Recently, while on a trajectory back to Sedona, AZ, which was home to us for several years, I realized that Petrified Forest National Park was within striking distance. It had been many years since we had last visited so an overnight stay was added to our itinerary.
Petrified Forest National Park, in northeast Arizona, encompasses roughly 150 miles of brightly hued, abraded badlands, an ancient landscape that was birthed over 225-million years ago. Wind and water transformed this once humid, sub-tropical land, along with tectonic forces that pushed the landscape upward, exposing the Colorado Plateau to immense erosion. Today, these desolate but beautifully striated formations tell the story of a land that has been scattered on the winds and the remains of trees now dot the landscape, turned to stone, as if Medusa had been at work here.
Petrified Forest is the only national park to protect a section of historic Route 66. The roads are well-maintained so larger vehicles/RV’s can easily maneuver the 28-mile scenic drive through the park. If your visit is short as ours was, the Crystal Forest Gift Shop Campground at the southern entrance is the place to stay. Although you will be dry-camping, you will also be staying there free of charge. 🙂
Paint Your Landscape 
Brings back memories. I love the southwest. The Petrified Forest was a favorite place my mother took me as a child. I’ve been wanting to go back there.
I hadn’t been in years so it felt great to visit it again. 🙂
Wow! Some stunning pics Lu! Love them!
Nina
Thanks Nina. It was a quick trip but I enjoyed seeing this unusual landscape again.
Yes, this place is on our list! Beautiful photos.
How neat you lived in Sedona for a while. I cam see myself spending oodles of time there with all those trails!
This place is desolate, rugged, and I think truly beautiful. Sedona has so many wonderful trails. When we were there recently we had a hard time finding some that we hadn’t yet done, but I managed. 🙂
Great info. We seem to be always speeding (well not exactly speeding) past the Petrified Forest. I did not know there was a place to overnight. We’ll definitely stop next time through 🙂
I can’t tell you how many times we have passed by over the years and not stopped. We were glad to find the Crystal Forest Campground.
ok.. newspaper rock captured my interest! one designed looked either like a manned flight or else my magic carpet took a midnight flight to the past and entertained some of those artists! i would love to study those in detail!
so glad you threw on brakes and made time for the petrified forest!
So glad we took the time as well Lisa. I knew Newspaper Rock would entice you. 🙂
i was just looking at that image again – just now!
😀
Definitely on the list! Stunning photos of a desolate but amazing place.
It can be a landscape photographer’s dream if the lighting is right.
LuAnn your photos are always excellent but I must say this series is above and beyond. The light rays shining through is my fave but all of them are jaw droppers. Truly.
Thanks Sue. Given your stunning images, I am humbled by your comment. 🙂
Really LuAnn I have serious photo envy after this post but thank you for your compliment. 🙂 What kind of camera do you use?
I use a Panasonic Lumix FZ200. I still have much to learn and I would also like to get a point-and-shoot with a better zoom than I have right now. What camera do you use Sue? I love the color and clarity it produces, or perhaps that is all just the photographer’s skills? 😉
LuAnn our main camera is a Canon SX 280HS with 20x zoom. On the trip we also took our waterproof camera in case of rains and some shots are from it Nikon Coolpix AW110. All of the photos of our trip that were on social media and in this last post about Tuscany dreams were taken on my iPhone 5c with editing down in Instagram. With the other cameras I use the editing tools in Picasa.
Was that more info than you wanted? 🙂
Not at all. Thanks so much. I am always looking to get more education when it comes to photography. 🙂
🙂
I love getting ideas for new places to visit. We haven’t been here but I know I would love it. The Tepees are beautiful. Great shot of the sun reflecting through. Love that final photo with golden hues:)
Thanks. I think you two would enjoy it, even if there are no big mountains to tackle. 🙂 BTW, we tackled the Bear in Sedona. I will be posting on that in the next few days.
Love this set of photos… but love the subject of the photos…. what a fascinating place… those hills with the colours is really worth a study… and the rock art just as much so…. some very interesting shapes there almost out of this world…. great post…
Thanks Bulldog. If I were a more patient photographer, perhaps I could have captured more of the magic. 😉
LuAnn, these are just gorgeous! You certainly captured the magic of the Painted Desert. I haven’t been there in many years, but would love to return. Thanks for the great tip on a convenient place to stay.
My pleasure Laurel. It had been our first time back there in many years as well.
I’ve been to a Newspaper Rock, I believe near the Needles entrance to Canyonlands in Utah. Very similar rock and petroglyphs. Your photos are great!
Thanks Charles! We have much exploring to do in Utah yet.
Beautiful photos LuAnn. I love that it is called a “petrified” forest
There is petrified wood everywhere you look, which is pretty amazing. 🙂
I can imagine.
Hi LuAnn 😀 This brings back memories. I have actually been there and seen those “tree trunks”. They are very colourful.. xox ❤
How wonderful to have been to one of your old travel spots. 🙂
Did you spot my footprints ? 😉
I thought those looked a lot like yours Ralph. 😉
I’ve been there once, but now that I live so close, I want to explore this park even more. I am fascinated by the petrified trees. Beautiful pictures, by the way. Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure Joan.
Lovely photos. We love that area. I call that God’s country. He painted such a beautiful landscape for us to enjoy and awe over.
It truly is that Marsha. 🙂
Thank you LuAnn for the virtual visit to yet another of the AMAZING places that are part of this country. It has been many years since I last visited this place but your words and pictures bring the memories back loud and clear.
Thanks Ardythe. It had been years since we had been here and it was good to see this beautiful landscape again.
Wonderful and intriguing images, LuAnn. The Newspaper Rock is really awesome and gave me goose bumps just looking at it. Your last photo is spectacular and definitely ‘otherworldly’. Thanks for showing me this place which is now on my Bucket List. 🙂
My pleasure Sylvia. 🙂
Spectacular photo of the Petrified Forest, LuAnn! We stopped there when we were driving from Texas to California nearly a decade ago. Can’t believe it has been this long time ago…
It had been at least that long for us as well Amy.
Just awesome. You always seem to outdo yourself with your photography, LuAnn. And it makes for such a wonderful post with your narratives. Okay, not nearly as good as if I was, well, you remember, hidden out in a small compartment, along for the trip, sigh. None the less, just awesome! Much love to you dear friend, stay safe and well, the two of you! 🙂
It is a magical place Penny, full of ancient wonders. 🙂
Wow! Spectacular photos! I haven’t been to this area for many decades… This makes me want to go back there – right now!!
It is a pretty special place, isn’t it?
You brought back some really fond memories of this spot for me. Thanks for the wonderful images.
My pleasure Gunta! 🙂
I have been spoilt by plenty of greenery recently in your photos but you also capture the beauty and dare I say melancholy of the desolate as well. newspaper Rock is a great name and fascinating, it is interesting that lots of ancient cultures drew things so similarly, now i don’t want to bring aliens into this of course, but deserts and America are synonymous with this type of thing lol. That sky in the third photo from the top looks stunning!
Thanks Ste J. There is something about the stark, desolate landscape that draws me in.
Beautiful! We are on the plane now leaving Arizona! We just did a trip to Sedona which we loved and then the Grand Canyon. It was wonderful! Northern Arizona has so much to offer!
Northern AZ is fascinating! 🙂
beautiful–come to Canada!
Hopefully we will be there next year. Tell me again where in Canada you live.
about 30miles from the Detroit border in a little town called Kingsville
I will let you know LouAnn if we get that far in our travels. 🙂
Those are some truly stunning photos!
Thanks so much!
Desolation can be oh-so picturesque. Were you hiking those, or those pictures were taken from afar? Love each pictures esp. the golden hour pics.
Since we only stayed overnight we just went out and did a bit of exploring after we arrived late afternoon.
You and Terry continue to absolutely astound me LuAnn. Just a few years ago I lived in a cabin within Petrified Forest for a month as the photographer in residence and somehow, in one overnight stay, you found a way, as you have an amazing way to do, of capturing so much of the beauty and essence of that fabulous place. In fact, in seeing your photos I started thinking of revisiting it again. Thank you as always and after so many months on the road, welcome home. { } ~Rick
Rick, Sometimes when we do have reservations, as we did in Sedona, spending time at places you would like to explore further becomes a challenge so I had to do the best I could with only a few hours available to me. I hadn’t been to Petrified Forest NP for many years so I would have loved to spend several days.
Given how well I know the park and only scratched the surface while I lived and photographed there for a month I think you did an astounding job of seeing and capturing so much of its beauty. Plus, I can see how you and that Lumix have become very good friends 🙂
I still feel I have much to learn with the camera. Your tips are helping me to do just that. 🙂
Breathtaking views!
Thanks RoSy!
LuAnn, every single shot in this series is breathtaking! Agree with Sue, these are some of your best by far. Thank you for sharing.