desert.

There is minimal vegetation.  These tiny flowers sitting next to the parking lot struggle to survive. 

It was an interesting drive through the national park which ended at the north gate off of I-40.

Wow!  We actually have camping neighbors tonight.  This park has been pretty empty until tonight.  What few campers were here, had been spread out throughout the park.

We definitely weren't feeling cramped for space.



 

The colors of the rocks define the sites from the interior roads.

Missing from the campground rules and policies is the statement about not parking on the grass.  I think you can see why.

At least these stones are small and don't hurt my paws.  Yes, I've been running on the stones close to my site playing ball until my tongue hangs so low I almost trip over it.  I guess that won't happen again, unless the neighbors move on.

I'm Chloe