We're nearing the end of the trip.
We drove from Dolan Springs, Az to the Petrified Forest National Park near Holbrook, Az on Saturday. I don't know how far that was in miles but it was a day's drive. We had no idea where we would camp but we followed the signs to the park. We knew we couldn't camp inside the park but, just as we arrived, a campsite appeared like an apparition. There was free camping just outside the park gates beside an Indian Rock shop. Never one to turn down free camping, we set up and got a good nights rest and toured around on Sunday. It was very windy and cold that day. But since you've come a long way to see things you just go out into it and pretend it's sunny and warm.
Worldwide, petrified wood isn't rare. But this place, the National Park, is the largest concentration of petrified wood in the world. It's created by forces of geology acting over eons of time. The trees here are tropical trees from when the land that is now Arizona was in a tropical latitude. The trees died and were buried, minerals were deposited in wood celluloid, heat and pressure were exerted and then it was all displaced upward where it laid it on top of the ground for us all to see. Not much became of it until it was discovered by explorers and a lot has been carried off over the years since. It is illegal to take anything out of the protected area now but people still try to do it.
The Petrified Forest and Painted Desert are together in the same National Park. You drive north through the park then cross Interstate 40 into the Painted Desert. Only a small part the Painted Desert is in the park.
After crossing I-40 we came across this old rusted Studebaker which is in the park and is there to commemorate Route 66 across America. It sits where Old Route 66 was at that point. It is just a photo op for people to enjoy.
Today, Monday, we drove to Albequerque, NM to visit the Petroglyph National Monument. We were only there for a couple of hours, took the short hike around the rock markings and then left. The petroglyphs, ancient Pueblo etchings in the rocks, are 1000 to 1200 years old. The meanings are not clear in all cases. Some figures of animals, people and objects are obvious but others are not. Pueblo Indians consider this the sacred ground of their ancestors.
We spent Monday night in an RV park in Santa Rosa, NM. Tomorrow, we head east with one more stop to make - The Washita River Battlefield National Historic Site in Cheyenne, Ok.
Petrified log, some are more colorful than others.
Nearly a whole petrified tree with root ball.
Petrified log with amazing colors. Some of the whites are actually clear agate.
Placard pertains to next picture of Agate Bridge
Petrified log bridge - note the concrete support built in 1917. Also read picture placard above.
Old rusted Studebaker on Historic Route 66
Painted Desert
Pueblo Petroglyph at Petroglyph National Monument near Albequerque. This is one of thousands. The etchings are very old.
All very interesting. We all stayed in an RV park in Santa Rosa last summer, too. Did you go to the Blue Hole?
ReplyDeleteNo. We saw the signs for it but we were ready to come home. We got into the RV park after dark and left early.
DeleteWonderful pictures mike. Just gorgeous !
ReplyDeleteRick
DeleteThanks, Rick. The pictures don't really show it as good as it is.